What is Gestalt therapy?
Gestalt therapy is a form of psychotherapy and belongs here to the group of so-called humanistic therapies. According to the humanistic approach, every person has the ability to develop. The therapist sees the patient as a self-determined being. In Gestalt therapy, he learns to activate the necessary forces so that he can cope with his problems on his own.
The German psychoanalysts Fritz and Lore Perls, together with Paul Goodman, founded Gestalt therapy. Because of its psychoanalytic roots, Gestalt therapy incorporates some approaches from psychoanalysis. For example, like psychoanalysts, Gestalt therapists assume that there are deeper unconscious conflicts. However, the approach to dealing with such conflicts is quite different in Gestalt therapy than in psychoanalysis:
The term “Gestalt
The term “Gestalt” comes from Gestalt psychology, which originated at the beginning of the 20th century. Behind it is the idea that a gestalt is not simply the sum of its individual parts.
For example, when we see a triangle, we do not put three strokes together in our minds, but perceive the triangle as a whole. In the same way, when we hear a piece of music, we do not hear the individual notes, but a melody. In an analogous way, Gestalt psychologists also see human beings as complex wholes that are shaped by culture and social contacts, among other things. They view the psyche and the body not as separate, but as a unity.
When does one do Gestalt therapy?
Gestalt therapy can help in dealing with psychological problems, but also with professional problems. When it comes to family-related issues, in some cases the therapist also involves the partner or family members in the therapy.
For Gestalt therapy, the patient should be ready to actively cooperate. Namely, the Gestalt therapist asks the patient to live his life in a self-determined way and to take responsibility for his thoughts and actions.
Gestalt therapy can take place in an individual setting as well as in a group setting. A therapy session can last between 50 and 100 minutes. How many sessions in total are appropriate or necessary is decided by the therapist on a case-by-case basis.
What does one do in a Gestalt therapy session?
The goal of Gestalt therapy is for the patient to work out more control over their life and develop their full potential. To do this, the therapist does not look at the patient’s past events or future concerns. The focus always remains in the present situation. This is because change can only occur in the present.
The central technique of Gestalt therapy is the dialogue between therapist and patient. In the dialogue with the therapist, the patient trains the perception of how he himself behaves, how he perceives things and what he feels.
The therapist confronts the patient with possible contradictions in his behavior that lead to conflicts. Likewise, he encourages the patient to question his previous worldview. The patient should thereby gain a new awareness of his situation. This altered perception enables the patient to have new experiences and try out new behaviors.
During therapy, the therapist always behaves in an appreciative and empathetic manner towards the patient, but he also challenges him to develop himself further.
Gestalt therapy: methods
In Gestalt therapy, the therapist uses creative methods. Role-playing, for example, plays an important role in this form of therapy:
Through such role plays, the content of existing problems can become clearer to the patient and he can try out other ways of communicating.
The therapist also detects possible problems through the patient’s body language. For example, he asks him why he fidgets with his legs or crosses his arms on certain topics. However, the therapist does not interpret the patient’s behaviors. Only the patient himself knows the meaning of his actions. The Gestalt therapist merely guides the patient to gain a deeper understanding of himself. He may also ask the patient to experiment with new body movements.
What are the risks of Gestalt therapy?
In Gestalt therapy, the patient is expected to take full responsibility for his or her life. Some patients feel overwhelmed by this. Patients who are in a severe depression, for example, are physically and psychologically unable to become active.
Whether a therapy is successful depends largely on the relationship between therapist and patient. In Gestalt therapy, the therapist constantly challenges his patient by pointing out contradictions. Some Gestalt therapists use a strongly confrontational style in conversation. Not every patient can handle this. Therefore, it is important to find the right therapist and, in case of doubt, to change to another one.
What do I have to keep in mind after a Gestalt therapy?
After the individual Gestalt therapy sessions, you should give yourself some time to recover – after all, the sessions can be very demanding, both physically and emotionally. One of the reasons for this is the high level of personal responsibility in the therapy. Therefore, do not engage in any strenuous activities immediately after a therapy session.
Towards the end of Gestalt therapy, the therapist often increases the distance between sessions. This allows you to slowly get used to being able to cope without the therapist in the future. If you do not yet feel ready to continue without help, you should talk to your therapist about it. If necessary, he or she can extend the Gestalt therapy.