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What is Gestalt Therapy?  Gestalt    therapy    is    a    scientific    based    therapy method     in     the     humanistic     tradition.     It     was founded   in   the   1950's   by   Fritz   Perls,   Laura   Perls and   Paul   Goodman.   Gestalt   therapy   has   evolved from   Psychoanalysis   of   Freud,   but   has   integrated aspects     of     Gestalt     psychology,     Feld     theory, phenomenology      and      existential      philosophy. Gestalt    therapy    should    not    be    confused    with "Gestaltungstherapie".     Gestalt     therapy     is     an experience-based      psychotherapeutic      method, which   can   be   used   in   one-on-one   settings   as   well as    couples    therapy    or    group    sessions    and    for adults,   adolescents   or   kids.   Subsequently,   some of    the    basic    concepts    of    Gestalt    therapy    are described. Humanistic values Gestalt   therapy   is   part   of   the   humanistic   tradition and    therefore    represents    a    positive,    resource- oriented     understanding     of     a     person.     Every individual    is    capable    of    growing    and    changing creatively.     One     goal     of     therapy     consists     in liberating   the   vitality   and   creativity   of   a   person and    developing    the    personal    capabilities    and resources     of     building     and     structuring     their environment,   as   well   as   distancing   oneself   from unhealthy states. Symptoms as creative solution attempts Contrary   to   traditional   behavioral   therapy   where symptoms     are     viewed     as     "dysfunctional"     or "maladaptive"   and   need   to   be   changed   as   quickly as      possible,      Gestalt      therapy      understands symptoms    as    creative    attempts    of    adaptation from   an   earlier   time.   Often   times,   children   have chosen   the   best   available   strategy   at   that   time   to get   through   a   difficult   situation   or   time   period. This   different   way   of   understanding   symptoms as    a    creative    effort    instead    of    a    failed    one, constitutes   the   positive   and   supportive   approach of     Gestalt     therapy.     It     supports     patients     in accepting    who    they    are    by    appreciating    and understanding   their   efforts   so   far.   In   the   course of   therapy,   the   symptoms   -   or   chronified   solution attempts    -    need    to    be    reevaluated    from    the momentary perspective. ​Integration Each    individual    has    facets    of    his    personality which    he    prefers    and    others    which    he    rather would    hide    in    the    closet.    Those    hidden    parts hinder    a    lively,    vibrant,    intelligent    and    realistic exchange   with   the   actual   world   around   him.   In order    to    regain    this    lost    treasure,    to    become whole   and   balanced   as   a   person   again   and   to   be able   to   react   appropriately   to   the   challenges   of every     day     life,     it     is     helpful     to     explore     and appreciate   the   hidden   aspects   of   ones   persona. That   way   these   aspects   can   be   brought   back   to awareness    and    integrated    in    the    unity    of    an individual's personality. Successful    psychotherapy    achieves    integration. Integration    requires    identification    with    all    vital functions   -   not   with   only   some   of   the   patient's ideas,    emotions    and    actions.    Any    rejection    of one's   own   ideas,   emotions   or   actions   results   in alienation.    Reowning    allows    the    person    to    be whole.   The   task   then,   in   therapy,   is   to   have   the person    become    aware    of    previously    alienated parts     and     taste     them,     consider     them     and assimilate   them   if   they   are   ego-syntonic   or   reject them if they prove to be ego-alien. Experience instead of interpretation Learning    usually    happens    through    a    personal experience.   More   than   any   other   therapy,   Gestalt therapy   emphasizes   that   whatever   exists   is   here and    now    and    that    experience    is    more    reliable than   interpretation.   That   is   why   Gestalt   therapy is     called     an     experience-based     psychotherapy method.    The    patient    is    taught    the    difference between     talking     about     what     occurred     five minutes   ago   (or   20   years   ago)   and   experiencing what   is   now.   The   contact   between   therapist   and patient   offers   a   safe   place   to   absorb,   experience and    explore    the    current    life    situation    and    to express   the   inherent   feelings   in   order   to   close any open Gestalt. Holistic approach Gestalt   therapy   views   body   and   soul   as   one   unit. Therefore,   not   only   spoken   words   are   of   interest but    also    facial    expressions,    gestures,    posture, language,     voice     and     last     but     not     least,     the entirety   of   the   body.   The   ultimate   goal   is   to   reach a higher awareness of one's self. Awareness / mindfulness Gestalt   therapy   embodies   a   keen   interest   for   life and   your   own   person.   The   world   and   especially your    own    body    is    full    of    cues    of    information which   can   help   us   facilitate   our   decisions   in   life.   A fine   radar   for   phenomena   of   the   inner   self   as well   as   for   the   outer   world   will   not   only   deepen your   life   experience   but   are   necessary   to   be   able to   react   appropriately   in   difficult   situatons.   Also they     will     help     achieving     happiness     through striving   for   your   personal   needs.   Generally,   four dimensions   of   phenomena   can   be   distinguished: (1)   all   senses   (seeing,   hearing,   smelling,   tasting, tactile),   (2)   body   functions,   (3)   thoughts   and   (4) feelings.   We   are   fortunante   that   everyone's   radar for   these   phenomena   can   be   improved   through practice! The paradox of change The    quote    by    Gestalt    therapist    Arnold    Beisser became   one   of   the   major   points   of   orientation   in Gestalt    therapy:    "Change    happens,    when    you become    what    you    are,    not    when    you    try    to become   something   you   are   not."   In   other   words: change   will   happen   when   you   stop   trying   to   be any   different   from   who   you   really   are   but   when you   succeed   in   accepting   yourself   the   way   you really   are.   When   the   therapist   rejects   the   change agent    role,    change    that    is    orderly    and    also meaningful is possible. Children    swallow    whole    (introject)    ideas    and behavior.    This    results    in    an    enforced    morality rather    than    a    personally    compatible    one.    As    a result,    people    frequently    feel    guilt    when    they behave     in     accordance     with     their     wants     as opposed   to   their   shoulds.   Some   people   invest   an enormous   amount   of   energy   in   maintaining   the split     between     shoulds     and     wants.     Shoulds sabotage   such   people,   and   the   more   they   push to   be   what   they   are   not,   the   more   resistance   is set up, and no change occurs. ​Phenomenology Gestalt    therapy    practices    the    observation    and description    of    phenomena    free    of    hypotheses. The     obvious     and     observable     information     is preferred     as     opposed     to     hidden     or     past information.   In   other   words:   Gestalt   therapy   is   a method   of   "here   and   now"   without   denying   that every    person    is    formed    by    his    or    her    past experiences.    Instead    of    digging    for    those    lost memories,   Gestalt   therapy   looks   at   how   a   person acts   in   the   present   life   situation   with   his   or   her particular background.   Gestalt The    term    "Gestalt"    derives    from    the    German word    meaning    "a    configuration    or    pattern    of elements   so   unified   as   a   whole   that   it   cannot   be described   merely   as   a   sum   of   its   parts".   Every Gestalt   has   a   figure   and   a   background.   It   steps into   consciousness,   closes   itself   or   stays   open   / unfinished   demanding   closure.   An   open   "Gestalt" could   be   for   example   an   unresolved   conflict,   an unfulfilled    wish    or    an    unprocessed    traumatic experience.   Through   mindfulness   practice,   a   new Gestalt   can   step   forward   and   change   the   entire picture, resp. world view. Contact Contact    is    one    of    the    most    basic    concepts    in Gestalt      therapy      and      means      the      exchange between      a      person      and      its      environment. Continuously,   we   are   in   contact   with   somebody or      something.      Successful      contact      supports growth.   The   existential   philosopher   Martin   Buber states   that   the   person   ("I")   has   meaning   only   in relation   to   others,   in   the   I-Thou   contact.   Gestalt therapy   helps   clients   develop   their   own   support for desired contact or withdrawal The meaning of health A   healthy   person   has   a   good   inner   outer   contact and   at   the   same   the   capabilities   to   define   his/her borders    (inner    and    outer)    -    adequately    to    the situation   and   the   person's   state   of   development. Furthermore,   a   healthy   individual   is   capable   to meet   their   needs   without   harming   others   or   the environment. Note Some    of    these    thoughts    were    taken    from    the introductory    chapter    in    "Awareness,    Dialogue, and    Process"    published    by    The    Gestalt    Journal Press.       Copyright       1993       by       Gary       Yontef. http://www.gestalt.org/yontef.htm More literature about Gestalt therapy: Perls, F., Hefferline, R., ; Goodman, P. (1951) Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and growth in the human personality. New York, NY: Julian. Polster, E. ; Polster, M. (1973) Gestalt Therapy Integrated: Contours of theory and practice. New York, NY: Brunner-Mazel. Joseph Zinker (1977). The Creative Process in Gestalt Therapy. New York, Vintage Books.