What Is Gestalt Psychotherapy?

Gestalt Psychotherapy, referred to as Gestalt Therapy, was founded by Dr. Frederick Pierce, a German psychiatrist. According to Pierce's most concise explanation, Gestalt therapy is the awareness of one's own illness, that is, the awareness, experience, and awareness of one's own actions, is a self-cultivation therapy. It is easy to implement and has a wide range of applications.

Gestalt psychotherapy

Gestalt Psychotherapy, referred to as Gestalt Therapy, is a German psychiatrist

Gestalt therapy developed by Pierce is a kind of existential therapy. The basic premise is that if one wants to reach maturity, he must find his own responsibility in his own lifestyle. The client's basic goal is to be aware of what they are experiencing and what they are doing. Through this awareness, self-knowledge is achieved, and knowledge sufficient to correct oneself is learned, so that one can learn how to be responsible for one's emotions, thoughts, and actions. Because the focus of attention is on the client's perception of the actual environment, its orientation can be described as phenomenological; and because the basis of this treatment is here and now, it also has an orientation. In other words, the existence at this moment involves the transition phase of one's past and future. Therefore, the treatment requires the parties to bring their relevant past and possible future into this moment and then experience them directly. It can be seen that Gestalt therapy is lively and lively, and it can actually improve people's direct experience, rather than just talking about the situation in an abstract way. At the same time, the treatment is experiential, and the parties must absorb the emotions, thoughts, and behaviors when interacting with the therapist. The effectiveness of Gestalt therapy depends on how much the parties are willing to confess their wishes during the treatment process. If it is effective, it comes from the willingness of the two to be in candid contact, not because of the technology used by the healer or some reasonable explanation.

One of the roles of the healer is to design an experiment to enhance the client's self-awareness of what he is doing and how to do it. Through this awareness, the client can see other possible choices that can change themselves. The client Therefore, they are required to take the initiative to see, feel, sense and explain, rather than passively waiting for the therapist to give them insights and answers.

Pierce was also influenced by several intellectual trends of the same period, including psychoanalysis, existentialism, and phenomenology. For example, from the perspective of Gestalt Therapy's emphasis on physical experiences such as breathing, energy status, and obstruction of certain parts of the body, it can be seen that these are affected by Reich. Although Pierce was also influenced by the concept of psychoanalysis in the development of Gestalt therapy, he also mentioned some issues mentioned by Freud's psychoanalytic theory in some areas. The difference is that Freud's view of the person is basically mechanical and functional, while Pierce emphasizes the perspective of the personality of the person from a holistic point of view, that is, every part of the person is closely connected to the whole. Secondly, Freud only pays attention to the internal psychological conflict of the individual being suppressed in childhood, while Pierce emphasizes the importance of monitoring the situation that the individual is currently dealing with. The process of valuing this kind of orientation is far more important than paying attention to the content, that is, what we are experiencing at the moment is more important than the content being expressed. Pearce believes that in order to achieve self-understanding, it is far more important to understand how a person is performing than to pay attention to why he is doing so .

Gestalt psychotherapy view of human nature

The human nature view of Gestalt therapy is mainly based on existential philosophy and phenomenology. It is believed that real knowledge is produced by the immediate experience of the perceptual. The purpose of treatment is not analysis, but rather integration of internal conflicts that a person has from time to time. "Re-owning" what the individual once denied and the process of integration need to be gradual and gradual until the parties are strong enough to continue their own growth. And by perceiving, one can make a decision, and thus live a more meaningful life.

Gestalt therapy basically assumes that individuals can effectively deal with problems that occur in their lives, and in particular they are fully aware of what is happening around them. People often use a variety of different ways to evade certain specific problems that may be faced. Therefore, in their growth process, they will often form some personality obstacles. In this regard, Gestalt therapy provides the necessary processing methods and the skills to face challenges, it helps the parties to move towards integration, frankness, and a more vital existence.

Gestalt theory assumes that the change is that the less we want to be who we are, the more we remain unchanged . According to Beisser's (1970) theory of change, we change when we perceive who we are (as opposed to trying to be who we are not) . It is important for the parties to recognize as fully as possible their status at the time, and not to be desperately trying to be that person.

Gestalt psychotherapy right now

According to Pierce, nothing exists except "at this moment." Because the passers-by have already passed away, the comer has not yet come, only now is the most important. One of the main ideas of Gestalt Therapy is to emphasize the moment and the moment, to fully study, understand, and feel the moment, and nostalgia for the past is to escape the experience of the present.

Polster (1973) proposed a proposition "power ia in the present" based on the idea of [existence and present] (now ethos). He believes that for many, the "now" power has been lost. They don't know how to grasp the moment, but they just throw their energy into lamenting the mistakes made in the past, thinking hard about how to change their lives, or throwing their energy into the endless choices and plans in the future. When they focus their energy on remembering the past or meditating on the future, the power of [now] disappears. But Polster (1987) also pointed out that if the focus of treatment is too much at this time, there is also a danger of going into flames, and he believes that the parties should be appropriately told their own stories, which may include The past, the present and the future are treated simultaneously.

In order to effectively assist the client in contacting the present, gestalt therapists often ask [what] and [how] questions, and rarely ask [why] questions. In order to increase the client's awareness of the current situation, the therapist encourages present-style conversation. Healers often ask questions like: "What is happening now?" "What is happening now?" "When you are sitting here trying to express, what are you experiencing?", "What do you notice at this moment?", "How do you experience your fear?", "How do you try to retreat from this moment?" "Wait. Pierce believes that when a person calms his intense emotional response, he can think about why he (she) feels this way, and the question" why "will only lead the parties to make up a reasonable explanation and [ Self-deception], and then leave this to slow down the immediate experience. To be more clear, the question of "why" will cause the parties to constantly and stubbornly think about the past, which will encourage them to resist to experience the present.

From answering the questions and exercises performed by the Gestalt Therapist, you can discover the methods the client uses to escape reality. Most people can only stay in reality for a short time, they are always looking for a way to cut off the current, and often mention their feelings as if they have nothing to do with the current experience, and do not experience their feelings here and now. The purpose of Perce's engagement in Gestalt Therapy is to help people to live and interact with reality, not just to talk about experience. So, if the person talks about sadness, pain, or confusion, the healer will try various methods to let the person experience the sadness, pain, or confusion now. If we blindly discuss the problem that bothers people, it will most likely turn into an unsolvable discussion or a word game that explores the hidden meaning of the problem endlessly. Psychologically, this is one way of resisting growth, but also some form of self-deception. Because when faced with problems and always discussing, the parties often deceive themselves and think that they are solving the problem, and even think that they have matured further. To reduce this crisis, the therapist should try to enhance or exaggerate the performance of certain emotions during counselling. For example, during group counselling, the therapist may ask one of the parties who consciously pleases or meets the expectations of others to immediately please some members of the group.

To sum up, does Gestalt therapy ignore the past? It is incorrect to say that the gestalt therapist is not interested in the client's past; in fact, the gestalt therapist believes that the past is important when the past is related to an important subject of one's current function. When a person's present attitude or behavior is related, it is necessary to deal with what has been brought into the present as far as possible . Therefore, when the parties talk about their past, the healer will ask them to introduce it by repeating the past. The healer instructs the client to "bring the fantasy here" and try to experience the emotions previously experienced again. For example: Not only do the parties have to talk about the unpleasant traumatic pains of childhood with their father, but they also have to become the traumatized child in the imagination and talk directly with the father. Through this imagination process, once again experience the original damage and release the damage, and then use the potential to reach a further understanding and solution.

Gestalt psychotherapy unfinished event

Another important focus of Gestalt therapy is "unfinished business," which refers to unexpressed emotions, including: remorse, anger, resentment, pain, anxiety, sadness, guilt, abandonment, etc. Although these emotions are not expressed, they are connected with vivid memory and imagination. Because these emotions are not fully experienced in the field of consciousness, they linger in the subconscious and are brought into real life without consciousness, thereby preventing effective contact between themselves and others. Unfinished events often persist until the individual has the courage to face and deal with these unexpressed emotions. As far as the impact of unfinished events is concerned, Poyuki (1973) believes that [these unfinished things will eventually be managed to achieve, and when they have accumulated enough power, individuals will then be subjected to prejudice, worry, and coercion. , Depressed energy, and many seff-dereating behaviors].

Unnecessary fragmented emotions derived from past unrecognized emotions disturb the perception that is now centered. According to Pierce's observations, remorse is the most common and worst kind of unfinished incident. According to him, when people remorse, they trap themselves. They don't want to let remorse be ignored, and they can't communicate frankly, unless they vent their remorse. Therefore, Pearce argues that it is necessary to show remorse, and unrevealed remorse often turns into guilt. In other words: "Whenever you feel guilty, find out the cause of remorse and express it, simplifying the original chaotic requirements." Then the problem can be solved.

For example, a person who has never really felt motherly love can find out in him how "unfinished incidents" bothered him and appeared in some of his actions at the same time. He may resent his mother, because no matter how he behaves to seek his mother's praise, the mother always makes him feel awkward. Therefore, he turned the need for mother's praise into the pursuit of women to prove that he was a useful man. Although he used various strategies to make women praise him, he still felt dissatisfied. This was because the unfinished incident prevented him from having a frank and intimate relationship with women. Because his needs are childish, not adult. Before he can experience real satisfaction, he must first complete the experience of the unfinished event. In other words, he needs to return to the original unfinished event, express the original unknown disappointment and anger, and resolve the original A deadlock.

Gestalt psychotherapy dilemma

Impasse, or "stuck point", refers to a situation in which an individual believes that he cannot support himself and must seek foreign assistance. Common methods to solve the problem include manipulating others, but although this method can replace self-support, it cannot become a true source of nutrients for the self. When in trouble, the person will want to change the environment by playing roles such as fragility, helplessness, stupidity, or low energy. The task of consultants is to help them overcome their difficulties and make growth possible. Counselors can provide context and encourage them to fully experience the stalemate, allowing them to touch their frustrations. They will be more likely to change if they can recognize and accept who they are, rather than who they want to be. The idea behind Gestalt therapy is that individuals have a tendency to achieve themselves and pursue growth, and if they accept all aspects of themselves without making value judgments, they can start to think, feel and behave differently .

Gestalt psychotherapy escape

Avoidance is a concept related to unfinished events. It refers to the tools people use to avoid facing unfinished events and to avoid unpleasant emotions caused by unfinished situations. According to Pearce, most people would rather avoid experiencing painful emotions than make the necessary changes. As a result, they become dull and unable to break through the deadlock, which hinders the possibility of growth. Pearce also mentioned that the anticipation of disaster is our own imagination, which makes people mentally dull, such as: "If I fully express my pain, the other party will feel unbearable, and will never ignore me "If I express my anger to the closest people in my life, they will leave me"; "If I mourn what I will lose, I may be in deep depression and never jump out of that Bottomless pit. "

According to Pierce, those imaginations mentioned above lack our vitality, because we use those imaginations to escape the necessary adventures in life. Therefore, gestalt therapists encourage parties to fully express tensions that have never been expressed directly before during the treatment phase. If the client expresses fear of touching the underlying resentment and malice, the healer may encourage them to turn themselves into a person with resentment and malice, and then express these negative feelings. By experiencing the other side of the party that the party had strongly rejected, he began a process of integration, allowing himself to surpass and overcome the impasse that originally hindered his growth. By surpassing evasion, the parties can get rid of the unfinished events that hinder the progress of their lives, and move towards health and harmony.

Gestalt psychotherapy psychosis

Pierce likened the personality of an adult to the skin of an onion, that is, if one wants to reach a state of psychological maturity, he must strip off the five aspects of neurological symptoms that hinder personal growth. They include:

1. Hypocrisy.

2. Fear.

3. Deadlock.

4. Internal development.

5. Outbreak.

The first level we face is phony, which refers to dealing with people in a rigid and insincere way. In this layer, we can only lose ourselves in various role-playing by playing with our minds, and at the same time, we live in the imagination created by ourselves or others through hypocritical performance. But once we understand our hypocrisy and want to change frankly, we will feel pain and unhappiness.

The second level is phobic. In this layer, because we see a side that we ca nt even recognize, we feel pain, and try to avoid it, while refusing to accept the sudden emergence of the actual self. At this time, we have a disastrous fear, that if we know our true self, or present ourselves in front of others, we will be rejected.

One more level is the impasse. It refers to a stagnation point in our journey towards maturity. In this layer, we believe that we have no resources to help ourselves. Without the support of the environment to overcome this stagnation, we will not be able to survive, so we try to manipulate the environment, thinking that this is what we see, listen to, The moment to feel, think, and make decisions for yourself. At this level of deadlock, we often have a sense of silence and feel that we are useless. If vitality is desired, this impasse must be surpassed.

If we are willing to experience the above sense of death without denying or escaping, then we can enter into impolosive. Pierce believes that entering internal development is the necessary stage to reach a frank self. Through direct contact with the sense of silence and false acts, the veil of self-defense is lifted, and the real self is touched.

Pierce also believes that unveiling internal development will trigger an explosive state, which is the explosive layer. When we come into contact with the bursting layer, the mask of deception and hypocrisy will be removed. We will release all the energy accumulated when we tried to pretend to be a character. In order to be frank and active, we must reach pain. Or the state of joy.

Gestalt psychotherapy resists contact

Contact is a necessary condition for growth and change in the field of Gestalt therapy. When we are in contact with the environment, change inevitably happens. Contact is achieved by seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and moving. Good contact refers to the natural interaction with others, but still without losing their personal sense of individuality. An individual's adaptation to the environment is a constantly changing and creative process, and the primary condition for effective contact with the environment is the ability to be acutely aware, full of energy, and self-expression. Poulter even believes that contact is a source of vitality for growth. It may be accompanied by strong interest, imagination and creativity, but this form of contact exists only for a moment. Therefore, a more correct approach to contact must not only consider the level of contact with the environment, but also pay attention to the achievement of the final state, especially after completing the contact, often requiring some form of retreat in order to integrate what has been experienced.

Gestalt therapists also attach great importance to the problem of refusal to contact. In the Gestalt view, resistance refers to the formation of defenses, and to avoid experiencing the present in a completely real way. The five levels of the aforementioned neurological symptoms represent a person's efforts to maintain a false way. The existence of self-defense mechanisms also hinders the performance of individual candid behavior. Polster (E. Polster & M. Polster, 1973) has pointed out five main forms of resistive contact that have been questioned in gestalt therapy. This is "intrijection", "projection", "retroflection", "deflection", "confluence".

Internalization means accepting the standards and ideas of others without rejection, without assimilating them into our own ideas. Because we have never analyzed and reorganized these standards and ideas, what we have accepted is actually incompatible with us. When we internalize, we passively merge what the environment provides without taking the time to figure out what we want or need. If stagnation is at this stage, then when we find what we really want, we are probably exhausted.

Projection is the opposite of internalization. During the projection phase, we rejected certain parts of ourselves and assigned them to the external environment. When projecting behavior occurs, we will not be able to distinguish between the inner and outer worlds. Personality attributes that are inconsistent with my image will not be recognized as belonging to themselves, and will be attributed to others. Similarly, when you see that someone has certain personality traits, you refuse to admit that you do. By avoiding being responsible for our emotions and being responsible for ourselves, we also lose our ability to actively change ourselves.

Retroreflecting refers to turning back to ourselves what we are willing to do for others, or turning back to ourselves what we want others to do for us. For example, after attacking others, we often blame and hurt ourselves for regret, and then turn the attack inward to avoid ourselves. This process severely hinders the parties' interaction with others or the environment. In general, these functional incompatibility are difficult to detect. Part of the efficacy of Gestalt therapy should be to help the parties find a selfregulatory system and play its role to deal with the problem practically.

Dissociation refers to a process of mental confusion that prevents continuous contact. People with dissociation tend to expand their exposure to the environment through repeated use of humor, impersonalization and questioning without mentioning their own problems (Frew, 1986). Their contact with the environment is based on a discordant basis, which often leaves them emotionally empty. The effect of dissociation gradually reduces the emotional experience. Those who have dissociative tendency rarely talk about themselves when they are in contact with others. They just talk about other people's affairs constantly.

Confusion refers to the differentiation between self and environment, which cannot be clearly detected. For people with a tendency to be confused, there is no clear distinction between internal experience and external reality. I believe that there is no conflict between the self and the environment, and that all people experience the same emotions and thoughts. Confusion is a form of contact, and parties in this form often look forward to being accepted and liked. While they live in harmony with others, they do not easily express their true feelings and opinions. This is a way that they think is safe for them. When a person relies on obfuscation as a form of contact, extreme anxiety can occur once a conflict occurs. The way of confusion makes it difficult for people to form their own ideas and express opinions for themselves, so such people tend to avoid conflicts, which makes it difficult for them to have real contact. The therapist often refuses the client to use this kind of communication method of resisting contact. He may ask the client : "What are you doing now? What are you feeling at the moment? What do you want now?" Through these questions, the client gradually becomes aware of himself.

Internalization, projection, retro-reflection, dissociation and confusion are all forms of resisting contact. Gestalt therapists must be careful to prevent the parties from interfacing with the environment when they are not aware of these processes. The so-called "resistance to contact" and "boundary disturbance" refer to certain special contact forms used by people trying to control the environment. Gestalt is the point of view that exposure is normal and healthy. Therefore, when discussing these forms of resistance to contact, the focus should be on the extent to which the individual has reached the process of perception. Gestalt therapy encourages clients to gradually detect the main forms that prevent them from contacting.

Gestalt psychotherapy energy barrier

In the concept of Gestalt therapy, special attention is paid to the question of energy, including: where is it? how to use? And how to get blocked. Blocked energy is another form of resistance to contact. It may manifest as tension in certain parts of the body. For example, posture changes, body tightening, trembling, looking elsewhere when talking to others, abnormal tones, etc., but these are just a few examples.

Zinker (1978) once commented on the importance of reviewing the therapist's attention to observe the client's energy. He believes that the parties may not be aware of the energy they exist in, or know where the energy is, and they may experience it in a negative way. In his view, treatment should include energy movements, in order to awaken and encourage the parties to make it clear that the healer cannot actually be a source of their energy. One of the therapists' work is to find ways for the parties to block their energy and transfer these blocked energy to appropriate behaviors. The above process is best done with the willingness of the parties to cooperate. The therapist can also learn to meet resistance and use this experience as a method of intensive treatment to help the person understand how to express their resistance with various physical signs , not only to help the person eliminate those signs That's all, so the parties can fully control the tension. For example, by exaggerating his closed mouth and shaking legs, the person concerned will find that their energy will be dissipated and become weak.