Living in the Now
Gestalt Therapy
Gestalt Therapy is an experiential and existential psychotherapy that emphasizes personal responsibility and focusing on the individual's experience in the present moment. Rooted in phenomenology, it aims to increase the client's awareness of how they are feeling, thinking, and acting now, helping them address unfinished business from the past and integrate fragmented aspects of the self into a cohesive whole (Gestalt).
Who Created Gestalt Therapy?
Gestalt Therapy was primarily developed by Dr. Fritz Perls, Laura Perls, and Paul Goodman in the 1940s and 1950s.
Fritz Perls is most often credited as the public face and dynamic innovator of the technique, though Laura Perls provided much of the theoretical and philosophical grounding, particularly by integrating existentialism and phenomenology into the framework.
The term Gestalt is German for "whole," "pattern," or "form," reflecting the central tenet that the whole of an experience is greater than the sum of its parts. The approach is focused on how people form whole figures (perceptions, needs) from their background (the environment).
Perspectives in Gestalt Therapy
The Therapist's Perspective
The Gestalt therapist adopts a perspective of I/Thou relationship and phenomenological inquiry. They are not interpreters or detached experts; rather, they are active, authentic participants in the client’s process.
The therapist prioritizes:
The "How" over the "Why": Focusing on how the client is avoiding the present moment and how they are doing what they are doing, rather than trying to figure out why the client is experiencing a problem.
The Contact Boundary: Observing how the client makes and interrupts contact with the environment or other people. Interruptions (like defensiveness, intellectualizing, or projection) are seen as the root of much psychological distress.
Encouraging Awareness: Using intentional, present-tense language to help the client increase their awareness (e.g., "What are you experiencing right now in your body as you talk about this?", "Notice your clenched fist.").
The Client's Perspective
The client shifts from viewing their problems as abstract symptoms to realizing they are a product of their own process and active choices in the present. They learn to take responsibility for their feelings and actions, moving from external control (e.g., "It makes me angry") to internal agency (e.g., "I am making myself angry").
The client learns to:
Focus on the Present: Shift their attention away from ruminating on the past or worrying about the future to the immediacy of the current experience.
Own the Experience: Use "I" statements to describe feelings and sensations, accepting that they are the central figure in their own experience.
Integrate the Self: Recognize and re-own projected or disowned parts of themselves (e.g., anger, vulnerability) that create internal conflict or "unfinished business."
What to Expect in a Gestalt Session
Gestalt sessions are highly experiential, creative, and immediate. They often involve active demonstrations and experiments rather than just talk.
Phenomenological Experimentation: The therapist proposes activities to help the client experience an emotion or situation more fully in the moment. This is a core feature of the therapy.
The Empty Chair Technique: A signature technique where the client engages in a dialogue with a perceived person, feeling, or disowned part of themselves by switching seats. This helps the client integrate conflicting aspects of the personality or resolve unfinished business with others.
Focus on Body Language: The therapist brings awareness to non-verbal cues (e.g., foot tapping, blushing, tone of voice) as they are seen as immediate, honest expressions of internal experience.
Dialogue and Presence: The therapist engages in genuine, direct dialogue with the client, modeling authenticity and full presence. This challenges the client's typical ways of making or avoiding contact.
Language Transformation: Clients are often coached to rephrase questions into statements, or "can't" into "won't," to increase awareness of personal power and choice.
How Gestalt Therapy Can Help a Person
Gestalt Therapy helps a person by deepening self-awareness, which is considered the necessary precursor to change.
Achieves Wholeness: It facilitates the closure of "unfinished business" (unexpressed feelings, memories) from the past, allowing the person to move fully into the present without being burdened by historical emotions.
Increases Authenticity: By dropping defenses and projections, the person becomes more genuine and integrated, leading to clearer communication and healthier relationships.
Fosters Self-Regulation: By increasing awareness of their needs and their environment, clients improve their ability to self-regulate and respond flexibly to life's challenges rather than reacting rigidly.
Common Uses and Applications (DSM-5 Disorders and Life Problems)
Gestalt therapy is effective as a growth-oriented, humanistic approach and is often used for:
General Anxiety and Depression: Focusing on how the client avoids or interrupts contact, thereby generating anxiety or emotional stagnation.
Personality Disorders: Addressing problems related to identity, fragmentation, and interpersonal dysfunction (e.g., projection or confluence).
Substance Use Disorders: Focusing on the client's avoidance of uncomfortable feelings and promoting conscious choice.
Life Problems:
Relationship Conflict: Focusing on clear, non-defensive communication at the contact boundary.
Lack of Meaning or Purpose: Helping clients explore their feelings and needs in the present to determine a future direction.
Chronic Self-Criticism: Using the Empty Chair to externalize and dialog with the inner critic.
References
Corey, G. (2021). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Perls, F. S., Hefferline, R. F., & Goodman, P. (1994). Gestalt therapy: Excitement and growth in the human personality. The Gestalt Journal Press. (Original work published 1951)
Yontef, G. M. (1993). Awareness, dialogue & process: Essays on Gestalt therapy. The Gestalt Journal Press.
Ready to Step Into the Power of the Present?
If you are ready to stop analyzing the past and begin experiencing the richness and vitality of the present, this powerful, experiential, and present-focused approach can help you integrate your true self.
Book a session with a therapist who uses Gestalt methods.
