Gestalt therapy

GESTALT VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE

• Living with "masks" and does not promote change
• Problems begin when a person tries to be who or what he or she isn't In fact it promotes stagnation of the personality
• According to Gestalt, the more a person tries to be who they are not, the more they stay the same.
• Individuals who become neurotic are those who try to attend to too many needs at one time and therefore do not take care of one fully.

THERAPEUTIC GOALS

--Gradually assume ownership of their experience

--Develop skills and acquire values that will allow them to satisfy their needs without violating the rights of others --Become more aware of all of their senses --Learn to accept responsibility for what they do, including accepting the consequences of their actions --Move from outside support toward increasing internal support --Be able to ask for and get help from others and to give to others

--Gestalt therapy can help clients with issues such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, relationship difficulties, and even physical ones like migraine headaches, ulcerative colitis, and back spasms. Gestalt techniques are often used in combination with body work, dance, art, drama, and other therapies.

--Focus on verbal as well as non-verbal behavior. --To help client to resolve the past to become integrated.

--Pushing clients to experience feelings and behaviors

THERAPIST'S FUNCTION AND ROLE

• Therapist encourages the present time, Bring the past into the present by re-enacting it in the present.
• Therapist should focus on the "what" & "how" of a person without asking the "why" questions. This is to promote an awareness of the moment Questions such as "What is happening now?" or "What are you feeling in this moment?" are used to intensify the experience of the present & create awareness "Why" questions lead only toward rationalizations and "self- deceptions" away from the immediacy of the moment
• Pay attention to the client's body language.
• Focus on the language