Gestalt therapy

THERAPEUTIC METHODS/ TECHNIQUES

Experiments The therapist designs experiments to increase the client's awareness of what he or she is doing, experiencing, and how he or she is doing it.

Role-play Role-play can help individuals to experience different feelings and emotions and better understand how they present and organize themselves.

The 'open chair' technique

• The open chair technique involves two chairs and role-play, and can give rise to emotional scenes. The client sits opposite an empty chair and must imagine someone (usually himself/herself or parts of him or her) in it. They then communicate with this imaginary being- asking questions and engaging with what they represent. Next, they must switch chairs so they are physically sitting in the once empty chair. The conversation continues, but the client has reversed roles - speaking on behalf of the imagined part of his or her problem. This technique aims to enable participants to locate a specific feeling or a side of their personalities they had 'disowned or tried to ignore This helps them to accept polarities and acknowledge that conflicts exist in everyone.

Dialogue - A gestalt therapist will need to engage the client in meaningful and authentic dialogue in order to guide them into a particular way of behaving or thinking. This may move beyond simple discussion to more creative forms of expression such as dancing, singing or laughing. Discussing dreams Dreams: Dreams play an important role in gestalt therapy, as they can help individuals to Understand spontaneous aspects of themselves. Fritz Perls frequently asked clients to relive his or her dreams by playing different objects and people in the dream. During this they would be asked questions like: "What are you aware of now?" to sharpen self-awareness.

Dialogue - A gestalt therapist will need to engage the client in meaningful and authentic dialogue in order to guide them into a particular way of behaving or thinking. This may move beyond simple discussion to more creative forms of expression such as dancing, singing or laughing. Discussing dreams Dreams: Dreams play an important role in gestalt therapy, as they can help individuals to Understand spontaneous aspects of themselves. Fritz Perls frequently asked clients to relive his or her dreams by playing different objects and people in the dream. During this they would be asked questions like: "What are you aware of now?" to sharpen self-awareness.