The National Teachers College Legarda, Manila Division of Graduate Studies and Research Master of Arts in Guidance and

Counseling Theories and Techniques of Counseling

THERAPY IN COUNSELING GESTALT THERAPY

developed by Fritz Perls and his wife Laura in 1940 an existential phenomenological approach based on the premise that individuals must be understood in the context of their ongoing relationship with the environment the initial goal is to gain awareness of what they are experiencing and how they are doing it gives special attention to existence as individuals experience it and affirms the human capacity for growth and healing through interpersonal contact and insight how individuals behave in the present moment is far more crucial to self-understanding than why they behave as they do

View of Human Nature The Gestalt view of human nature is rooted in existential philosophy, phenomenology and field theory. Genuine knowledge is the product of what is immediately evident in the experience of the perceiver. Therapy aims not at analysis but at awareness and contact with environment. The environment or field consists of both the external and internal worlds. The quality of contact with aspects of the external world (for example, other people) and the internal world (for example, parts of the self that are disowned) is monitored. The Gestalt view of change posits that the more we attempt to be what we are not, the more we remain the same. We change when we become aware of what we are as opposed to become what we are not. Principles of Gestalt Theory Holism- all of nature is seen as a unified and coherent whole, and the whole is different from the sum of its parts Field Theory- organism must be seen in its environment, or in its context, as part of the constantly changing field The Figure-Formation process- describes how the individual organizes the environment from moment to moment Organismic Self-regulation- intertwined with figure-formation process; a process by which the equilibrium is disturbed by the emergence of a need, a sensation or an interest The Now Gestalt gives emphasis on learning to appreciate and fully experience the present moment. Now ethos many people invest their energies in bemoaning their past mistakes and ruminating about how life could and should have been different, or they engage in endless resolutions and plans for the future Why questions the Gestalt therapist asks what and how questions but rarely asks why questions - If a client begins to talk about sadness, pain or confusion, the therapist makes every attempt to have it now. - As the client attends to the present experience, the therapist gauges how much anxiety or discomfort is present and chooses further interventions accordingly. - Gestalt therapists recognize that the past will make regular appearances in the present moment usually because of some lack of completion of that past experience. - When the past seems to have a significant bearing on clients present attitudes or behavior, it is dealt with by bringing it into the present as much as possible. - When clients speak about their past, the therapist may ask them to reenact it as though they were living I now. Unfinished Business When figures emerge from the background but are not completed and resolved, individuals are left with unfinished business, which can be manifest in unexpressed feelings such as resentment, hatred, pain, anxiety, grief and abandonment. Because the feelings are not fully experienced in awareness, they linger in the background and are carried into present

life in ways that interfere with effective contact with oneself and others. Unfinished business persists until the individual faces and deals with the unexpressed feelings. Contact and Contact Resistance Contact interacting with nature and with other people without losing ones individuality Resistances to contact- defenses we develop to prevent us from experiencing the present in a full and real way; boundary disturbance Major channel of resistance: Introjection the tendency to uncritically accept others beliefs and standards without assimilating them to make them congruent with who we are Projection we disown certain aspects of ourselves by assigning them to the environment Retroflection consists of turning back to ourselves what we would like to do to someone else or doing what we would like someone else to do to us Deflection the process of distraction so that it is difficult to maintain a sustained sense of contact Confluence involves a blurring of the differentiation between the self and the environment; a way of staying safe by going along with others and not expressing ones true feelings and opinions THE THERAPEUTIC PROCESS Therapeutic Goals The basic goal of Gestalt therapy is attaining awareness and, with it, greater choice. Through a creative involvement in Gestalt process, the clients will: move toward increased awareness of themselves 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 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 bale to ask for and get help from others and be able to give to others Therapists Function and Role 1. Gestalt therapists assist clients in developing their own awareness and experiencing how they are in the present moment. 2. Gestalt therapists notice both what is in the foreground and the background; to encourage clients to attend to their sensory awareness in the present moment. 3. An important function of Gestalt therapists is paying attention to clients body language. 4. The Gestalt counselor places emphasis on the relationship between language patterns and personality. 5. The Gestalt counselor gently challenges clients by interventions that help them become aware of the effects of their language patterns. Clients Experience in Therapy General orientation: DIALOGUE Clients are active participants who make their own interpretations and meanings. Three-stage integration sequence that characterizes clients growth (Polster, 1987):

1. discovery new realization 2. accommodation recognition of having a choice 3. assimilation learning how to influence their environment
Improvisation confidence that comes from knowledge and skills

Relationship Between Therapist and Client

Involves a person-to-person relationship Therapist responsible for the quality of their presence, for knowing themselves and the client, and for remaining open to the client Background of the therapy process: therapists experiences, awareness, and perceptions Foreground of the therapy process: clients awareness and reactions

Therapists not only allow their clients to be who they are but also remain themselves Feedback allows clients to develop awareness of what they are doing Therapists are artistic participants in the creation of new life (Polsters, 1973). Therapy is a two-way engagement that changes both the client and the therapist Therapeutic relationship factor in healing and to which the client/therapist relationship is the focus of therapy (Jacobs, 1989) Experiments should be aimed at awareness, not at simple solutions to a clients problems

The Experiment in Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt approach is concerned with the obvious. Exercises (or techniques) ready-made techniques used to evoke certain emotions in clients, used to make something happen or to achieve a goal Experiments grow out of the interaction between client and therapist Cornerstone of experiential learning Spontaneous, one-of-a-kind, and relevant to a particular moment Development of a figure-formation process

Sensitivity and careful attention on therapists part is essential

Preparing Clients for Gestalt Experiments It is important for counselors to personally experience the power of Gestalt experiments and to feel comfortable in suggesting them Establish a relationship Avoid directing them in a commanding fashion Their reluctance to allow themselves to be emotional needs to be dealt with in a respectful manner The way in which clients resist doing an experiment reveals a great deal about their personality and their way of being in the world Therapists aim is not to eliminate clients defenses but to meet clients wherever they are Counselor must be sensitive Nature of the experiment depends on the individuals problems Experiments require clients active role in self-exploration Counselor must be flexible in using techniques Counselor should be ready to scale down tasks Counselor should learn which experiments can best be practiced in the session itself or outside

Gestalt Therapy Interventions The Internal Dialogue Exercise focus is on splits in personality function main division:top dog vs. underdog

the conflict roots in the mechanism of introjection (incorporating aspects of others into the ego system) empty-chair technique: getting clients to externalize the introject by role-playing promote higher level of integration between the polarities and conflicts existing in a person

Making the Rounds Asking a person in a group to go up to others in the group and either speak to or do something with each person To confront, to risk, to disclose the self, to experiment with new behavior, and to grow and change

The Reversal Exercise Certain symptoms and behaviors often represent reversals of underlying or latent impulses Clients take the plunge into the very thing that is fraught with anxiety and make contact technique can help them begin to accept certain personal attributes that they have tried to deny

The Rehearsal Exercise Internal exercise consumes much energy and frequently inhibits our spontaneity and willingness to experiment with new behavior When clients rehearse out loud, they become more aware of the many preparatory means they use in bolstering their social roles

The Exaggeration Exercise To become more aware of the subtle signals and cues one sends through body language The person is asked to exaggerate the movement or gesture repeatedly

Staying with the Feeling The therapist encourage clients to go deeper into the feeling or behavior they wish to avoid The Gestalt Approach to Dream Work Bring dreams back to life and relive them as though they were happening now According to Perls, every person and every object in the dream represents a projected aspect of the dreamer

Contributions of Gestalt Therapy Help clients discover new facets of themselves Bringing relevant aspects of the past into the present The gestalt approach to dreams help clients increase awareness of key themes in their lives Holistic approach that values each aspect of the person equally Operates with a unique notion about change Utilizes experiments to move clients from talk to action and experience

Limitations for Multicultural Counseling Emphasized confrontation and deemphasized the cognitive factors of personality Although Gestalt discourages interrupting process of immediate experiencing and integration by focusing on cognitive explanations, clients do clarify their thinking, explore beliefs, and put meaning to experiences they are reliving in therapy Therapists must have a high level of personal development

Contributions of Gestalt Therapy to Multicultural Counseling

Gestalt experiments can be tailored to fit the unique way in which an individual perceives and interprets his or her culture Effective in helping people integrate the polarities within themselves

Limitations for Multicultural Counseling Tend to produce high level of intense feelings Limitations with those clients who have been culturally conditioned to be emotionally reserved, or those who have strong cultural injunctions prohibiting them from directly expressing emotions to certain people