Gestalt Therapy
Gestalt Therapy was Developed by: Fritz Perls, Laura Perls, Paul Goodman
Overview of Gestalt Therapy: Gestalt Therapy focuses on here-and-now experience and personal responsibility. The objective, in addition to overcoming symptoms, is to become more alive, creative, and free from the blocks of unfinished issues which may diminish optimum satisfaction, fulfillment, and growth.
"The theory of Gestalt therapy takes as its centerpiece two ideas. The first is that the proper focus of psychology is the experiential present moment. In contrast to approaches which look at the unknown and even unknowable, our perspective is the here and now of living. The second idea is that we are inextricably caught in a web of relationship with all things. It is only possible to truly know ourselves as we exist in relation to other things. These twin lenses, here-and-now awareness and the interactive field, define the subject matter of Gestalt therapy. Its theory provides a system of concepts describing the structure and organization of living in terms of aware relations. Its methodology, techniques, and applications … link this outlook to the practice of Gestalt therapy. The result is a psychology and method with a rich and unique view of everyday life, the depths and difficulties which life encompasses, and "the high side of normal," the ennobling and most creative heights of which we are capable. Gestalt therapists believe their approach is uniquely capable of responding to the difficulties and challenges of living, both in its ability to relieve us of some measure of our misery and by showing the way to some of the best we can achieve. " ~ Excerpt from Association for the Advancement of Gestalt Therapy
Resources Related to Gestalt Therapy:
Association for the Advancement of Gestalt Therapy
Society for Gestalt Theory and its Applications
The Gestalt Therapy Network
The Gestalt Therapy Page
Wikipedia's Page about Gestalt Therapy
Books Related to Gestalt Therapy:
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Great article. I am sure it will help me with the groups i facilitate. A great reminder of the 'life and fluidity of a group' thank you love and peace Valya
What a wonderful article on the how-to of Gestalt Group work. I am in the process of forming a process group from a Gestalt model and this has been extremely helpful. Please write more on the topic!
I like the concept behind this that we as humans are ever changing, ever evolving, and hopefully, ever moving toward becoming a more positive and powerful being.
An interesting theory, to say the least. You have explained the concept very well, so much so even a fifth grader can understand the logic behind it.
We go through these elaborate procedures day in and day out and yet never reflect on their inner working. I guess thats the difference between an ordinary person and an expert dealing with psychological issues. Anyhow, if thought of these things as a procedure, yes, if there is an un-forseen obstruction to a procedure, there will be side-effects, even to a point me mal-functioning of the entire mechanism, and in this case, the mechanism is us, the humans...
I like the gestalt view of self. It is much more flexible than other views and it allows for influence from the environment. It is a much more hopeful view.
This is a well written overview of Gestalt Therapy!