Gestalt therapy. What is it, techniques, exercises, training, psychology, the basics, the essence, workshops, practices and mechanisms

Gestalt Therapy - this direction in practical psychology, which focuses on awareness of patients of their repressed feelings experienced trauma and incomplete life scenarios. Such therapy is carried out to get rid of neurotic states and finding harmony with itself.

Overview

Gestalt in German language literally means the shape, but in its meaning word means integrity, self-discipline, structure.

Gestalt has emerged as a term in the late XIX century, but it had an active development at the beginning of the 20th century, when scientists on the example of works of art formed the idea of ​​gestalt when man looks at a picture, he sees it as an integral object, irreducible to the properties of its individual elements, that is, the person perceives a work of art as a totality factors.

Later The term has been used in psychology, and after some time became an integral part of therapy thanks to the research of Edgar Rubin. Scientists argue that human reality is a kind of background, and some of its elements, which sharpened the attention of the person - a figure.

Thus, when a person is able to make the needs of the figures from the background, and on the completion of the reaction to allow them to dissolve it again. This process can be compared with the need for food when hungry man focuses on the desire and satisfying it, forget about Eden for some time.

Together with the creation of Gestalt therapy with the figure began to associate any process of life - hobbies, relationships begun.

The main feature of Gestalt therapy is a voltage that allows healthy people not to forget their needs. Perfectly normal isolated from background certain processes and feel anxiety, as long as they are completed.

But often a voltage is induced in the human psyche because of the many unfinished gestalt in the past, which for a long time cause people to "replay" the unfinished script over and over again, and not bringing them to their logical completion.

It can be concluded that Gestalt therapy is aimed at getting rid of unfinished gestaltWhich do not allow patients to build healthy relationships with people and live for today without the constant feeling of anxiety.

Where applicable Gestalt therapy

Gestalt therapy - a set of techniques and methods of work with the psyche, which helps the patient heal neuroses, to get rid of inner fears, overcome panic attacks and gain confidence in their abilities.

Such therapy approach can be applied in various public areas:

• work and family issues;
• pedagogical activity;
• Clinical Psychotherapy;
• professional training;
• organization consulting;
• training to improve social relationships, personal growth.

Aims and objectives of Gestalt therapy

The fundamental goal of Gestalt therapy - is the creation and consolidation of a holistic way of the customer's identity, as well as getting rid of his neurosis, including a symptoms such as lack of confidence, impaired communication skills, problems in his personal life, the inability to determine the purpose and life priorities.

To help get rid of the neurotic condition, the expert must find sources of incomplete gestalt and only then begin to Gestalt therapy.

The objectives of this activity include:

1. Work with feelings and emotions. It is best suited for the job group therapy where people can open up to other people to work on their own feelings and the ability to express them.
2. Analysis of their condition. Introspection is necessary to know the source of their own feelings and emotions. Understanding the root of the problem is a big step to solve it.
3. Attention to your body. Gestalt therapy involves the conscious attitude to the body movements, awareness of physical sensations that were previously ignored by the patient. All this together with psychoanalysis helps establish a connection body and spirit, to achieve self-awareness.
4. Differentiation of the past and present. Therapy says about the ability to distinguish the past from the present, do not hide their feelings and live the "here and now".

Advantages and disadvantages of Gestalt Therapy

Advantages of Gestalt therapy	Disadvantages of Gestalt therapy
Enough in-depth analysis that can reveal hidden motives, injury causes neurosis and anxiety customer	Therapy provides independence. The doctor does not give advice, the responsibility for the choice rests with the patient
Ability to work with different levels of complexity of psychological problems	Provides sufficient continuous operation (3 sessions)
Suitable treatment is focused on the human, the methodology is of secondary importance	It requires a sufficient level of intelligence, not suitable for children
Orientation to the therapy process to the result of the patient comes alone	You must use the feelings, emotions and experiences, as they play an important role in therapy

Interested in Gestalt therapy

Gestalt therapy - it is the direction of psychotherapeutic activity, which is focused on feelings, emotions and experiences of the patient. Therefore, this technique is suitable not for all people.

Typically, Gestalt therapy is popular among women because of their greater openness about their feelings.

But this does not mean that men will not be able to benefit from the passage of Gestalt therapy, the results of sessions depend solely on the customer's openness and his lack of restraint and his feelings emotions.

The basic concepts of Gestalt therapy

List of concepts:

1. Figure and ground. These concepts are taken from Gestalt psychology and indicate the patient's relationship to reality and focusing on its individual elements. The relation between figure and ground is very dynamic, as in humans often change the emphasis of attention and needs. Anyone receiving information consists of changing the background and change the figures, therefore, the entire life of the patient experience consists of such changes. Some processes or changes can remain incomplete when the person finds a new object of interest, and then they are deposited, forming some views and belief of the person. A healthy relationship between figure and ground include interest, care and enthusiasm. A person with mental health problems and the formation of the background figures is difficult and there is a sense of apathy, indifference, boredom, anxiety. Also, a healthy person in life there is a frequent change of the figures and the background, and these processes are characterized by perfection and satisfaction. Sick mentality is different fixation figure or her inability to form and complete the gestalt.
2. clarity gestalt. Healthy perception of reality allows a person to easily identify and terminate gestalts that are clear to understand. Painful and incomplete gestalt are formed as a result of incomplete experience, or traumatic situations, a scenario which often repeated and can not be released.
3. Awareness. Awareness - one of the main concepts in Gestalt therapy, meaning adequate awareness and understanding of its internal processes. F. Perls, founder of Gestalt Therapy, suggests that impaired consciousness is the cause of neurosis, which makes it difficult to complete the gestalt, to recognize their experience and to perceive themselves and their environment peace.
4. completion. complete concept plays a key role in Gestalt therapy and is the logical conclusion of lived experience. The problem with the end makes a man to dwell on the rough experience, to experience it again and restrain emotions.
   
5. Integrity and identity. These concepts are closely linked, as the person in Gestalt is a holistic structure, which consists of the interactions within the inner understanding, attitudes, beliefs, relations with the outside world. A healthy person in accordance with the Gestalt psychology consists of a dynamic internal communications links.

principles

Principles of Gestalt principles differ from other methods of psychoanalysis so that in this therapy there are no clear and stringent guidelines that are required to perform.

Principles of Gestalt therapy system is flexible enough and sets the direction of the work with the patient:

1. The principle of "here and now" - one of the main in Gestalt therapy. He speaks of the concentration on the present moment of his life, attention to the feelings in relation to the environment, the events taking place at the moment. Principle helps the patient to be discharged from frequent immersion in the past or dream about the future and feel the life in the present.
2. The principle of "you and I" It plays an important role, since it is an open contact the person with others. Most often, patients are difficult to communicate with people, so during therapy, the doctor draws attention to the its relationship with other members of the group by performing verbal and non-verbal exercises.
3. The principle of subjectivity It is important in the treatment, as it allows you to adjust the human awareness, to develop his own understanding of the problems and failures. The principle is the formulation of its state, for example, the therapist can ask the patient to express his thoughts in the form of "I can not do this" and not "me it makes it difficult."
4. The principle of continuity of awareness. Awareness as one of the basic concepts of the therapeutic activity is largely influenced by the progress of the work with the patient, because it helps monitor the flow of emotions and feelings, to be guided in their own state, identify causal relationships of thought processes. Awareness focuses on the question of "what" and "how" rather than "why" and "why".

What is the role of Gestalt therapist

Gestalt therapy - it is a line of work with the patient, the therapist plays an important role in the course of the session:

• therapist puts experiments and observe the process identified in its phenomena, that is, ask the person to tell about the life situation or issue and then watching his reactions, feelings and emotions, analyzes the behavior and planning the next steps in work;
  
• the physician can intervene in the experiment, to guide him in the right direction, push the patient to self-consciousness, to focus his attention on the key elements;
• Gestalt therapist after the session discusses the identified phenomena, asks the client about his expectations and requirements, and correlate the responses with the results revealed in the phenomena of the session;
• in accordance with the humanistic approach therapy doctor conducts analysis of the experiment together with the patient to avoid a mentor and teacher status. The therapist on equal discusses the phenomena identified with the client, is revealed as a person and shares his experience.

Thus, the personal qualities of the physician plays an important role in the effectiveness of therapy. One of the basic concepts of this area of ​​work is the dialogue with the patient, so no general practitioner proper quality build the most comfortable communication with the customer is impossible.

Kinds

Types of Gestalt therapy are divided into "projective" and "dialogue." "Projective" type of therapy is based on the analysis of the patient's feelings and emotions, includes work with dreams, imagery, imaginary dialogues and internal characters projections. The second technique is the direct therapist contact with the customer, their relationship and dialogue.

Here is a very important factor in the patient's trust and in general the role of each member of Gestalt therapy. It is necessary that during the session the physician and patient to feel equal partners. Responsibility for deciding the patient carries on their own, which is an important component of the workflow.

It should be noted that both techniques are rarely used alone for the most complete analysis of the condition of the patient, first to work with his feelings, emotions, and dreams, and later discuss the important factors identified in the process of "projective" techniques in an already "dialog" form therapy.

Carrying Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy in form can be carried out in the form of group and individual work with clients. Group therapy focuses on the patient's contact with the other participants. Here, the client analyzes the behavior of other people, projects them their feelings and emotions, and thus become closer to self-consciousness.

Group work helps to feel in a small community where the patient - the part that can to realize the role, flexibility and variability of behavior revealed from different angles and find the source resources. Individual work involves personal approach based on identifying healthy and neurotic in the client.

Here, the therapist plays the role of interlocutor and partner that helps us to understand the internal processes, feelings, emotions and a source of patient anxiety.

The main feature of Gestalt therapy - building a unique relationship with each patient, the awakening of their awareness of their own relationship with the environment, understanding their emotions and feelings.

Also distinctive feature sessions is customer care to their own feelings, his ability to separate his feelings from the reactions to them, that is the important role played by the independence of each member of therapy, regardless of whether the group or session individual.

Anyway patients learn to self-monitor their condition, be responsible for it, to distinguish between the past and the future from the present and be able to focus on the process of experiencing the problems, rather than finding its cause.

Basic techniques and methods of Gestalt therapy

Gestalt therapy - it is a line of work with patients who do not require strict adherence to specific techniques and methods. During the session, the main role is played by a physician contact, and the client, so there are special recommendations aimed at building the most productive and competent dialogue with the patient to deal effectively with its Problems.

They are as follows:

1. focus. The focus of attention of the therapist during a session aimed at the direct experience of the client situation, the concentration on the feelings and sensations. Patient story of past events should be described in the present tense, to achieve the most complete experiences, emotions disclosure. The therapist, in turn, should celebrate the nonverbal signs of customer behavior and compare them with the verbal manifestations of emotions to using complex analysis to come to an actual problem and the patient's needs.
2. Reflection. reflection technique is a return customer of words in order to get close to him, to understand his feelings and emotions. Often, a patient discussing their problem, says without awareness of their own speech, which in turn is often a compulsive character. Permanent therapist questions in response to that customer behavior may contribute to the care of the projection, that is distraction from the actual needs of the patient. Sometimes the speaker is necessary to confirm that it listened to and understood, so the reflection technique can have a positive impact on the further development of therapy.
3. mirroring. This technique differs from the previous one of its nonverbal component. The therapist needs to be repeated for some client nonverbal manifestations that in his subconscious patient felt trust and a desire to open up the doctor. Mirroring helps to feel heard, understood that it is important for the comfort of the session.
   
4. Return figures path. "Shuttle run" can be called differently this feature workflow. During therapy, the doctor may forget about a key request of the patient, to follow him in the projection and maintenance of situations without a productive search date and the main problem. To avoid such situations, the therapist needs to periodically return to the original customer's request, did not lose the focus and summarize the story line, comparing them with the key problem.

These techniques are aimed at establishing a trusting physician relations and customer, and are distinguished by their dialogical and general humanistic orientation.

Exercises

Gestalt therapy is different conducting special exercises aimed at concentration of attention to feelings, self-consciousness, the release of pent-up emotions. therapy exercises are divided into several groups depending on their orientation and the implementation of the method.

Awareness of their own feelings

List:

1. Exercise 1. The patient will need to focus on the external factors (that is within sight, hearing), and then concentrate on their internal sensations (images, thoughts, emotions, muscle voltage). Gradually, the need to focus on every internal process, to try to get back to its origins and trace arising in this case emotions, desires and actions.
2. Exercise 2. The customer needs to focus on bodily sensations, pronounce, to what extent and clarity he sees his body. The patient should be noted pain and clamps, which he had not paid attention, to feel them. It is also important to ask the client about whether he feels his body as a whole, whether he sees the connection between the parts of the body, feelings, and physical sensations.

The integration of polarities

List:

1. Exercise 1. In group therapy the exercise looks like playing the roles of patients in the presence of other participants in therapy. For example, overly shy man offered to play the role of the person with the same personality traits, but a little exaggerate them. Or, if the client is aware of its problems in communication, it is proposed to represent the person with a completely opposite character traits. After a five-minute process, role play therapy participants are invited to discuss the impressions received.
   
2. Exercise 2. This exercise is suitable for those patients who feel their internal conflicts and can not resolve them. The customer is invited to submit two chairs on which sit his conflicting parties. Further, a person is invited to submit the dispute between the parties say their dialogue, try to find a compromise for them with the help of a therapist.

Working with dreams

List:

1. Exercise 1. The customer needs to tell his dream from the first person in the present tense, to choose its most emotional moments and reproduce them. Next, you need to try to say the dialogue between the characters or elements of the dream, to compare the identified experiences with their own life problems.
2. Exercise 2. This exercise is suitable for group therapy. One member of the group tells a dream, and the other patients choose one of its object and sketched it. Further, the game was selected roles between participants of therapy as a result of which it is necessary to note your own feelings, which are reflected in this dream.

overcoming resistance

List:

1. Exercise 1. The patient should be noted their habits. If they seem to him not effective or impeding live, are invited to submit a change of habitual action on something new. It is important to tell the client that he will feel a change of habits, whether he will get the pleasure of doing something different, whether it will feel strong resistance and how to be able to overcome it.
2. Exercise 2. The client is offered every morning thinking about how to feel and to act in the coming day as something else. From person is not required to take decisions binding. The patient must visualize your day with small changes in the simple things that are easy to change.

Duration of the course of Gestalt therapy

Gestalt therapy - it is the direction of psychotherapeutic activity in which duration of treatment depends on many factors, depending on the patient's request and his personality features.

For example, a customer's problem can be divided into situational and existential, that is associated with certain life situations or with global personal problems plaguing human long time.

Gestalt therapy can be built in an advisory and depth mode.

The first method involves the work of several meetings with the therapist, as a result of which solves the problem. The second type of therapy differs depth direction and duration from one year to several years. In any case, Gestalt therapy focuses on the patient's needs, so the duration of the operation depends exclusively on its individual characteristics.

Reviews

Quite a lot of patients responding to Gestalt therapy, noted that the session process - it is a huge self-study. The therapy does not provide answers to the questions it forces itself to find a way out of the situation and take responsibility for their decisions.

Almost all customers indicate that they were their stiffness to the course Gestalt emotional manifestations, ashamed of their feelings, were limited by public opinion, stereotypes and imposed standards.

Working with a therapist helped these people to find inner freedom, begin to defend personal boundaries, cease to devote all his time to the fantasies, dreams, past mistakes and begin to enjoy life "here and now".

Such a humanistic direction, like the Gestalt therapy, which aims to help a person not at the expense of ignoring the problems and artificially nurtured optimism, and with using the ability to notice the different aspects of life, to experience feelings in all their diversity, be "here and now" and independently deal with internal restrictions.

Author of the article: Anna Fleyman

Registration of the article: Lozinski Oleg

Video of Gestalt therapy

What is Gestalt therapy, the basics: