Gestalt
psychotherapy
Presented by: Noor Al-Modihesh
Dr. Mayada Banaja team
History .
 Purpose.
 Theoretical concepts.
 Skills in Gestalt.
 Assessment.
 Treatment phases.

Who is Gestalt ?
So , what's the meaning ?
Gestalt
BY ; Frederick (Fritz) and Laura Perls
in the 1940s

seems to be more “animated” than
mere form or object, implying a sort
of "reaching out" to its environment

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knowledge of an "other,” a sort of
"dialogue" between me and that
"other," and a sort of connection
that draws me into that "dialogue.“
A presentation of a "Gestalt"
suggests the involvement of my
perception and awareness in an act
of identification of reality. A
Gestalt can thus be identified as a
kind of knowledge.
Gestalt is A structured entity
that is more than & different
from its parts. It is the
foreground figure that stands
out from its ground, it exists”
Laura Perls
It encompasses existential &
person-centered.
 Promotes awareness in HERE &
NOW
 The present receive more attention
than past
 Exploring & experiencing emotions
are integral to treatment.

Purpose :
To help people got aware about
those neglected parts & restore
wholeness, integration & balance .

Important theoretical
concepts:
1.
View of humankind : people are
basically good & had capacity to
cope with their lives BUT !! At
times need help.
2.
Wholeness & integration : we are
not a summation of parts BUT !!
coordination.
3.integrating polarities : need for
homeostasis viewed people &their
world either good or bad.
what is important is integrating
body & mind.
4.Integrating figures & ground : the
world around us is ground.
5. Ego boundary : definition in
relation to environment (in relation
to situation)
6.Awareness : Awareness is a form of
experience that may be loosely
defined as being in touch with
one's own existence, with what is

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The person who is aware knows what
he does & how he does it, that he
has alternatives and that he
chooses to be he is.
As its best , non-verbal knowing
what is happening HERE & NOW.
Self awareness .
exercise
7.Responsibility : accepting
responsibility for our own lives ,
people must make their own choices
rather than allowing others.
Theraputic alliance :
I-thou relationship.
 Both fully present in here & now.
 Paradoxical principle of change:
change occur when one becomes
what he is & not when he tries to
become what he is not.
 Observation without judgment.
 Listen & help to find own way.

Assessment :
Not diagnosis.
 Process of how he is behaving now.
 Client in process.
 Clients relational patterns.
 Field condition.

Client in process:
Embodied process : description in
room including movement , voice….
 Support system; his setting in room
& confidence.
 Belief system ; introjects , meaning
of circumstances..

Client relational
patterns:

Describe his way in relating to you .

Note any transferential response.
Field conditions;
Cultural factors,race….

So in conclusion , Gestalt diagnosis
is an understanding or assessment
of all ways that client makes
meaning or contact with his world.
Treatment phases:

Beginning :
 Working
alliance.
 Awareness
 Dialogic relation.
 Cultural differences.
 Planning for special conditions.

Clearing the ground:
 Introjects.
 Unfinished
business.
 Self-expression
 Experiment with new behavior.

Existential encounter:
 Re-owning
lost parts,
 Live & move.
 self-limiting core beliefs.
 Live with courage of uncertainty
 Spiritual meaning.

Integration :
 Re-organize
with new insights
 Improve relational contact
 Connecting to community
 Accepting anxiety with newness
 Responsibility for choices.

Ending ;
 Loss
of relation
 Re-cycling of issues
 Celebrating what achieved
 Accepting things not achieved
 Planning for future crises
Experimenting :

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Identifying emerging figure or
theme.
Suggesting: (safe emergency) , has
right to refuse.
Grading amount of challenge.
If difficult start with emotions
 Remind of support
 Change situation.

RULE : convey non judgmental
attitude to experiment & avoid
being invested.
No right outcome

Use language carefully by emphasis
on statements

Using what, how BUT never why?

‘I’ statement .

The present tense
Large Group exercise :
Unfinished business;
Traumatic events not achieved
resolution.
 Need great awareness with enough
support.
 Examining the impasse ---reactivate.
 Trace clearest memory.
 Where is the maximum energy .
 Encourage to bring feelings,thougths….
 Identify interruptions.

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Working with imagination.
Working with introjects : identify
opposite polarity, two chair & roleplay….
Dreams:

Royal road to integration.

It is existential messenger.

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Projections of some aspects of
dreamer, or relation with therapist.
Ask to present it in present form.
As a real story!
 Express it non verbally( body
posture , moving….
 Retell dream from other
perspective..
 Create dialogues bet. Characters in
dream
 Use different outcome.
 Is it a message about therapist?

Fantasy :
Make people more aware.
 Help to be more productive.
 Represent projections or aspects of
person.
 Encourage people to be part of
dream.

Ending :
Tasks for ending:
 Raise awareness , remind what
brought him .
 Acknowledge & celebrate what has
been achieved .
 Acknowledge what hasn’t achieved
yet.
 Feed back.
Conducting reviews :
Original contract.
 Check if relevant .
 New issues emerged.
 What aspects helped him.
 Any change in contract.
 Offer f\u at least after 3-6
months.

Summary :

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Gestalt focuses on unification &
wholeness of a person through
feeling, senses & fantasies.
This awareness yields personality
changes by means of problem solving
& identifying impasses.

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It is a here & now experimental
modality which is a process for
individual to be in touch with him
self.
Future & past important BUT their
significance is in relation to their
influence on present.

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Inquiry by how , what & NEVER
why..
It is when client assume
responsibility for what they feel &
think (the greatest value)
Gestalt modality specify that person
passes through 5 levels of neurosis:
1.
Phony layer : not being them
selves.
2.
Phobic level : fear of seeing who
one really is
3.
Impasse level ; stuck in
dependency position where he seek
for others to make decision.
4. Implosive level: accept
responsibility & develop courage to
face their personal defenses as
they come close to real selves ( full
awareness)
5.Explosive level : letting go of the
false image the individual has
created.
It promotes in dependence rather
than dependence on therapist & the
most provocative technique is Empty
Chair.
Thank you