Gestalt therapy is a client-centered kind of psychotherapy that focuses on helping patients comprehend what is going on in their life, as opposed to what they may believe is going on based on prior experiences. Clients are urged to feel past events rather than speak about them, possibly by acting them out. Clients better understand how their unhelpful thinking patterns and actions prevent them from experiencing true self-awareness and contribute to their unhappiness via the gestalt process.

When to Use It

Gestalt therapy may assist patients with a variety of problems, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, problems in their relationships, and even physical problems like back spasms, ulcerative colitis, and migraine headaches. Gestalt therapy is a good option for those who want to improve their self-awareness but may not understand how they contribute to their dissatisfaction and pain. Gestalt methods are often used with various treatments such as bodywork, dance, art, theatre, and others.

How to Prepare

A gestalt therapist concentrates on what is occurring right now and finds answers in the present time.  For instance, the therapist may urge you to play out the situation and talk about how it feels right now rather than explaining why something occurred in the past. In other words, you won’t just be asked to speak about your sentiments; you’ll be challenged to feel them. What’s happening right now? and other similar inquiries will be made to you by the therapist. ” or “How do you feel at the moment? Your therapist may try dream work, guided fantasy, role-playing, confrontation, and other strategies to bring upsetting memories of the past and present issues. Your objective is to learn to take greater ownership of yourself, accept the results of your actions, and learn to meet your wants while still being considerate of others as you become more aware of yourself and your senses.

What It Does

“Gestalt” is German for “whole.” Psychotherapist Fritz Perls created Gestalt therapy based on the idea that people are best understood when seen as a whole, including their body, mind, and soul. This is done by looking at people through their own eyes rather than looking back into the past. Gestalt therapy stresses that these emotions must be actively addressed in the present moment to relieve unresolved anger, anguish, anxiety, resentment, and other unpleasant sensations. Both psychological and physical issues may develop if that doesn’t happen. According to Perls, neither we nor anybody else should be expecting anyone else to live up to our standards while we are here in this world. Gestalt therapy gives patients a greater understanding of themselves and how their decisions influence their relationships, health, and well-being. With this self-awareness, clients learn to comprehend the relationship between their bodily and emotional identities and get greater self-confidence to begin living a fuller life and dealing with issues more skillfully.

Qualities of a Good Gestalt Therapist

Look for a psychotherapist who uses a gestalt approach to treatment and is certified and skilled. Some therapists may enroll in continuing education programs and get gestalt therapy method training in addition to completing their general education and license requirements. Once you’ve confirmed that a therapist has the training and expertise you’re seeking, make sure you comprehend the procedure and feel at ease with it.