Gestalt Therapy Research Articles

From Agency to Responsibility: Gestalt Therapy Trainees’ Experience of Engaging in Personal Therapy

Personal therapy is a common mandatory element of counseling and psychotherapy training in the United Kingdom. Previous research has established that this practice provides trainees with a unique learning space but also is associated with financial and emotional costs. Furthermore, some argue that the practice of personal therapy is ethically questionable. At the heart of many relational modalities, such as Gestalt psychotherapy, lies the relationship between client and therapist and more research is needed to explore how trainees perceive established training methods. The current study recruited 11 trainee Gestalt practitioners and conducted one-to-one semi-structured interviews to explore their experiences of engaging in personal therapy. A number of themes emerged in reflexive thematic analysis: trainees perceived personal therapy to be associated with professional and personal gains as well as financial and emotional costs; they also viewed personal therapy to be an essential component of their training but would like to be involved in discussions around how it is shaped. We recommend that training providers and professional bodies offer such a dialogic space, and that future research and practice further considers the barriers of minority clients and trainees in particular.

A qualitative exploration of Gestalt therapy and systemic pedagogy paediatric primary healthcare consultations in Agramunt (Spain).

Gestalt therapy (GT) and systemic pedagogy (SP) are useful tools to approach emotional difficulties and mental health problems among children and adolescents. The main objective of this study was to explore the perceptions on GT and SP techniques in paediatric mental health-related consultations in a primary healthcare (PHC) centre in Catalonia in 2018-2019, among families, healthcare, and education professionals. Qualitative study, combining semi-structured interviews with families (N = 42) and professionals (N = 15), conducted after a series paediatric PHC consultations including GT and SP techniques. Interviews lasted between 15 and 90min and were conducted at the PHC centre where GT/SP consultations took place, and at professionals' workplaces. Socio-demographics, reasons for consultation, and quantitative ratings on the perceived effectiveness of GT/SP consultations were also collected to combine these data with the qualitative interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed descriptively using thematic analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed by calculating frequencies (percentages) for categorical variables, and means, medians, and ranges for continuous variables. Narratives from families and healthcare professionals indicate that GT/SP consultations might have been effective in improving children and adolescents' symptomatology and emotional health. Improved well-being within the family context was another main finding, based on families' perceptions and experiences. Besides, GT/SP were considered acceptable for approaching emotional and mental health in PHC services, although barriers for implementation were identified. This study presents data on the potential usefulness of GT/SP to design and implement services that promote emotional and mental health among children and adolescents in PHC. Also, for the development of health policies and future research in this area.

Exploring the relationships between interoceptive awareness and Gestalt resistance processes among counselors‐in‐training

AbstractGestalt therapy is a humanistic approach that emphasizes awareness of one's inner experiences and recognition of resistance processes. However, research exploring the relationship between interoceptive awareness—awareness of internal bodily sensations—and Gestalt resistance processes remains limited. Addressing this gap, our study used a cross‐sectional design to examine how interoceptive awareness correlates with resistance processes among 112 counseling students. Our analysis revealed that higher interoceptive awareness is associated with lower resistance processes such as confluence, introjection, projection, retroflection, deflection, and egotism, with no significant association found with desensitization. The results suggest that improved body awareness could potentially impact resistance levels. This highlights the need to include interoceptive training in counseling programs to enhance therapeutic presence and self‐regulation among trainees. This study offers evidence supporting the influence of interoceptive awareness on resistance processes and suggests that future research should explore ways to integrate these findings into training programs and broader Gestalt therapy practices.

The Gestalt of Gestalt pedagogy

Summary Applied Gestalt theory in the tradition of Gestalt psychology on the one hand and Gestalt pedagogy in the tradition of Gestalt therapy on the other hand are two different ways of thinking about education. Gestalt pedagogy proves to be compatible in many ways with current positions in education studies, in particular those of phenomenological pedagogy, dialogical pedagogy and theories of meaningful learning. All three approaches could provide a common ground for the two Gestalt traditions – not only for bringing them into relation, but also for strengthening their theoretical frameworks and thus enriching education studies.

Gestalt Approach to Working with Psychological Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Although not all people who experience trauma experience long-term negative consequences, quite often the experience of trauma affects psychological, social, physical and professional functioning, which determines the need to study techniques for processing it. The term trauma refers to experiences that cause intense physical and psychological stress reactions. The article provides an overview of theories of trauma, the concept of existential trauma, its types, as well as modern approaches to the treatment of trauma-related disorders. The existential context of the traumatic experience is indicated. Gestalt Trauma Therapy is a step-by-step model based on Gestalt principles that integrates key common factors and elements of other evidence-based approaches to trauma treatment. Gestalt therapy covers the general factors of psychotherapy and corresponds to the three main stages of trauma therapy: assessment, trauma-related work, and closure. The described model of Gestalt trauma therapy is considered effective for working with traumatic experiences.

TUGʻRUQDAN KEYINGI DAVRDA AYOLLAR EMOTSIONAL SOHASINI KORREKSIYALASHNING ZAMONAVIY AMALIY PSIXOLOGIK YO‘NALISHLARI

The article presents an analysis of the use of psychoanalysis, gestalt therapy, psychodrama, logotherapy, humanistic psychology, cognitive psychology, modern practical psychological directions of psychocorrective influyencye on the emotional sphere of women in the postpartum period.

THE PARADOXICAL NATURE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE COMPANY: A THEORETICAL FOUNDATION AND KEY CONCEPTS

Organizational Change Management (OCM) is a crucial and really important process for companies that seek to adapt and succeed in a modern and dynamic world. However, despite the importance of Organizational Change Management and the numerous models and frameworks available, a significant proportion of change initiatives fail to achieve their desirable results. This problem instantly emphasizes the need for fresh ideas and innovative ways to address the complexities of organizational change in the modern world. First of all, this article explores the paradoxical theory of change as an alternative for better understanding and more efficient management of change that will be useful for various organizations. It reviews the theoretical foundations of this approach, rooted in Gestalt therapy and other relevant literature. Apart from that, the publication defines key concepts such as polarities and tensions, explaining how these seemingly contradictory forces are natural and necessary elements of dynamic systems. By embracing these tensions, organizations can foster adaptability, drive innovation, and enhance resilience. Secondly, the article also considers the concepts of the Real and Ideal Self in the context of organizational change, displaying how these two states' tensions can be a source of resistance or motivation. Understanding and managing these tensions is unarguably crucial for utilizing them as sources of energy and creativity, ultimately leading to more organizational transformations that would be more successful. What is more, this article provides practical insights on how to apply the paradoxical theory to some of the real-life situations. This shows the importance of balancing stability and change, autonomy and control, and exploration and exploitation in business corporations. Taking everything into consideration, by adopting these paradoxical components, organizations can create a holistic and more effective approach to change management, achieving lasting success and sustainability in the modern ever-evolving environment, which is vital for modern and successful business.

La terapia Gestalt: una alternativa de atención psicológica a niños desplazados de Guerrero, México

Forced internal displacement is a phenomenon that has occurred throughout history in various countries and affects the victims who experience it in all areas of their lives. In this regard, for the child population, this phenomenon has had a devastating impact, as childhood is a stage of full development, and children feel insecure in a frightening context where all their human rights were violated. The objective of the present study was to provide Gestalt therapy to children who are victims of forced internal displacement from Sierra de Guerrero. A qualitative approach was used, with a descriptive scope, a phenomenological design, and a cross-sectional cohort. The sample is represented by 23 minors from a community in the Sierra de Guerrero. The instruments used were the interview guide and the field diary, with data analyzed through open coding. The results show that the personal psychosocial effects found in the children were sadness and happiness due to their parents' fights; within the community effects, it was found that parents exhibited hypervigilance due to the stress of protecting their families. Regarding socioeconomic effects, it was found that men resorted to poppy cultivation as a subsistence economic activity. In this sense, it is concluded that Gestalt therapy used for group and individual intervention was effective in providing emotional release for the minors and a better way to cope with family conflicts and the social context.

힙합 중심 통합예술교육 개발 프로그램이 청소년의 자아존중감에 미치는 영향

This study empirically assesses the efficacy of integrated arts education in enhancing adolescent self-esteem. Focused on the “After-School Hip-Hop School” program supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and targeted at 12- to 24-year-olds residing in the metropolitan area, this research analyzes the structure and intent of the program and investigates its impact on the participants’ self-esteem. We employ both quantitative analysis using the STATA software and qualitative analysis based on Gestalt therapy to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and the transformation in participants. Pre- and post-program surveys that measure characteristics, program satisfaction, and self-esteem, along with observational records, audio recordings, and analysis of rap lyrics, confirmed that integrated arts education positively influences the enhancement of adolescents’ self-esteem. This research substantiates that hip-hop-based integrated arts education can contribute to improving adolescent self-esteem, thus playing a vital role in enhancing their creative response capabilities to cope with various contemporary societal challenges. Additionally, the study presents operational guidelines for practical application in educational settings and proposes new directions for music education using hip-hop, thereby highlighting its significance.

Penerapan Teknik Kursi Kosong dalam Konseling Gestalt untuk Meningkatkan Kepercayaan Diri Siswa

Gestalt counseling teaches that individuals are wholes greater than the sum of their parts. In the context of self-confidence, this means recognizing and embracing all aspects of oneself, both positive and negative, as integral parts of their being. This study aims to examine the application of the empty chair technique in Gestalt counseling to enhance students' self-confidence. Gestalt counseling is an approach that emphasizes present awareness and the individual's relationship with their environment. This study employs a qualitative method with a literature review approach, using relevant literature sources as primary data, such as research findings, research reports, and scientific journals. After gathering the data sources, a content analysis of the literature review was conducted. The results of this study indicate that the empty chair technique in Gestalt counseling is effective in improving students' self-confidence. The empty chair technique helps enhance interpersonal communication skills and reduce negative behaviors. Although Gestalt counseling has advantages in increasing self-awareness and self-confidence, it also has drawbacks such as a lack of structure in counseling sessions and unsuitability for all types of issues or client conditions.

IMPROVing Spontaneity: Gestalt Therapy Perspective on Improvisational Theater as a Therapeutical Intervention

ABSTRACT This article outlines the theoretical background for improv-therapeutical processes and interventions found in the contemporary theory of the Gestalt therapeutic approach. Although there is a growing number of studies reporting on the potential of improvisational theater in psychological well-being and psychotherapy, few of them explore theoretical parallels with existing psychotherapeutic approaches. This article proposes that the roots and paradigms of improv theater and Gestalt therapy are epistemologically close and explore how concepts specific for relational Gestalt therapy—understanding of self as a process in the phenomenological intersubjective field, an aesthetic approach to mental health, and the notion of creative adjustment—could contribute to the understanding and empowering of the therapeutic processes found in improv theater. The theory proposes that nurturing creative and spontaneous processes in improv possibly contributes to the healthy functioning of the self and, therefore, enhances healthy contact with the environment.

The Health of Aggression

ABSTRACT This article attempts to reestablish the importance of human aggression as a figural cornerstone in both the origin and practice of Gestalt therapy. Attention is paid to the early contributions of Frederick Perls in reformulating psychoanalytic theory with respect to what he considered to be the primacy of aggression over sexuality in terms of human growth and development. Distinctions are made between what would be considered “healthy” versus “unhealthy” applications of aggression within the maturation cycle of the organism, its social functioning, and the effective practice of Gestalt therapy. Problems related to the definition and application of aggressive expression are discussed through Gestalt-related literature and differences noted in more contemporary research. Practitioners of the Gestalt approach are encouraged to review the relevant literature as a way of revisiting and refreshening their understanding of the clinical importance of aggression in the practice of Gestalt therapy.

Gestalt Therapy Research: Developing a Phenomenological, Aesthetic, Field-Oriented Approach

ABSTRACT The author proposes a frame of reference for Gestalt therapists who want to do research from a field perspective. She outlines fundamental aspects of phenomenological research that includes aesthetics of contact and the relational therapeutic approach. Ethical aspects of Gestalt therapy research, from the need of outcome research to the responsibility to show what we do in our practice, are described, in support of the discovery of new territories to advance our humanity. Two examples are offered: research on the construct of aesthetic relational knowing (ARK) to explore therapeutic intuition and responsiveness from a Gestalt viewpoint, and research to describe the process of change in the dyad therapist/client, seen as a “dance” of reciprocal, intentional movements that draws on attachment learnings.

Spiritual awakening. Substance abuse, dual pathology

IntroductionKambó is considered an “ancestral medicine” by the indigenous tribes of the western region of the Amazon.ObjectivesThrough this clinical case, the aim is to present the particularities of the symptoms and management of patients with consumption of not so common substances, such as Kambo or salvia divinorum, as well as the evolution that will occur in a patient with a previous diagnosis of a Depressive Episode.MethodsWe present the case of a 23-year-old male, Gestalt therapy student. History of tobacco, THC, and recent use of salvia divinorum and Kambo. He began follow-up by psychiatry in a private setting three years ago due to a severe depressive episode, having required treatment with antidepressants, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines, and having been triggered by a serious assault. The episode is resolved and follow-up is discontinued. Family history of depressive syndrome and suicide.He resumed contact through the Emergency Department, requiring hospital admission due to symptoms compatible with a manic episode with psychotic symptoms. It begins with behavioral alterations and global insomnia that are related to the consumption of some substance, initially unknown to them, making the skin lesions they presented suspect the consumption of kambo.ResultsWe assess the risk of consuming these substances, which are sometimes used as alternative therapies, and especially in this type of patient, who is more vulnerable and perhaps seeks a way out of the problems they present.ConclusionsIn our case, it triggered a manic episode with psychotic symptoms, which consisted of delusional ideation of mystical content accompanied by auditory hallucinations. The episode took about a month to subside, despite treatment. Subsequently, there have been more episodes with similar characteristics, and they have not been associated with the consumption of kambó, but have been linked to the consumption of “natural medicinal substances.”Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Enacting the Anti-fascist Body: Somaterapia as Collective Liberatory Becoming

I introduce the practice of somaterapia (somatherapy), an eclectic synthesis of Gestalt therapy, capoeira Angola, anti-psychiatry, collective trust exercises, radical pedagogy, and anarchism developed as an anti-fascist practice aimed at healing the violence of oppressive forms of social organisation as they manifest in bodies. Somaterapia takes an immanent and materialist view on what constitutes a body, eschewing mind-body dualisms and transcendent forms of organisation in lieu of an affective somatic reality. The fascisms somaterapia thus seeks to eliminate are not just the macro-fascisms of the political milieu, but also the micro-fascisms that stem from and reciprocally enrich these, forming blockages of libidinal energy or tesaõ that affect everything from our thoughts and our posture to how we treat ourselves and how we treat each other. In this sense somaterapia has much in common with the enactivist view of cognition. Like somaterapia, enactivism sees brains, bodies and environments as complex, reciprocally presupposing imbrications of nested autonomous systems sustaining themselves through the maintenance and exploration of ongoing adaptive tensions between self-production and self-distinction. Viewing somaterapia through the lens of enactivism thus allows us to potentially enrich the anti-fascist potential of this revolutionary practice. 1

Actual problems of eating disorders and ways to solve them

As eating disorders become more and more common, it is necessary to understand the influence of modern life factors on the formation of these diseases in order to develop more effective strategies for their prevention and treatment, so the purpose of this study was to systematically examine the sociocultural and psychological factors of eating disorders. Two key methodological approaches were used to study the social and underlying psychological factors of these disorders: sociocultural and psychoanalytic. The empirical basis of the study is based on the interview method. Social factors, in particular media influence, determine the formation of eating disorders, especially among women, through the creation of negative standards of beauty and bodily satisfaction. Based on interviews with people with eating disorders, it was found that the underlying psychological factors of these disorders are mainly focused on intrapersonal aspects, such as the perception of food and one's own body, emotional sphere, and self-esteem. At the same time, interpersonal factors related to interaction with the environment have a lesser impact. These factors can lead to the development and complicate the course of eating disorders, so it is important to work with psychological aspects for effective treatment. It is substantiated that psychodynamic and Gestalt therapy are effective treatment methods aimed at resolving mental conflicts. Both approaches use a variety of methods, including dream analysis and physiotherapy, to help patients understand and resolve their emotional and behavioural interactions with food. The practical value of the study is that its results highlight the need to use psychodynamic and Gestalt approaches in therapy, which can address the underlying psychological and emotional factors of eating disorders. The study can be applied in the activities of institutions specializing in the treatment of eating disorders

Moving-sensing-feeling bodies clamouring for contact in on-line therapy groups

ABSTRACT The author examines working with groups on-line from a Gestalt therapy perspective, an integrated therapeutic approach. The growing occurrence of the therapeutic group online setting brings the need to reconsider clinical tools to use bodily processes in the therapeutic relationship. This article provides a detailed and nuanced consideration of embodied process on-line and offers a practical and useful framework for clinicians, from a phenomenological, aesthetic and field oriented epistemological ground. In the on-line therapeutic group consideration needs to be given to the way embodied vitality can be engendered as supports for contact between members. Vitality is supported through a renewing of attention to the lived body as a support for spontaneous interactions, yet care is required in the on-line domain as there is a tendency towards disinhibition. The author explores how the relational grail of on-line therapy is an inter-embodied experience. This can be supported by the therapist cultivating an embodied presence, accompanied by an intentional disposition to wander with wonder as a way of surrendering to the unknowing of the virtual between. Such an orientation includes the therapist adopting an embodied hermeneutic phenomenological approach in group work that supports the co-creating of meaning between members in this trans-subjective situation.

ПСИХОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ ПОДХОД К ИСПРАВЛЕНИЮ ОСУЖДЕННЫХ СРЕДИ ДРУГИХ НАУЧНЫХ ПОДХОДОВ

The article outlines the main scientific approaches to the correction of convicts in the works of domestic and foreign scientists. The results of solving two research problems are presented. In accordance with the first of them, the analysis of various interpretations of the concept of “correction” in relation to a convicted person for a committed crime, existing within the framework of philosophical, legal, pedagogical and medical approaches, is given. Approaches to the correction of convicts are considered in the development of the views of representatives of these sciences, their distinctive features are shown in the interpretation of factors, causes and conditions affecting the formation and development of qualities and personality traits of the convicted person, which prevent them from committing new crimes. In the course of solving the second task, a characteristic of the psychological approach to the correction of the convict is given. In this regard, the possibilities of using methods of psychoanalysis, behaviorist and humanistic approaches, transactional analysis and gestalt therapy in psychological work on the correction of convicts are analyzed.

Gestalt Therapy as ‘Applied Phenomenology’: Reflections on developments within the phenomenological tradition and how this may inform contemporary Gestalt practice

"Gestalt therapy, defined as an ‘applied phenomenology’, requires us to acknowledge that phenomenology is complex, containing within it different starting points and perspectives that shift and change over time. One’s stance is usually influenced or informed by the philosophical view integrated or introjected through training and practise. Adopting a critical and reflexive attitude towards this, by being knowledgeable of the nuances within the development of phenomenology and in tandem, with Gestalt therapy, opens up a possibility to position oneself as trainee, therapist, teacher or supervisor, from a place that holds a wider perspective of the whole therapy experience. This self-reflexive paper, co-authored by a Gestalt therapist and a philosopher, proposes a position that respects the whole gestalt of the therapeutic situation that therapists themselves form part of, holding too, the potential to move in and out of the therapeutic relationship, facilitating extrinsic and intrinsic ongoing assessment, for an authentic, informed, richer and meaningful experience. Key words phenomenology, Gestalt therapy, Husserl, Heidegger, intersubjectivity, relational, contact, dialogue"

The term ‘atmosphere’ is unhelpful to understand experience, agency, and field processes

"While Gestalt therapy has always drawn on field theory, its origins were largely based on an individualistic paradigm. Since the later relational turn, Gestalt therapy has focussed on relationships between individuals. In this article I start from a recalibrated approach based on a field-centred perspective. Starting from the dictum that contact is the first reality, this article revisits field theory and tries to broaden our understanding of a field’s forces, including affordances (Gibson, 1979, p. 127). Recently, a few practitioners of Gestalt therapy have espoused the term atmosphere, originating from the so-called ‘New’ Phenomenology. This article discusses the shortcomings of that proposal and delineates alternatives for a field-centred approach. Drawing on a session with a client, I point out that the term atmosphere is quite unhelpful for the understanding of transgenerational trauma, or situations in general for that matter. In my view, it is also incompatible with established Gestalt thinking and practice. Key words contact, field theory, atmosphere, transgenerational transmission, Gestalt therapy, New Phenomenology"