In a discipline as rich as psychotherapy, there are numerous schools of thought, each with its own specific approach. Holistic therapies address the subject of change through a comprehensive vision that places the individual at the center of their environment. To achieve well-being or healing, they emphasize the necessity of considering all aspects of the individual’s life.
Gestalt therapy is one of the best-known and most widely practiced holistic approaches in the world. Born from the unwavering commitment of a psychoanalyst who refused to compromise his principles, Gestalt, as it is sometimes called, relies on simple and playful methods that always aim to reconnect with oneself without ignoring the intricacies of our inherently social lives—an introduction.
The origins of Gestalt therapy
Gestalt therapy is the work of a lifetime dedicated entirely to the quest for a healing method fully aligned with principles of life. The son of a merchant from the Warsaw Ghetto, Fritz Perls earned his medical doctorate and then began his first psychoanalysis during the Second World War. He fled the Holocaust to South Africa, where he became a renowned psychoanalyst and published his first critiques of Freud, already initiating his break with the international psychoanalytic community.
He emigrated to the United States in 1946 and completely changed his lifestyle to conform to his ambitious principles. He renounced material comforts and frequented marginalized circles, where he experimented with the early stages of his method, promoting direct, unvarnished expression. This intellectual rigor long hindered his path to success until an article published in Life magazine in 1968 brought him into the public eye. He was then able to realize his dream and teach his Gestalt therapy on Vancouver Island for two years.
A typical Gestalt therapy session
The variety of techniques and the flexibility of Gestalt therapy make it difficult to describe a session precisely. The therapist acts as an active but non-directive facilitator, seeking to bring forth the individual’s resources and needs. They use various methods to achieve this. Amplification, for example, aims to elicit hidden feelings and emotions so that we can become aware of them and understand their influence on our way of functioning.
To this end, the therapist may suggest the use of monodrama, which provides a means of expression for the different facets of our personality and initiates a fruitful inner dialogue. A playful practice par excellence, Gestalt therapy can also use role-playing to relive an event and integrate it into the individual’s psychological functioning. Finally, direct address is central to the method because it requires the client to speak directly to the person they are referring to, whether that person is present or not.
Gestalt therapy: for whom and why?
Fritz Perls said, “Gestalt therapy is too effective to be reserved only for the sick!” Indeed, the method can be applied to all sorts of issues because it is, first and foremost, a tool for self-knowledge. It allows one to feel good in their body, to reduce stress and its consequences, to resolve latent inner conflicts, or to break free from addictions.
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Gestalt therapy is also a powerful tool for resolving collective problems. Its fundamental principle of linking the individual and their environment makes it perfectly suited to the corporate world, helping to ease conflicts and promote dialogue while respecting all parties involved. It can also provide a space for expression for families who have reached a communication breakdown. Generally speaking, Gestalt therapy primarily aims to empower individuals to take ownership of their lives and rediscover the joy of connecting with others on a daily basis.
