Gestalt Therapy Flashcards
what does gestalt therapy believe about change?
change happens through awareness
holism?
whole/completion of the form cannot be broken into parts without losing its essence
what are people in gestalt therapy doing?
always in process of becoming and rediscovering themselves
phenomenological thinking?
Focus is on client’s perceptions of reality
what is gestalt therapy based on?
- Process based – Focus is not on content (how clients behave in the present is far more important than why they behave as they do)
- Quality of contact with the external world (e.g., other people) and internal world (e.g., disowned parts) are monitored
what is the paradoxial theory of change?
To “be” as fully as possible, rather than becoming what we “should be.”
- the more you try to be something you’re not, the more you’ll stay right where you are
change is a side effect of?
organismic growth
change happens when?
we make full contact
what is full contact?
Contact is made through the senses (e.g., seeing, touching, hearing). Effective contact involves interacting with others and nature without losing one’s individuality. Contact is the lifeblood of growth. Need for clear boundaries: to connect and separate.
what is your figure?
experiences are salient
- “i love my father” (even if not true)
what is your ground?
experiences that are out of our awareness (background)
- “i love my father” followed by fist clench
cues of what’s in the ground?
physical gestures, tone of voice, demeanor, other nonverbal
what is a gestalt therapist interested in?
the whole person – thoughts, feelings, behaviors, body, memories, and dreams are all tended to equally
what is field theory?
need to understand clients within their environment- always changing
what is the figure formation process?
The background can become the figure and the figure can become the background at any given moment
what is organismic self regulation?
equilibrium is disturbed by the emergence of a need, a sensation, or interest from the background. Can take actions to restore equilibrium or make contacts that promote growth and change
what is the now (phenomenological inquiry)?
Pay attention to what is happening now to make contact with the present moment. Focusing on the past (dead) or future (fantasy) is a way to avoid the present. Do not ask “why,” ask “what” and “how.” Focus on what’s happening now.
what is unfinished business?
Lack of resolution of past feelings will result in resentment, rage, hatred, pain, anxiety, grief, guilt, and abandonment; these feelings that not fully experienced in awareness linger in the background and interfere with effective contact with oneself and others and leads to: preoccupation, compulsive behavior, wariness, and self-defeating behavior
what is impasse?
Feeling stuck because the customary way of doing things does not work
what is resistance to contact?
Refusal to experience the present in a full and real way, which results in dysfunctional behavior if it’s chronic
what are boundary disturbances?
o Introjection: Uncritically accept others’ beliefs and standards
o Projection: Seeing in others qualities that we refuse to acknowledge in ourselves
o Retroflection: Doing to ourselves what we would like to do others or doing for
ourselves what we would like someone else to do for us
o Deflection: Distraction or veering off from topic (e.g., humor, abstractions,
questions)
o Confluence: Blur differentiation between self and environment (not rock the boat) because of a high need for being accepted. Symptoms: absence of conflict, slowness to anger, and believe that everyone experiences the same feelings and thoughts
what are interruptions in contact?
Employ boundary disturbances to control environment
therapeutic goals?
- Assist clients to attain greater awareness and with it, greater choice
- Awareness includes knowing the environment, knowing oneself, accepting oneself, and making contact
- Being aware allows for unfinished business to surface
- Awareness = contact = integration of disowned parts
- Identity is not static, we are constantly discovering parts of ourselves as we face new challenges
internal dialogue exercise?
“top dog” v. “under dog”
- top dog: critical parent, manipulates w threats
- under dog: manipulates by playing powerless victim
empty chair technique?
extra chair in session for figure associated w traumatic experience, have convo w them as if they were there
