Gestalt Therapy

Theory Overview

Founder and developer of Gestalt Therapy, Fritz Perls MD, PhD, was born in 1893 to a Jewish family and passed away in 1970. Perls became inspired to start Gestalt therapy after his experiences with soldiers in World War I that were dealing with side effects due to being gassed. With the help of his wife, Laura Posner Perls, PhD, a strong foundation for Gestalt therapy was created. They wanted a therapy that stressed the importance of humans as a whole rather than as a sum of discretely functioning parts (Corey, 2013, p.193).

Gestalt Therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that focuses on the client’s level of awareness in connection to the world, others in their world and past experiences. Powered by several main principals, Gestalt Therapy helps the client realize that they are connected to the world. They possess a relationship with everything around them and with so many factors; humans will never truly understand who they are. The therapy also emphasizes the experience of the present moment. Both principals provide the client with a new perspective on getting through their issues and learning how to maximize their potential. The therapy also uses principals of holism, field theory, the figure-formation process, and organismic self-regulation. (Corey, 2013, p.196).

Holism deals with the client in their entirety. It looks at the client’s thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and dreams. Field theory looks at the client in their environment. The figure-formation process looks at how the client arranges their experiences. The organismic self-regulation helps clients identify resources that can help them grow and change, to restore their equilibrium.

Gestalt therapy takes a here and now approach. According to Erving an...

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...as a whole. Although the divorce is still going to happen, the therapy would help Monica conduct herself in a manner that respects everyone affected by the divorce. The therapy would help everyone see each other’s sides and how their behaviors are appearing to one another.

Works Cited

Corey, G. (2013). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. (9ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole CENGAGAE Learning.

Fagan, J. & Shepherd, I. (1970). Gestalt Therapy Now. New York: Harper & Rom

Polster, E., & Polster, M. (2010). From the radical center: The heart of Gestalt therapy. Gestalt Review, 14(1), 8-23.

Tillett, R. (1984). Gestalt-Therapy in Theory and in Practice. British Journal of Psychiatry, 231-235

Zinker, J. C. (2009). Gestalt therapy is permission to be creative: A sermon in praise of the use of experiment in Gestalt therapy. Gestalt Review, 13(2), 123-124.