What is Gestalt Psychotherapy?
Gestalt Therapists believe that we are made with the ability to deal with whatever problems come our way.
Sometimes however, due usually to childhood experiences, this process can get stuck. Fixed, inflexible ways of managing our problems hinder our capacity to lead creative and satisfying lives.
In therapy, the therapist and the client, work together to find what these fixed patterns are and how they still affect our lives. When we become aware of what these are, there is then the possibility of bringing about change.
Here and Now
There is a sense in which, for us as humans, only the present moment is available to us; the only moment we have in which to relate, experience,become aware and change. Although therapy may involve looking at our past and looking ahead to our future, all of these are experienced in the present.
Owning our experience
How often do we hear others, or ourselves say 'he made me do it' or 'she made me so angry' instead of 'I chose to do it' or, I felt angry at what she said'.
This, all too familiar way of describing our experience is indicative of a powerless way of being in the world; of not owning what is our responsibility.
Gestalt therapy aims to increase the level of a client's self-support to a degree where they may accept personal responsibility for their experience and behaviour.
Gestalt Therapists believe that we are made with the ability to deal with whatever problems come our way.
Sometimes however, due usually to childhood experiences, this process can get stuck. Fixed, inflexible ways of managing our problems hinder our capacity to lead creative and satisfying lives.
In therapy, the therapist and the client, work together to find what these fixed patterns are and how they still affect our lives. When we become aware of what these are, there is then the possibility of bringing about change.
Here and Now
There is a sense in which, for us as humans, only the present moment is available to us; the only moment we have in which to relate, experience,become aware and change. Although therapy may involve looking at our past and looking ahead to our future, all of these are experienced in the present.
Owning our experience
How often do we hear others, or ourselves say 'he made me do it' or 'she made me so angry' instead of 'I chose to do it' or, I felt angry at what she said'.
This, all too familiar way of describing our experience is indicative of a powerless way of being in the world; of not owning what is our responsibility.
Gestalt therapy aims to increase the level of a client's self-support to a degree where they may accept personal responsibility for their experience and behaviour.
