Gestalt is a model of psychotherapy developed by Fritz Perls and others in the 1950’s. It is part of the Humanistic movement of therapies which started as a move away from psychoanalysis. The original intention was to move away from what was seen as the pathologising of mental health. They were looking for a model that considered the person rather than a medical type diagnosis.
Gestalt work emphasises the following:
- · Holism: The whole person is considered in the work. Mind, body and spirit as well as the broader context of the client’s life, and their individual history.
- · Here and Now: While the past is important, life is about the present. Gestalt work emphasises what happens in the present moment and what this might mean for the client. Exploring the Now is a very powerful way of learning.
- · Awareness: Some Gestalt writers have said that this is the only goal of Gestalt work. There are aspects of ourselves that we are not aware of. We have had to develop survival strategies in our early lives that may suppress aspects of who we are. Gestalt aims to make the client aware of some of these aspects so we can be more of who we are and so lead a more fulfilled life.
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