Gestalt Therapy Practice: Theory and Experiential Learning

Cover
Half Title
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Preface to the English edition
Introduction
Part 1 The basis of gestalt therapy
	1 Gestalt psychology and field theory
		The roots of the term ‘gestalt’
		A historical retrospect
			The discovery of the phi phenomenon (motion illusion)
		Perception of gestalts
			The law of prägnanz
			The principle of figure-ground
			The ‘aha’ experience and problem-solving learning
			Summary of gestalt psychology and perception
		Field theory
			The organism and its environment
			The field
			The principle of the interdependence of field forces
			Here and now in the field
			The importance of needs for regulation in the field
			The Zeigarnik effect
		Field theory summarised
	2 Phenomenology and existentialism
		From phenomenology
			A historical retrospect
			Exploring phenomena
		From existential phenomenology
			The body’s sensation of the other
			Meeting the other
		From French existentialism
			The fundamental values of gestalt therapy
			Fundamental values in practice
			Finality
			Solitude
			Responsibility
			Imperfection
		Some last thoughts
	3 The founders of gestalt therapy
		Personal and professional development
			Influences from contemporary currents
			Ideas from contemporary theory and philosophy
		Interlude in South Africa
		To the United States
			Gestalt therapy is born
			Gestalt therapy in development: the pros and cons
		A new day, a new paradigm
			Gestalt therapy training and research
			Gestalt therapy today
		Summary
Part 2 Fundamental terminology and concepts
	4 The field in practice
		The therapist as co-creator in the field
		The therapist contributes to the organisation of the field
		Here and now
		Defining the field
		Summary of key elements of the field in practice
		The field in practice summarised
	5 The theory of change
		Spontaneous insight
		Paradoxical change
			Seeing things as they are
			Fritz Perls’ understanding of paradoxical change and impasse
			To accept what is: suffering, pain, and resistance
		Finding one’s footing
		Supporting clients in therapy
		Summary
	6 Creative adjustment
		The theory of creative adjustment
			Creative adjustment and the law of prägnanz
			Self-regulation
			Is all adjustment creative and ‘the best we can do’?
			Unfinished business
			There and then, here and now
		Creative adjustment and traumatic events
		Creative adjustment in the therapy room
		Summary
	7 The theory of self in gestalt therapy
		The theory of self
			Aspects of self: id, ego, and personality
			Three functions of self: impulse, personality, and I-function
		Creating and being shaped by the situation—together
			Self and creative adjustment
		Conflicting needs in the situation
		The theory of self in clinical practice
			Choosing who I am in the therapy room
			When the I-function is lacking
			Working with the personality function
			When impulse control is lacking
		Summary
	8 Awareness
		To be aware
		From awareness to consciousness: the awareness–consciousness continuum
			History of the term ‘awareness’
			Words and concepts with different or overlapping meanings
		Being aware and attentive in the therapy room
			When awareness becomes conscious thought
			Practicing awareness and attention
		Awareness zones
			The outer zone
			The inner zone
			The middle zone
			The three zones in practice
			From the middle zone to the outer zone and back to the middle zone
			From the middle zone to the inner zone
			Exploring activity in the middle zone
		Summary
		Examples of awareness questions related to the zones
	9 Contact
		Contact in gestalt therapy
			Contact as an interpersonal phenomenon
			Contact with oneself
			Contact in the therapy room
		Contact functions
			Sensations and interpretations
			Working with contact functions in couples’ therapy
			Working with contacts functions in therapy
		Summary
	10 Polarities
		Polarities and needs in the field
			The desire–fear model
			Polarities and conflicting needs
		Discovering opposite polarities
		Developing flexible polarities
			Discovering oneself in the other
		Topdog–underdog
			Topdog–underdog in therapy
		Polarities and existential themes in therapy
		Summary
	11 Experiments
		The experiment’s place in therapy
		Phases in experimentation
			Action research
		Grading experiments
		Various forms of experiments
			Classical awareness experiments
			Role-playing
			Chair work
			Imagination and visualisation
			Metaphor
			Dream work
			Creative aids
			Movement and bodily expression in therapy
		Summary
Part 3 Contact forms
	Form and creative adjustment
	Contact forms and their polarities
	12 Confluence
		Flowing together
			Confluence and empathy
			Polarities to ‘flowing together’
			To resist or flow together
			To flow with one’s own thoughts and feelings
		Confluence in therapy
			To flow along with in therapy
			Feeling helpless as a therapist
			To confront with the heart
			Differentiation through movement
		Summary
	13 Introjection
		Integrating feedback
			Swallowing, spitting out, or processing
			Giving and receiving expectations: a field phenomenon
			The gestalt therapist and introjection
		Introjection in the therapy room
			Introjection, body movement, and anger
			Exploring choices
			Expectations in the coaching room
			Expectations and creativity
			Introjection and learning
		Summary
	14 Projection
		Definition of projection
			From us to you and me
		Projection and its opposing polarity
		Exploring projection in therapy
			Projection and introjection
			Seeing things as they are
			Projection and seeing what is
			The projection chair
		Projection as a creative method
			‘Playing the client’ in supervision
			Visualisation
		Summary
	15 Retroflection
		Inner conversations turned outwards
			Retroflection—introjection and projection
			Coming out and holding back
			The inner critic
		Retroflection’s opposing polarity
			The contact between us
			Doing to oneself rather than to the other
		Working with retroflection in the therapy room
			Working with bodily reactions in the therapy room
			Withheld emotions
			Exploring retroflection and projection
		Guilt and shame
			When retroflection is lacking
			A lack of knowledge—a lack of awareness
			Unrealistic beliefs about oneself
		Summary
	16 Self-monitoring
		Self-monitoring and contact with the outside world
			Self-monitoring, egotism, and egoism
		Self-monitoring and other forms of contact
			Being in one’s own bubble
		Self-monitoring’s opposing polarity
		Self-monitoring and therapy
			Talking more with oneself than with the therapist
			Self-monitoring as a contact form in supervision
		Summary
	17 Deflection
		Definition of deflection
		Deflection and its opposing polarity
			Deflection and focusing alone or together
		Working with deflection in therapy
			Being sent to therapy
			Using ‘you’ instead of ‘I’
			Deflection and bodily unrest
			Turning away instead of standing firm
		Summary
Part 4 Process models
	Many diverse needs to be met
	Process and change
	Three process models
	Adapting to the environment
	18 The process of contact
		Phases in a contact process
			An example of a contact process
			Contacting phase
			Final-contact
			Post-contact
			Transitions between phases
		Contact processes in the therapy room
			The contact process described as circle, spiral, or sequences
			Silence in a therapy group
		Creative adjustment
		Summary
	19 The process of experience
		Phases in the process of experience
			Sensation
			Awareness
			Mobilisation
			Action
			Contact
			Withdrawal
		Challenges in the various phases
			From the therapy room: becoming aware of the body
			Challenges in mobilisation
			The action phase
			Contact and challenges in the withdrawal phase
			Reduction of excitement, withdrawal, and rest
			Completion and unfinished situations
			The experience process: a model of waves, arcs, or sequences?
		Summary
	20 The process of change
		First phase: stagnation
			Exploration here and now
			Different needs and conditions during the stagnation phase
			The transition to the polarisation phase
			Theme and underlying needs
		Second phase: polarisation
			The transition to the diffusion phase
		Third phase: diffusion
			The transition to the contraction phase
		Fourth phase: contraction
		Fifth phase: expansion
			Change and time
		The therapist’s role and function
		When the process of change is too demanding
		Summary
Index