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About Gestalt

Gestalt Approach views the person as an organism seeking satisfaction of its needs by means of interacting with the environment. What is crucial here is one’s awareness of one’s own needs and of environmental possibilities, i.e., internal and interpersonal awareness. Throughout the growth process, one gets used to certain kinds of awareness and tends to repeat them over and over until they become fixated, blocking the experience of some other parts of the self which gradually become compartmentalized and disowned. The concept of psychopathology refers to such fragmentation of the self which is limiting, as contact with the environment no more serves the satisfaction of present needs, but only of the archaic, fixated ones. Therapeutic change comes about through the process of enlarging one’s awareness, i.e., by bringing one to an acceptance of oneself, so that one is no more fragmented in opposing parts, but reinstates one’s wholeness. Change occurs from real contact between therapist and client. The therapist actively engages with the client and guides active awareness work.

Gestalt therapy is regarded as a growth oriented therapy. Its methodology is easily applicable to a wide range of client population. Gestalt therapy encourages an anti intellectualism, which is of value in a world ruled by intellectualization. However, some integration giving recognition to the cognitive capacities of human beings is necessary. Gestalt therapy emerged out of work with a population who had gone through a socialization process.

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