Gestalt Therapy

“Moving stationary dots”…

Gestalt therapy originally evolved as a humanistic and dialogic alternative to reductionist psychological methods in the early 1900’s. Many people have heard of Fritz Perls, however before Perls(Laura and Fritz), a man called Max Wertheimer is credited with some of the beginnings of this particular theory of being and relating to self and others. The story goes that Wertheimer experimented with showing a series of dots on separate pieces of paper to an observer. The observer would “see” one dot moving in a circular pattern- perceiving a sense of movement and the shape of a circle. The person conducting the experiment could see that separate pieces of paper, each containing a different dot, were being interchanged rapidly, as in an an old animation. Each person- the observer and the person conducting the experiment, had a different experience of what was happening based on their position, their own beliefs forming in regard to the quality and behaviour of the paper and the dots based on their particular viewpoint. Each had a truth that was theirs, and not necessarily shared by the other. This experiment in visual perception had implications for work in a psychological realm.

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”…

To look at this in detail we need to understand that in Gestalt theory everything is not separate- that all things exist and act as part of a greater “whole”. Gestalt theory is often quoted in saying that “the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts”. Gestalt sees the world as systems of interconnected systems. If we were to look at what is interconnected from the visual experiment- we would need to have the mechanical/biological aspects of the eye functioning, as well as the neural circuitry to interpret and process the image as it presents first on our retina, is inverted and then processed in our occipital cortex. Then it is compared with other familiar objects- linked into the left perisylvian network for language where it is given story from memory and experience in order to begin to be made sense of. But before it is taken in through the eye, the object must have light reflect from it- each of the substrates of the piece of paper and the marker used to make the dot has a different capacity to absorb or reflect light. The timing must be right for the dots to be placed on the paper before it is viewed. The planning and intention for the conductor of the experiment began well before the experiment and a series of ideas, imaginings, creative plans, physical preparation, social interactions all took place to make the moment of the experiment happen. All of these capacities and functions and events (and countless more), coalesced into the moment where both the “experimenter” and “experimentee”, experienced the same series of events differently.

Each of the two people involved have their own perception of what happened- Gestalt therapy would label this as their own “phenomenology”, or individual beliefs and understandings and experiences of the world. To understand each persons truth, it may be important to discuss elements of the set up of the experiment, or exactly where and when each persons experience happened. The Gestalt therapist is not interested so much in which experience was the truth- but more about the process each individual follows to decide what is truth- their own truth. Even though one may assume that the person changing over the pieces of paper has the “correct” version of the truth- how does he know that in fact his perception is not the result of another separate version of similar events to those he is creating?

The urge to complete…

Another important piece of how theory applies to this experiment is that Gestaltists believe that people have an “urge to complete”. This applies to experiences and concepts, and gives some context as to why the viewer of the moving dots may have made the assumption that it was making the shape of a circle. In an attempt to create safety for ourselves, understanding what is happening provides context for survival in the most basic sense. When we eat food, we need to know what is healthy, and what is poisonous- we see patterns in the world and these help us to predict what comes next- and so we learn from very early on many shortcuts and fixed beliefs about the way that the world is. There are some experiences however, that we are unable to understand in a neat, concise manner- things that frighten us, energise us or excite us to the point of overwhelm are some examples.

Figure and ground…

Gestalt therapists will often talk of a “Figure” that becomes present while working with a client. In Gestalt Therapy, a figure is something that is relevant with a sense of aliveness to it that emerges from the background, or “ground” of a persons life and experience. In the experiment, the “figure” that became present for the observer was that of a circle- or a dot moving in a circular pattern. This figure became present in combination with all of the previously mentioned capacities and conditions (the fertile “ground”), and the clients urge to complete(the impetus that brings the figure to life). In therapy, this may take the “figure” of an emotion, a traumatic experience, or a difficult situation a person is trying to manage. Gestalt views each figure as important that arises in therapy, believing that given the right conditions, a persons urge to complete a past experience will bring into the present moment a figure that needs to be understood so that it can be “grounded”, and fade, completed into the background and context of a persons life.

Gestalt cycle of awareness…

There are many ways in which this may occur in therapy. The Gestalt “cycle of awareness”, suggests that a figure will come into our awareness first as a sensation, then as an awareness or concept. Next comes mobilisation of energy or committment to changing, then action/movement. We then come into contact with our experience and explore a change of boundaries. If experienced fully and assimilated, we then withdraw or assess the experience. At any of these points on the cycle of awareness, an “interruption to contact” may occur. This is something that a person does to move away from completion of the experience- usually unconsciously and for a learned reason that was once very important. All learned behaviours in this way are called “creative adjustments” in Gestalt therapy. They have been practiced for a long time in order to keep us as safe as possible, and are usually learned from survival instincts in environments early in life. It may be too painful to continue trying to process the memory, the person may be too judgmental of themselves to share something more personal, or they may be ashamed and therefore sheepishly grin or giggle. Gestalt therapy aims to bring awareness to these comings and goings from contact with our own experiences- without judgment, in order to allow potential for people to be more informed about their choices and resources or supports that are available to them in the present, rather than what was not available and has become automatic from a potentially old and worn out script.

The more I allow myself to be me, the more I change…

Change through Gestalt therapy happens in an interesting way. Usually people come to therapy wanting change. Gestalt supports people to see and understand more of who they are, how they came to be this way, and offers experiments to taste new experiences and choices about how to be and act. People will often learn to accept those things about themselves that they want to change, showing them understanding and compassion. After being accepted, the behaviours do inevitably change, due to completion of experience, resulting in allowing of new ways to be in the world. Gestalt calls this “the paradoxical theory of change”.

There are many paradoxes in gestalt therapy, as in life. Gestalt needs to work with what is immediately present, however may need past stories told in the present as context for sharpening a figure that is seeking completion and grounding. Paradoxes are often defined as two polarities existing at the same time- each as important as the other. We often want to simplify things- and this can lead to lack of awareness of parts of ourselves that are driving certain elements of our choices and behaviour. An example of a polarity is complete certainty on one end of a spectrum, and complete spontaneity on the other. Often people want more certainty in their life to feel safe, however when there is too much certainty, they feel stagnant or trapped- and want freedom and excitement. Understanding that we need both, not one or the other, attempts to bring cohesion to our sense of self- and gives more agency in adapting to different life situations. In this way, gestalt therapy is not only for the sick- it is for anyone wanting to understand, deepen and live authentically a more resonant and meaningful life.

In Therapy…

So, a Gestalt therapy session may look something like this… the client and therapist begin to identify what is most present- a “figure” emerges from the “ground” of the persons life that needs completion. This may be something like discomfort or sadness, or awkwardness with the therapist. The Therapist will attempt to support the client to sharpen their awareness of this figure. Usually it will emerge at some point through the cycle of awareness as an interruption to contact with experience for the client. The client may want to share their grief, however every time they mention sadness, they smile. This may not match with the story they are telling and so be a cause of curiosity to learn more about. The client and therapist will then participate in experiments to try and understand this process in more detail- and perhaps to understand different available supports that may resource the client to engage with this issue differently. The therapist may ask the client to experiment with slowing down- bringing their attention to where the feeling that results in a smile comes from- what it may be supporting- perhaps a deflection from pain that the client imagines is too big to process. They may explore bringing attention to sensations, thoughts, memories-perhaps experimenting with breathing, body position or verbalising different statements. During the session the client will experience different ways of being with their area of issue, as well as different ways of behaving with their therapist, that they may not have the confidence to explore in their everyday life. If it is the case that the smile is a deflection, then the behaviour may be supported, understood as protective for the client and held with compassion. The client will then hopefully become more aware that they do this behaviour, often when trying not to feel a painful emotion. The next time it happens, they may have a different choice if they are aware of why and how they are doing their behaviours. They may allow more space for themselves to feel some of their sadness, as much as may be processed gently until they need to smile again, and move away if it gets too much. Through continuing to mindfully explore with who they are, what they do, and the potential meaning behind why they are behaving a particular way, they will complete unfinished experiences more and more, and change, heal and grow over time.

A note on experiments and the “empty chair”…

Gestalt has been famous over time for some of its techniques and experiments- “The empty chair technique”, in which a client speaks their projections into an empty chair, and then swaps chairs and becomes the projection to simulate a discussion between parts of themselves in order to increase their awareness of their different parts, is not in itself gestalt therapy. There are debates as to which particular type of therapy came up with this technique, however I do not believe it is relevant. Often people will believe they are “doing gestalt” while trying to facilitate this set of behaviours. This is not always the case, and is a rather superficial understanding of the therapy. It is only an example of one possible experiment that may be done in the context of gestalt if suitable and appropriate and enlivening of the content of therapy. Any experiment in gestalt therapy aims to bring the client into contact with new information that was previously not within their conscious awareness- and is always underpinned by the principles of presence, curiosity, contact and support. The discernment, tracking, capacity to lead or follow, to allow space or direct the client back to a place of ground, is part of the responsibility, skill and art of the Therapist. This is crucial at all points within any experiment for concise and targeted therapy with people in often sensitive and vulnerable places within themselves and their experience. In this way, Gestalt therapy continues to be relevant and applicable to the moment, and change becomes possible for the client.

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Thank you for reading.

Warmly,

Dylan.