Fritz Perls’ phrases remain inspiring to this day. Fritz Perls, his wife Laura Perls and sociologist Paul Goodman were the creators of Gestalt Therapy and have always encouraged humans, through a creative approach, to value sensations, emotions and mindfulness, in order to achieve well-being in different areas of life. our lives.
It can be said that since Fritz Perls established his therapeutic model in the 1950s through his Gestalt Institute of Therapy in New York, this approach has only evolved and imposed itself much more strongly. We are certainly looking at a psychological model of integration capable of helping many people focus on their thoughts, feelings and behaviors in order to promote proper self-awareness and increase their prospects to initiate change. more positive in his life.
- In this way.
- Those who practice Gestalt on a daily basis define this therapeutic model as something very intense.
- Spontaneous and creative.
- The person is able to build greater self-confidence to face daily problems effectively and successfully.
- Reaching its maximum potential.
On the other hand, it is important to note that Gestalt psychology should not be confused with Gestalt therapy, they are not exactly the same. Gestalt therapy refers, in psychology, to a psychotherapeutic line, a way of working clinically. The psychology of Gestalt is one of the aspects of psychology that has emerged to study, in particular, perception problems, and from there, develop theories about Gestalt Psychology emerged as a psychological movement in the early twentieth century thanks to theorists such as Kurt Lewin, Max Wertheimer and Kurt Koffka. Its purpose was to establish another approach in response to the structuralism “elementarism” that conceives the human being as a whole.
In turn, Gestalt therapy has its roots in humanist psychology and seeks, above all, to help people from the present moment, showing them the range of possibilities they have around them, in the same way Fritz Perls has managed to make his therapeutic address a true philosophy of life, where people can improve the quality of their relationships , their education, and even offer new tools to companies to invest in the potential of their employees.
Gestalt Prayer
“I am me. You’re you.
I’m responsible for my life and you’re responsible for yours.
I’m not from this world to meet your expectations
or you to get mine.
If our paths cross it will be wonderful, but if not, we’ll have to keep going
move forward separately
Because I will not love myself, if to satisfy you you need to betray me,
I don’t love you either if I want you to be the way I want you to be, instead of accepting you as you are.
Is it you and I’m me?
-Fritz Perls-
Many comment that Fritz Perls’ phrases are like brilliant traits of human knowledge, theoretical essences that promote our awakening, no matter if we have an affinity with Gestalt therapy or not, is it still worth considering books like Dreams and Existences?Or? The practical approach to Gestalt therapy? They’re part of the history of psychology. Therefore, it is very interesting to delve into it to think, to acquire new learnings.
Now let’s look at some examples of these principles through Fritz Perls’ best phrases.
1. Everything flows when we feel a mental well-being
When we find this subtle balance point in our existence, we stop seeing obstacles to seeing new paths, we feel free and our lives go smoothly. Gestalt therapy transcends the boundaries of the shared space between the therapist and the patient to give us a new perspective on life.
Fritz Perls has placed Gestalt therapy in this existential dimension, where any positive, receptive and committed attitude allows us to move forward, move towards our goals.
2. Be in it here and now? It is to unite our attention and our conscience.
This is one of Fritz Perls’ best-known phrases. This is one of the most relevant concepts of Gestalt therapy:?Perceive “consciousness”. It is an awakening, where attention and consciousness come together in the present moment to promote our personal growth.
3. The body knows everything. We know very little about it. Intuition is the intelligence of the body.
Human beings are the result of the union between the body, the conscious mind and its interaction with the environment. However, we spend most of our lives “disconnected”, asleep, without being able to establish this union. Thus, anyone who does not trust the signs offered by his senses, his heart or his intuitions, will not come to this wisdom that Fritz Perls is talking about.
4. The therapist is constantly looking for ways to stay in touch with her?Cause? Of the successes that occur in the present.
When the therapist asks the patient how he or she feels, it is very common for him to answer: “evil,” “confused,” “angry. “One of the objectives of the specialist is to find the cause of this current feeling, clarify emotions, always encourage first-person communication and focus on the present.
5. Knowing what is blocking a vital situation is everyone’s job
6. No’m not in this world to meet the expectations of others, nor do I think the world should respond to mine.
Integrity, self-confidence, safety and thoughtful awareness: these dimensions are the pillars that underpin Gestalt therapy and one of Frizt Perls’ most popular expressions.
7. Growing up means taking responsibility for your life
This is another of Fritz Perls’ very representative phrases for a very fundamental reason: Gestalt therapy disconnected his goal of psychoanalysis, focusing all his attention on the present and not on the facts of the past or childhood, where the person was not yet. able to feel responsible for events.
Personal responsibility is in the present moment and to take this step means to mature, it is to give yourself the opportunity to enjoy one’s company and regain solitude.
8. Learn that anything is possible
Moving forward, growing to develop proper self-awareness means reaching our full potential as human beings.
9. Our dependence makes us slaves, especially if this dependence depends on our own self-esteem. If you need encouragement, compliments and slapping on everyone’s shoulder, then you accept everyone as your judge.
10. La person who controls the most is the one who can cede control
Sometimes we develop a self-control so exaggerated that all we can do is eliminate our real needs. An example of this is when? Swallow our sorrows, our disappointments and the frustration others impose on us.
None of these behaviors are healthy. However, in Gestalt therapy, healthier control is what the person exercises knowing very well how to react at all times, how to control their anger to relieve their outrage or irritation intelligently and constructively.
11. Waiting for the world to treat you well because you are a good person is like waiting for a bull not to attack you for being a vegetarian.
The ultimate responsibility to take care of you, respect you and value you for who you are, is not there: it is not your companions, society or your family, it is actually you who must love and care for you. ; not understanding this is an inexhaustible source of suffering.
12. Dude, don’t be a perfectionist. Perfectionism is a curse
Perfectionism is not good for our emotional health. It has a lot to do with that need for self-control that we talked about before and that sometimes leads us to build very high expectations.
13. Es s very rare for people to talk and listen, but not many people listen without speaking.
All Gestalt psychotherapists are looking for something fundamental during therapy: bringing out all the emotional processes that people hide under their distorted behaviors, habits, fears and concentration.
To calm and focus the distorted mind, the professional invites the patient to listen, to become aware of what it is at the present moment, then he can express his emotions aloud knowing that the therapist is there, listening carefully.
Fritz Perls himself said that something as simple as listening, communicating and being heard in silence is a dynamic that we have lost in our society, we lose the ability to listen to each other and to others.
14. La anxiety is an emotion that won’t let us breathe
Life generates uncertainties, anxieties and fears that overwhelm us because we are afraid of the future, because emotions “swallow” us, we do not understand its magnitude and let them imprison us until we are left breathless.
If we want to move forward without weight, without limits and without fears, Gestalt therapy offers first and foremost being able to understand our emotions, knowing what is happening in the present moment will help us calm anxiety.
15. Be yourself, express yourself freely and without fear. After all, who really loves you won’t care what you say or do.
Unconditional acceptance and self-honesty are the two most important roots of Gestalt therapy, who does not accept who we are or what we express does not appreciate us and disagrees with our essences.
16. Don’t you think so much? Feeling!
“Everything goes if it makes you feel. ” This expression by Fritz Perls already gives us a relevant clue as to how this humanist-existent therapist understood life. Feeling is what gives us life, so instead of worrying too much, we should give ourselves permission to feel much more, whether these positive or negative emotions, allowing them to come is also a way of understanding them.
17. La pain wake us up? Pain is something to use, like an object. You feel your strength during the pain experience. It all depends on how you behave in front of him.
18. We must learn to accept the truth, even if it can harm our pride
Truth is part of the ‘consciousness’, of that complex skill with which we learn to ‘perceive’, this leads to an inner awakening that makes explicit what is implied or assumes a truth even if it hurts because, with it, we will facilitate our progress, our growth and our well-being.
19. Nothing makes sense out of context. There is no meaning.
Meaning does not exist as an isolated entity, without being linked to something that gives it meaning, people need to understand that no one feels fear, anger or happiness, because yes, our emotions always start from a particular context, from a particular situation.
20. We live with such a small percentage of our potential because we are not willing to accept ourselves.
The development of human potential is one of the main objectives of Gestalt therapy, according to Fritz Perls.
21. Ne’t we allow ourselves? Or don’t they let us? To be entirely ourselves.
It is another of Fritz Perls’ phrases that best sums up his legacy, accepting ourselves is undoubtedly the first step towards our well-being, therefore we must not attribute responsibility for this discomfort to those around us, we must open our eyes, awaken. our personal responsibility, understanding who we are and what we want.
22. Si someone refuses to remember their dreams, which really manages to deny their own existence.
Our goals, goals and longings are part of who we are, giving up all this means defragmenting this whole, breaking this luminous unity of our being that we cannot deny or abandon.
23. Change is an opportunity
Few things frighten us as much as changes, uncertainties and changes in our destiny. We must know how to move, move forward on our paths, detect opportunities for improvement.
24. A truly complete person must have good advice and ability to act.
25. Everyone has a responsibility to take their lives wherever they want.
Fritz Perls has given us a very practical perspective on humanism, where each individual has a responsibility to orient his life towards his own ends.
26. We cannot escape the anxieties and discomforts of the present
Gestalt therapy concentrates all your interest in the present moment, in the here and now, so the first step is to learn to face the concerns that afflict us in the present moment.
27. The past def diverts our present.
The past, this essential dimension of psychoanalysis, loses its significance in Gestalt therapy to move it to the present moment, where everything happens and where our best chance is to find solutions and cure ourselves.
28. Much of what it means to improve our lives is related to knowing how to prioritize.
This is another aspect that we often overlook every day: our priorities. Knowing what is important, what we need to clarify, and what we should not leave on the “unresolved” plateau is vital to our well-being.
29. Loneliness is actually the place where one can connect with the sense of belonging to the human species.
He who fears loneliness is afraid to find himself, with his essence, with his needs and thoughts, few things strengthen us as much as the search for those private spaces to connect with our inner voice.
30. Rediscovering emotions and learning to accept them is something that heals.
All our emotions have an adaptive purpose in Gestalt therapy, learning to recognize and understand them is fundamental to the therapeutic process itself.
31. Distractions are also part of the vital path
For Fritz Perls,? Distracting is not losing attention span, in fact it is something as basic as feeling, resting, sinking, letting yourself be carried away by calm, leisure and all the pleasant places that favor our well-being.
32. Trying is like lying. When we say we’re going to try, it means we have no intention of doing it. If you really intend to do something, say, “I’m going to do it. ” and if not, say “I won’t. “We need to speak clearly to think and act clearly.
33. Il there is great potential in people, but knowing how to detect it also requires talent.
We all have a lot of potential, however, we don’t always know how to detect, perceive or harness it, so for Fritz Perls, the real talent lies in learning to awaken latent skills.
34. La fear of death means fear of life
Living in fear prevents us from living fully, and this is undoubtedly the real goal of Gestalt therapy: to make us happy the way we choose.
35. Let the best life plan come in you.
Only we have a responsibility to plan our lives, to be aware of your ideals, your dreams, your values?From these beautiful roots, without a doubt, the best flowers are born, those that must be taken care of and cared for daily.
All these phrases by Fritz Perls are fragments of an awake and sensitive mind, a key figure in the history of psychology that has offered us new therapeutic tools to promote the personal development of the human being, it is in our hands to follow the principles of his heritage that best suits our needs to find new paths to happiness.