Gestalt therapy is part of so-called humanist therapies, with influences from psychoanalysis and Eastern philosophy. Like other humanistic therapies, his or her way of doing psychotherapy focuses not on the disease, but on generating health based on a person’s potential.
“Is Gestalt therapy not a set of techniques, but the transmission of an attitude, of a way of being in life?
? Claudio Naranjo?
Authors such as psychiatrist Fritzs Perls, psychologist Laura Perls and sociologist Paul Goodman were the main creators of this humanist psychotherapy, Gestalt therapy.
Over time, Gestalt therapy has been divided into two trends: that created by Laura Perls; focused on a more theoretical process, and that created by Fritzs Perls, focused on the experience process of personal development itself.
In the latter stands out the figure of the psychiatrist Claudio Naranjo, evident successor of Fritz Perls, dedicated to the development of Gestalt therapy more extensively, has become a world reference, as well as pioneer of transpersonal psychology, also known for integrating psychotherapy and spirituality.
“Therapy is too beneficial to be limited to patients. “
? Erving and Miriam Polster?
? Here and now: Gestalt therapy focuses on “the here and now,” the present moment. All that happens is now, as the past is no longer and the future is not yet.
The here (spatial) and the now (temporary) are basic concepts of Eastern philosophy, which for Gestalt therapy mean in turn maturation and growth, so that the individual takes responsibility for himself.
? Attention and acceptance of experience: Paying attention to experience has a deep relationship with the present moment. Acceptance of the experience can only be done with awareness of what is experienced.
The attention, for Gestalt therapy, is to take care of yourself, to identify the emotions and feelings that occur in a certain situation, so as not to escape what you have experienced.
If there is fear, anger, joy or rejection, the first step is to perceive them (another key concept of Gestalt therapy), so that there can be an acceptance to live what is happening at that particular time.
When this does not happen, something is repressed and that emotion or feeling is blocked, causing great discomfort; psychosomatically occurring (the body is affected by an original psychic process).
? Responsibility: Responsibility for Gestalt therapy is critical. We constantly seek to ensure that the person in a process of personal development takes responsibility for what he does, what he feels and what he lives, so as not to blame others or the environment for what happens to everyone.
Once the individual is able to take responsibility for himself, he in turn becomes able to change and take charge of his life spontaneously, mobilizing all the resources he has to face his situation.
“To be responsible is to be there, to be here. And to be really present is to be aware. In turn, being aware is a condition incompatible with the illusion of irresponsibility for which we avoid living our lives.
? Claudio Naranjo?
These are the essential concepts of Gestalt psychotherapy, proposed by Claudio Naranjo:
1? To live now, that is, to worry about the present rather than the past or the future. 2? Living here, that is, reporting more to the present than to the absentee. Stop imagining: live the real thing. Forget unnecessary thoughts; feel and look. 5?Would you rather express than manipulate, explain, justify, or judge. 6? Give yourself to sorrow, pain and pleasure; don’t restrict your own alert. 7?Wouldn’t you have beyond yours?8? Take full responsibility for your actions, feelings and thoughts?9? Accept yourself as you are.
In these concepts lies the essence of Gestalt therapy, generating a broad and profound process of personal development.
Geststaltic therapists see their patient as the person who possesses a repertoire of potentialities, enough to allow him to overcome any adversity, and also enough to allow him to explore his own happiness.
Consider that your patient is a capable and complete individual, who can do difficult things without you doing them for him, who can cope with pain and that he will not break it, that he can take the wrong path and learn from his own mistakes. Respect your resilience, respect your self-management of discomfort, respect your healthy and adaptive part, your resources and your human potential.
? Fritz Perls 1974?
Bibliography consulted: Peaarrubia, F. (1998). Gestalt Therapy: The fertile way of life. Alliance Editorial.