Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy is famous for the great multitude and variety of techniques — some of which perceived as strange or even exotic — skillfully used by its founder, Fritz Perls. This multifariousness can be misleading and many people have gotten an erroneous impression and understanding of gestalt therapy. Perls himself, apparently annoyed by these misconceptions has been cited saying that he does not recognize as a gestalt therapist anyone who uses techniques. Like many other extreme statements of his, this one, too, should be interpreted as a signpost pointing at the core of gestalt therapy, namely, the development of curative awareness by the contact between therapist and client.

Defining gestalt therapy by its central method based on mindfulness might prompt us to ask: How is it different from Carl Rogers' person-centered counseling? Both approaches rely on mindfulness — both on part of the therapist and the client — for initiating and facilitating a process of positive change resulting in healing transformation. What is the difference, then?

Perhaps, it will not be too wrong to say that gestalt therapy is as different from person-centered counseling as is the character of Fritz Perls from that of Carl Rogers. Compared to Rogers' openly empathic and benign demeanor, Perls' approach often seems arrogant and rude. Apparently, his sometimes outrageous behavior is only justified by its nearly miraculous effect on his clients and the deep transformations they undergo. At the same time, Perls warns his disciples and students not to imitate him blindly, but to strive to develop their own therapeutic style. Accordingly, gestalt therapy training involves much more experiential learning (in a group and/or with a therapist) than typical training in person-centered counseling. The first year of my own three-year training was fully dedicated to experiential learning through various exercises aimed at developing our mindfulness, especially in the contact with another person.