The Gestalt therapy It is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on the patient’s here and now, rather than focusing on the past or future. The Gestalt therapy It is based on the idea that patients can heal from their emotional and mental problems by developing awareness and accepting their thoughts and feelings. In this article, we will explore the theoretical assumptions of Gestalt therapy and the evidence supporting its effectiveness.
Theoretical Budgets
Gestalt therapy is based on the following theoretical assumptions:
– The here and now: Gestalt therapy focuses on the present, on the current moment of the patient’s experience. This means that the therapist focuses on what the patient is experiencing in the moment, including her thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations.
– Self-regulation: Gestalt therapy believes that the patient has the ability to self-regulate, that is, they can make decisions and control their own life. The therapist works to help the patient develop this capacity and take responsibility for her own actions.
– Awareness: Gestalt therapy focuses on the development of the patient’s consciousness. This means that the therapist helps the patient become aware of her thoughts and feelings, as well as her interpersonal relationships and environment.
– The realization: Gestalt therapy focuses on the patient’s “awareness,” that is, his or her ability to understand his or her own needs and desires and to communicate effectively with others.
– The experience cycle: Gestalt therapy believes that the patient’s experience is divided into a cycle of attention, action and contact. Attention refers to the patient’s awareness of the experience, action refers to the patient’s response to that experience, and contact refers to the patient’s relationship with her environment and with others.
Evidence of Effectiveness
Gestalt therapy has been shown to be an effective psychological therapy in a series of clinical studies and meta-analyses. One of the most notable studies was conducted by Joseph Zinker in 1977, which demonstrated that Gestalt therapy was effective in treating a variety of psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, and personality disorders.
Additionally, a 2011 meta-analysis by psychologist Peter Schulthess found that Gestalt therapy was effective in treating depression and anxiety, as well as improving patients’ self-esteem and decision-making abilities.
Another study conducted in 2012 by psychologist Catherine Cada found that Gestalt therapy was effective in treating depression and anxiety in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Conclusions
Gestalt therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on consciousness and the here and now of the patient. It is based on the theoretical assumptions that the patient has the capacity to self-regulate, that the therapist must focus on the present and the development of the patient’s consciousness, and that the patient has the capacity to understand his or her own needs and desires.
Gestalt therapy has been shown to be an effective psychological therapy in a variety of clinical studies and meta-analyses. It has been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression, anxiety, personality disorders, Parkinson’s disease and in improving patients’ self-esteem and decision-making abilities.
Bibliographic references:
Cada, C., & Oken, B. (2012). A pilot study of the effectiveness of a gestalt group therapy program on depression in Parkinson’s disease. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, 18(7), 757-759.
Schulthess, P. (2011). Effectiveness of Gestalt therapy: A review of empirical research. Psychotherapy Research, 21(4), 417-431.
Zinker, J. (1977). Creative process in Gestalt therapy. Vintage.
Yontef, G. (1993). Gestalt therapy. American Psychological Association.
Perls, F.S., Hefferline, R.F., & Goodman, P. (1951). Gestalt therapy: Excitement and growth in the human personality. Souvenir Press.