In integrative Gestalt therapy, the focus is on what is actually happening—what we perceive and experience through our senses, sensations, and feelings—with an emphasis on the here and now. The client is given space, with their whole being, to reconnect with themselves and others. Gestalt therapy is based on the assumption that we are capable of developing and regulating ourselves.
Along with the social philosopher and writer Paul Goodman, the psychoanalyst couple Fritz and Laura Perls are considered the founders of Gestalt therapy.
The focus is on the present—which means accepting what is happening right now; the past and the future are viewed from the perspective of their impact and significance for the present.
Connection, Experience, Creativity—Essential in Integrative Gestalt Therapy
The dialogue between therapist and client is central to integrative Gestalt therapy, but it also involves:
Connection: with your own body, your thoughts, and your needs; and an in-depth exploration of how you relate to yourself and others.
Experience: Sometimes it’s helpful to experience things rather than just talk about them—which is why Gestalt therapy facilitates holistic experiences through experiential elements
Creativity: Image, gesture, sound—creative expression can help revive interrupted or blocked processes and, in doing so, restore one’s own energy.
These therapists offer this service:
