Gestalt Therapy (Extra Credit)

Gestalt Therapy

 

                                             Fritz Perls 1893-1970         Laura Perls 1905-1990

Gestalt Therapy

• Founders- Fritz Perls and Laura Perls (Corey, 2012).
• Key concepts- view of human nature, some principles of Gestalt therapy theory, the now, unfinished business, contact and resistances to contact, and energy and blocks to energy (Corey, 2012).

1. View of human nature- according to Perls he strongly believed that clients needed to be independent and deal with their own life problems themselves (p. 213). His therapy deals with two personal agendas: 1. taking a client from the environmental support to self-support and bring back in the parts of a clients personality that had been forgotten about (p. 213). Perls believed that clients should be able to regulate themselves when they know what is happening in the environment around them.
2. Some principles of Gestalt therapy theory- basic principles include: holism, field theory, figure-formation process, and organismic self-regulation (p. 214). First being holism in which is the idea of unified or being complete. With Gestalt therapy concept being the idea of the whole person the therapist does not usually like to deal with aspect of the individual. Second principle is field theory which is the idea that it is important to see a client in their environment because it is usually in constant change. Third principle is the figure-formation process which how a client may deal with experiences from time to time. Fourth principle organismic self-regulation is a process that deals with a clients equilibrium in which it is disturbed by a need, sensation, or an interest of the client (Corey, 2012).
3. The now- the present moment is an important factor in Gestalt therapy. The past and future is sometimes a clients way of not dealing with the present. The reason that sometimes the past can come up in the present is because often times the clients feel that the past is incomplete. 
4. Unfinished business- this concept deals with having unexpressed feeling usually of the past. This can  sometimes leave unnecessary emotional feelings that may interfere with a clients present feelings. 
5. Contact and Resistances to contact- it is important for change and growth to happen to have contact. Effective contact is when a client is able to interact with nature and other people without losing sense of themselves (p. 217). Resistance which is often a way a client may deal with certain issues or problems but can often times prevent us from experiencing the present the way they should.
6. Energy and blocks to energy- where energy is located in a client is very important especially how it may be used and how it can be blocked. Energy can be expressed through a clients posture, body appearing tight, not deep breathing, and looking away and avoiding contact (p. 218). Sometimes a client is not always aware of their or where it is located.

• Therapeutic goals- in gestalt therapy most often it is not goal oriented. Some major goals in gestalt therapy includes moving forward and increase awareness, taking ownership in their experience instead of making it someone else fault, adapting skills and values that will allow them to satisfy their own needs without violating the rights of someone else, become more aware of all their senses, accept responsibility and consequences for their actions, and be comfortable with asking and receiving help from others (p. 220). Being a independent client is a big goal in gestalt and being able to control ones own self and their own behaviors.
• Techniques- gestalt therapy are considered experiments in which as a therapist you suggest ideas to a client and say see if this works and if so how (p. 224). It is very important with a new client to explain the difference in exercises (techniques) and experiments. Exercise is a ready-made techniques that you may want to use if you are wanting to get to a certain point in a sessions or make a client go somewhere in the session that they may not on their own. Experiments are more of an over time process in which a therapist will suggest something and the client will try and they together will determine if it works or not. 
• Name of theory- Gestalt  therapy theory (Corey, 2012).
• Personal life- Fritz and his wife Laura understood by their own relationship that it was very important to have very close healthy relationships but yet it is also important to be independent as an individual. In the 60s and 70s the Perls say training centers for Gestalt therapy go up all over the world. The son of Laura and Fritz, Stephen said the he could better understand the inability of Gestalt therapy and address intimate feelings with any soul and the reason for focusing more on strong personality (Perls, 2012). Fritz and his wife developed Gestalt therapy and helped others understand it better.
• My most favorite and why- Gestalt is my most favorite theory/therapy because I feel like people are always quick to blame their life problems on someones instead of taking ownership and being more independent. I feel that I am a very independent person and can relate to Gestalt therapy because not everybody has the ability to function as a independent individual. I feel also that it's important to stay in the present and deal with the now. I feel like many people have some type of unfinished business from the past whether it be school related or family/home life related and the empty chair is often the best way to deal with this. In some situations we can't go to or find the person that we may need to deal with some emotions with so the empty can help especially if its someone that is dead or no long around. Gestalt is very interesting and I think can relate to many people should consider this therapy to simple help them gain independence. 

References

Corey, G. (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th edition). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Family System Therapy

    

                  Alfred Adler 1870-1937         Murray Bowen 1913-1990   Virginia Satir 1916-1988

    

                 Carl Whitaker 1912-1995    Salvador Minuchin 1921            Chloe Madanes 1941

Family System Therapy

• Introduction- in the early times the approach of choice and that was most common was family therapy. The family systems perspectives is that we are born free and independent individuals of choice and yet most of our entire lives we are attached to family in one form or another (Corey, 2012). It is sometimes best to try to understand a client by their interaction with their family. Specific symptoms of a client are often known as a set of habits within a family (Corey, 2012). Sometimes the best way to  try to help a client is to work with the entire family as a group. Actions of each individual family members can effect all the other family members in the group also. There are two different approaches called the systemic and the individual approach. Individual is more about just the client and their problem and systemic more family based and learning how the family plays a part or influences the problem. 
• Development of family systems therapy- family systems has really grown over the past several years. Alfred Adler was important key founder with him being first psychologist of the modern time to do family therapy (Corey, 2012). With Adlerian family therapy Adler was very quick to notice that family and specifically birth order played an important in many clients. In which is very clear that both children and parents get very use to being negative and it begins to effect both child and parent.  Rudolf Dreikurs came along behind Adler and created a more organized type of family therapy in which Adlerian family therapy begins with forming a respectful relationship as you would do even with a individual client (Corey, 2012). Multigenerational family therapy was the therapy that was developed by Murray Bowen (Corey, 2012). Which deals with the idea and interest of patterns across many generations. Human validation process model was the idea of Virginia Satir in which she emphasized family connection (Cory, 2012). In her therapy process she outlined four communication stances that people tend to use under stress in which they are blaming, placating, super reasonable, and irrelevant (Corey). Experiential family therapy in which was developed by Carl Whitaker. In which he expressed the idea of freedom, choice, self determination, growth, and actualization (Corey, 2012). Structural-strategic family therapy in which was developed by Salvador Minuchin with the idea that an individual symptoms are best understood from the point of patterns with in the family (Corey, 2012). 
• Multilayered process of family therapy- families are considered multilayered in which is affected by larger systems in which they are within (Corey, 2012). Forming a relationship in which begins from the minute of meeting the client. Conducting an assessment usually by starting with a map of the family history. 

Reference 

Corey, G. (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th edition). Belmont, CA:

            Brooks/Cole.

Postmodern Approaches

                                       Steve de Shazer 1940-2005   Insoo Kim Berg 1935-2007

   

                                           Michael White 1949-2008        David Epston 1944-

Postmodern Approaches

• Founders- Insoo Kim Berg, Steve de Shazer, Michael White, and David Epston (Corey, 2012).
• Key concepts- Solution-Focused Brief Therapy- unique focus of SFBT, positive orientation, looking for what is working, and basic assumptions guiding practice, Narrative Therapy- focus of narrative therapy, the role of stories, and listening with an open mind (Corey, 2012).
• Solution-focused brief therapy- 1. unique focus of SFBT- this therapy is different than most other therapies because it avoids dealing with the past more than the present or future. The main idea of this approach is only focus on what is possible not the impossible (Corey, 2012). It is not important to know the cause and has no benefit in helping with finding the solution. 2. positive orientation- this approach deals with the concept that the assumption of people being positive and have the ability to come up with their own solutions to problems. 3. looking for what is working- finding what techniques are working is very important in SFBT. It is important for a therapist to figure out what is working with clients and helping them solve problems in a shorter amount of time. 4. basic assumptions guiding practice- some of the important assumptions to make about SFBT are that individual that come to therapy know how to behave, having advantages on positive outlook on the future, exceptions to every problem, clients usually only show one side of themselves in therapy, no problem is constant, clients want to change and are doing whatever it takes to change, and client should be trusted with their intentions to solve their own problems (Corey, 2012). Some therapist are trying to move away from the idea of therapy and make it feel more like a personal consultation (Corey, 2012). 
• Therapeutic goals- SFBT is about making changes and reaching goals (Corey, 2012). This approach believes that most people have what it takes to solve most of their own problems and reach personal goals with their own means. Solution- focused therapist defiantly start with small, realistic, and achievable goals that are easy for a client to do on their own and teaches them how to think more positive. Changing the view of the problem and making resources more strong and available to clients are important. 
• Techniques- there are eight techniques that can be helpful: pretherapy change, exception questions, the miracle question, scaling question, formula first session task, therapist feedback to clients, terminating, and application to group counseling (Corey, 2021). 1. pretherapy change- simply by calling a therapist can cause the thought of change to come to a clients mind even before the first session and sometimes clients will begin to start thinking of what and how they can change the problems. 2. exception questions- the exception question is the idea of when clients have a problem that was not always a problem in their life. It is important to ask the client direct questions about when the problem or before it existed. 3. the miracle question- this is the technique that a therapist often uses to ask a client that if a a miracle happened and the problem was gone over night and how that would make things different. 4. scaling questions- sometimes a therapist will use scaling questions when a clients emotions are not showing up as you would like as a therapist. 5. formula first session task- this is the idea that a therapist may give a client something to do or research between their first and second session. 6. therapist feedback to clients- during a therapy session a therapist will often take a few minute break to write some notes on a message they want to give as feedback to the client. 7. terminating- from the very first session a therapist goals is to always be working toward getting the client stable enough to make positive good decisions on their own and to deal with problems quicker and more effectively. 8. application to group counseling- solution-focused therapist believes that people can be more effective if they are in a atmosphere that they can communicate with others.
• Narrative therapy- 1. focus of narrative therapy- it is very important for a therapist to listen to clients and take notes of the times when clients had more healthy lifestyles. 2. the role of stories- clients and all people live their lives by stories and from stories and these stories can shape reality as in what we see, feel, and do (Corey, 2012). 3. listening with a open mind- it is always important to listen to clients problems and concerns with an open mind without having any judgement on the client.
• Therapeutic goals- goals in narrative therapy are to get clients to explain their experiences in a new positive language. 
• Techniques- an important technique with narrative therapy is greatly dependent on a therapist's attitude than on the actual technique (Corey, 2012). A narrative therapist is also encouraged to get clients to see their story or problem from a different more positive perspective. 

References 

Corey, G. (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th edition). Belmont, CA

            Brooks/Cole.

Feminist Therapy

              

                             Jean Baker Miller 1928-2006                    Carol Zerbe Enns

             

                                               Oliva M. Espin                        Laura S. Brown
Feminist Therapy

• Founders- Jean Baker Miller, Carol Zerbe Enns, Oliva M. Espin, and Laura S. Brown (Corey, 2012).   
• Key concepts- view of human nature, feminist perspective on personality development, and principles of feminist therapy (Corey, 2012). 

1. View of human nature- feminist is different than most other therapies because it was thought that most therapies came from historical period in which most social arrangements in which were assumed to be rooted in a person's biologically based gender (Corey, 2012). Men have always been perceived to be the norm up until recently and men and women would always choose different things and paths in life. Men and women behave differently in life so therefore their actions and reactions to thing will be very different. Most therapist consider feminist therapy to be gender fair and flexible-multicultural (Corey, 2012). 
2. Feminist perspective on personality development- gender-role expectations greatly influence a person's identity from throughout rest of their life and also influences personality as an adult (Corey, 2012). Gender affects how we see ourselves whether it be boy or girl throughout our entire lives (Corey, 2012). It is still shown throughout many cultures throughout the world that the gender stereotypes of women are still common. Men are still looked at to be the dominant gender in the society we live in even still today but less common than it was few years ago. Personal development for man and women start at birth and go throughout entire life. 
3. Principles of feminist therapy- there are six core principles in feminist therapy: the personal is political, commitment to social change, women's and girl's voices and ways of knowing are valued and their experiences are honored, the counseling relationship is egalitarian, a focus on strengths and a reformulated definition of psychological distress, and all types of oppression are recognized (Corey, 2012). 1. the personal is political- this is the idea that a problem that a person will bring to a therapy session starts with political or society in which that are in. 2. commitment to social change- this is the concept of where a therapist aims to change not only the individual but also for social changes also (Corey, 2012). It is very important when counseling a female client to recognize that they are still stereotyped and that this can play a role in what and how a therapist will approach a female client. 3. women's and girl's voices and ways of knowing are valued and their experiences- this concept says that a female's perspective is considered central in understanding their distress (Corey, 2012). It also explains that in all situations in life men and women are forced to go separate ways in almost all aspects of human experiences in society. 4. the counseling relationship in egalitarian- attention is power in feminist therapy (Corey, 2012). An egalitarian relationship which is the concept as a therapist to remember that the client are more of an expert on their own lives so a therapist to recognize the power imbalance. 5. a focus on strengths and a reformulated definition of psychological distress- this concept says that psychological distress is nit a disease but a communication about unjust system (Corey, 2012). Feminist therapist most often talk about problems with the attitude of dealing with them rather than them being a pathology. 6. all types of oppression are recognized- clients are often understood better with having a knowledge of their social environment and what it is like. It is thought that both a person's political and social environment has a negative effect on a client. 

• Therapeutic goals- Some of the main goals in feminist therapy include empowerment, going for change rather than adjusting to what the problem is, social change, valuing diversity, and knowing and keeping independence and interdependence separated (Corey, 2012). It is very important in feminist therapy to help both male and female clients recognize their personal power. Feminist therapist work especially with female clients to help them get away from the stereotype that they have been use to their entire life.
• Techniques- feminist therapist do not follow the DSM manual. The feminist therapist do think that race, culture, and gender influences symptoms a client may have (Corey, 2012). Making sure different approaches are used based on what gender you are giving counseling to. Often times depression is diagnosed in females more than males but feminist therapist believe this is because women have more reasons to be depressed then males. Feminist therapist do not use a specific set of techniques but use client specific techniques depending on each client's needs. 

References

Corey, G. (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th edition). Belmont, CA

            Brooks/Cole.