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In psychology, the Gestalt direction is gaining popularity. His feature is perfectly described by a joke: “A sign hangs on the psychoanalyst’s door:“ Do not disturb. There is a session.» Behind the door is quiet. The same sign hangs on the Gestalt therapist’s office, but screams and noise are heard from behind the door — someone releases emotions and closes the gestalt. We will tell you how consultations with a Gestalt therapist take place, how much they cost and how to become such a specialist yourself.
What does «close the gestalt» mean?
This common expression means to end a difficult situation that is troubling. In Gestalt therapy, there is the concept of a «contact cycle» — this is a diagram that describes how a person satisfies his need. Let’s look at the example of the need for sleep:
Pre-contact — feeling and understanding the need. Imagine: late in the evening, a person took work home — you need to complete the report. He feels tired in his body, and the work is almost finished. He puts the report aside and starts thinking about what he wants. Maybe take a bath? Or drink hot tea? He looks around the room and sees his bed. Understanding comes: he wants to sleep!
Contacting — search for a way to satisfy the need. The man is getting ready for bed. Looks for pajamas, dims the lights, turns on relaxing music.
final contact — satisfaction of needs and a sense of completeness. The man lies in bed, the light is off. He feels warm and falls asleep.
Post contact — moving from one need to another. Eight hours later, he wakes up refreshed. He has a new need, for example, to have breakfast. Gestalt is closed. The need is satisfied.
This is how one of the variants of the contact cycle looks like. Sometimes the cycle is broken, for example, when a person unconsciously sacrifices one need to satisfy another. In Gestalt therapy, this is called resistance. The task of resistance is to preserve something that a person himself is not aware of. Most often, this is a need for security or the preservation of a habitual way of life.
Suppose a person cannot arrange his personal life — then partners are not suitable, then love is unrequited … Perhaps there is resistance: a person unconsciously sacrifices his personal life to satisfy the need for security, since partnerships involve a violation of the usual way.
People come to psychotherapy with unfulfilled needs for love, acceptance, respect, self-realization, communication. The Gestalt therapist helps to realize what can be done here and now to meet the need — how to complete the cycle of contact and close the gestalt.
Features of Gestalt Therapy
Thanks to the work “here and now”, the client learns to notice his actual resources. In the course of work, the specialist can share his hypotheses, feelings, thoughts, if this will advance the client. He can ask questions, share feelings, offer to perform different techniques.
The therapist helps the client focus on the present instead of looking for answers in the past. The Gestalt therapist may ask, «What do you want now?» The client’s response prompts the therapist’s strategy for further action. But it also happens that it is difficult for the client to understand what he wants — the work «here and now» helps to do this.
Reliance on the «here and now» is an important difference between the Gestalt approach and other areas of therapy.
How are the consultations
Gestalt therapist helps to solve the problem at the level of words and body. The founder of Gestalt therapy, Frederick Perls, paid great attention to living a person’s life through the body, in the here and now moment. The therapist pays attention to pauses in the client’s speech, facial expressions, gestures and posture. Every detail matters.
Let’s look at an example. A client approached a Gestalt therapist. He talks about his relationship with his boss, while drumming his fingers on the table. The Gestalt therapist suggests that he strengthen this movement: knock harder. As a result of this action, the client will be able to feel more anger, irritation with the boss, realizing what feelings are hidden behind bodily movement.
The Gestalt approach combines methods from other areas of psychotherapy, for example, from body-oriented, dance-movement, art therapy, psychodrama. At the session, clients can explore their bodily manifestations, express the situation with the help of creativity, use movement, dance, play scenes. However, the main way the Gestalt therapist works is through conversation.
How to become a Gestalt Therapist
Training is necessary, but the person himself, his character, personality traits are also important — knowledge and methods are superimposed on them.
To work, you need a higher psychological education and additional education in the training program for Gestalt therapists.
Is it possible to become a Gestalt therapist if you decide to change your profession in adulthood? Yes, the plan is:
If you have a higher education in another profile, for example, finance, go through a professional retraining program for a psychologist.
After that, go through the Gestalt Therapy training program.
The training programs include theory and practice. Classes are structured so that students try themselves as both a therapist and a client.
In practical classes, students establish contact with their feelings, thoughts and sensations. Learn to understand yourself and others.
Career prospects
The average cost of a consultation with a Gestalt psychotherapist in Moscow is 4 rubles per hour. It depends on the experience and qualifications of the specialist, the format of the sessions — face-to-face or online. In the regions, the price depends not only on the professionalism of the psychologist, but also on the city. Psychotherapists with experience charge 000 rubles or more per session.
Who is suitable for this profession
The Gestalt therapist is distinguished by straightforwardness, the absence of hidden meaning in words and actions, empathy, sensitivity towards the client, and a sense of humor.
More likely to be a successful Gestalt psychotherapist are those who are not afraid to experiment, appreciate simplicity, who are alien to additional complications. Other important skills can be developed. During the course, you will be able to learn:
better understand your desires, navigate your needs, explore new ways to meet them;
treat yourself and your feelings with attention and respect;
express emotions in an environmentally friendly way;
more courageous contact with other people;
take responsibility for your actions;
gain experience of personal strength and reliance on their resources.
Working in a Gestalt approach is more comfortable for people with a creative streak. In addition, it is important to note that the Gestalt therapist, like any psychotherapist, needs to constantly develop — improve his skills, go to personal therapy and consult with more experienced colleagues.