What is Gestalt Therapy?

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

 Medically Reviewed by Smitha Bhandari, MD on May 15,
2023
 The Concept of Gestalt Therapy
 What Disorders Can Be Treated Using Gestalt Therapy?
 Gestalt Therapy Techniques
 Benefits of Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy is a form of psychotherapy that is centered

on increasing a person's awareness, freedom, and self-
direction. It's a form of therapy that focuses on the
present moment rather than past experiences.
Gestalt therapy is based on the idea that people are
influenced by their present environment. Each individual
works to achieve personal growth and balance. Gestalt
therapy focuses on the use of empathy and unconditional
acceptance. This helps individuals get rid of distress by
learning how to trust and accept what they feel. 

The Concept of Gestalt Therapy

The word "gestalt" is a German term with no direct English
translation. It generally means "whole" or "form." It is an
idea that views every individual as a blend of the mind,
emotions, body, and soul with unique experiences and
realities.
In practice, psychology professionals apply this concept by
helping people concentrate on what's happening in their
lives at the present moment rather than focus on their
past experiences. Gestalt therapy puts the focus on the
here and now.
Through gestalt therapy, individuals are able to develop
new perspectives and bring positive changes into their
lives. They can do this because gestalt therapy promotes
increased self-awareness and a clear understanding of
thoughts, emotions, and behavior.

What Disorders Can Be Treated Using Gestalt

Therapy?
Since its introduction, gestalt therapy has become a
proven and effective therapeutic approach in addressing
and treating different mental health conditions. Some of
these conditions include:

 Anxiety. Gestalt therapy helps people focus on the

present. This allows individuals to discover what
immediate thoughts, feelings, or behavior may make
them feel anxious.
 Behavioral health issues. Gestalt therapy can help
people with behavioral conditions like bipolar disorder.
It's also an effective therapeutic method for treating
substance abuse, compulsive gambling, and PTSD.
People struggling with these conditions may develop a
new view on life through gestalt therapy and may see
a positive change in their lifestyles.
 Depression. Since gestalt therapy focuses on self-
awareness, it can help people with depression become
aware of possible stressful situations that trigger their
depression.
 Relationship difficulties. Gestalt therapy can help
couples recognize underlying destructive
behaviors that may be negatively impacting their
relationships. This can help them work toward making
 positive changes in their relationship and individual
lifestyles.
 Self-esteem issues. Gestalt therapy helps people
with low self-esteem identify and overcome
underlying factors that contribute to their low self-
esteem.

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Gestalt Therapy Techniques

The different gestalt therapy techniques involve a series of
experiments and exercises. Therapy can be done
individually or in a group setting. Exercises and
experiments help individuals increase their awareness and
understanding of the here and now.
Different techniques of gestalt therapy work differently for
different individuals since everyone's past experiences are
unique. ‌Here are examples of the different gestalt therapy
techniques:

 Paradoxical change. The theory of paradoxical

change focuses on the need for self-acceptance. It
helps individuals develop an improved sense of self-
awareness. When an individual makes peace with who
they are as a person, it helps them live in the present.
This results in more positive feelings and mood.
 "Here" and "now". This technique enables
individuals to appreciate past experiences and how
they influence their present thoughts and behavior. By
being conscious of internal factors that influence their
present lives, individuals can learn to let go of the
 past. This helps them focus on the here and now. The
objective of this technique is to help them live for the
present and make positive changes going forward.
 Empty chair technique. This technique helps
individuals to open up and practice talking with an
empty chair. The goal of this technique is to visualize
yourself opening up to a particular person you needed
to talk with. When you open up as if the person was
sitting there listening, the therapeutic experience of
opening up sets the stage for healing.
 Exaggeration technique. This technique works by
making an individual become aware of underlying
issues that could be linked to their present problem.
The therapist may request you to exaggerate a
specific behavior or emotion. This helps in identifying
and addressing the root of the problem.

Benefits of Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy is a comprehensive therapeutic method
that gives long-lasting benefits to an individual's mind,
emotions, body, and spirit. Common benefits of gestalt
therapy include but are not limited to:

 Increased self-awareness
 Improved self-confidence 
 Ability to make peace with the past, and an improved
sense of acceptance
 Increased ability to deal and cope with stressful
situations
 Being more responsible, improved ability to own up
for mistakes and behaviors without placing blames
The only limitation of gestalt therapy is that it may not
help with the psychological effects of hereditary behaviors.
Neither does it help with psychological factors that are not
influenced by an individual's thoughts. However, it is an
effective therapeutic treatment option for several addiction
problems and mental health conditions.