Before speaking about values and limitations of gestalt therapy, it is necessary to understand what gestalt therapy is. Gestalt therapy can be defined as existential-phonological approach which suggests that human problems should be understood in terms of environmental influences. Gestalt therapy is experimental approach designed to help people to realize their experiences, needs and abilities more fully, as well as to realize what they are doing now and what they are willing to do in the future. When people are interacting with therapists, they become more aware of what they are thinking and feeling.
Despite gestalt therapy is rather new approach, it offers certain benefits and is considered valuable. For example, gestalt therapy encourages direct contacts as people are able to express their feelings. In such a way, gestalt therapy ‘de-emphasizes abstract intellectualization of one’s problems’. (Corey, 2005) Further, gestalt therapy appreciates working with past experiences stressing that they are important for present. Therapy recognizes projections and, what is more important it denies that people are helpless.
Doing and experiences are opposed to simply talking and thinking about the problems. Gestalt therapy offers strong perspective on growth rather than offers treatment of disorders. However, one of the limitations is that ineffective therapist may remain hidden and not understandable for clients. Moreover, therapists may manipulate clients seeking personal gain. Gestalt therapy requires further investigations and enhancement. I think that gestalt therapy adequately deals with one’s future and past, although I may admit the fact that therapists may use powerful methods to manipulate clients.
However, in most cases it is a creative pathway to make people more aware of existential messages and their predestination in life. After acquaintance with gestalt therapy certain questions appear: To what extent is past experiences affect our present and future? What procedures of gestalt therapy are the most effective?
References
Corey, Gerald. (2005). Theory and Practice of Counselling & Psychotherapy (7th ed. ). Thomson Brooks/Cole. Yontef, Gary. (1993). Gestalt Therapy: An Introduction. Retrieved April 15, 2008, from http://www. gestalt. org/yontef. htm