What is Gestalt Therapy?

This man has helped me through all of my Psychotherapy classes, Thank you for being so on the point

I appreciate this video. I'm a gestalt therapist, and researcher. The reason as to why there is a perception of non-cohesiveness in technique is because gestalt therapy is not about technique alone. Underlying the method is the attitude towards dialogue and contact. This is the "invisible" part of gestalt therapy and it is the most important aspect in our training. Gestalt therapy, for this reason, is a very challenging method to master, compared to other schools of psychotherapy. We may do different creative things during therapy, but it is done only in service of dialogue and contact. It is ultimately the dialogue and contact (re Martin Buber) that bring about change. It is not accurate to say that other schools can borrow these techniques, and it would work. These techniques do not define gestalt therapy. Using the empty chair without dialogue and contact is not gestalt therapy. This also explains why it is difficult to create empirical study for gestalt therapy: contact and dialogue is difficult to quantify. Work is being done, though. Thanks again for the video.

Flashback! The adults in my life were deeply into Gestalt when I was a child. I actually lived on two Gestalt communes. I remember a lot of anger and resentment being expressed... pillow attacks... group role-playing etc. They also eschewed small talk, believing it was inauthentic. All in all, a strange place for a kid.

As a young psychologist, your videos helps me a lot. Thank you

You are sooooo incredible at explaining Gestalt Therapy. You are a wonderful teacher, so clear in your presentation! Thank you for enlightening me on this subject!

I am a graduate student for clinical mental health counseling and I have to say that this is the best description of Gestalt therapy that I have heard. It really puts it all together and sums it up nicely. Thank you so much!!

Truly love Dr. Grande's method of teaching. Thank you

I love the clarity of your explanation! Thank you so much. You've aided me a lot in my learning of different therapeutic approaches. Your materials have been so helpful.

I appreciate the no-nonsense approach and the simplified explanation. That is what teaching is about.

Thank you. This will help me with my periodic examination tomorrow. More power!

Thank you for this video! I have a counseling and personality exam coming up and this video has been helpful during studying. Thanks again!

I really appreciate your videos. Some of the theories are difficult to understand. You explain the key points and the science behind them in a way thats easy to understand. Thank you!

One of your best analyses and through experience I totally agree with you. Thank you.

Please make more videos like this sometimes. They’re very educational

While listening to the concepts of Gestalt therapy, I immediately thought of person-centered therapy when hearing about the concept of greater self-awareness. I also related unfinished business to having a sense of closure, and I think that this is very important in order for clients to heal. I am surprised that there is not much evidence supporting the effectiveness of this form of therapy because it is still practiced today.

thank you so much, found this more informative than the stuff I've learnt in class

Preach brother! I am all for Gestalt and REBT by late Dr. Ellis.

I've long thought that people tend to continue to experience events - traumatic events particularly - as the person was at the time of the event, not as the person is now. So the idea that appeals to me here is having a structured approach for reframing the past events that caused trauma by bringing them into the present, where the person is now much better equipped, and supported, to deal with them better. To me, the rest of gesalt therapy seems like a somewhat mystical encapsulation of what is really some pretty simple philosophy.

Thanks again Dr. Grande for clear explanations on concepts. If someone comes up with a model of Gestalt therapy that could be tested I hope it is based on the idea of first making sure that all of the participants understand it to be only a form of play instead of the actions that take place during the therapy being done for a cause since in the past I have seen the unintended tragic consequences for the participant with that kind of attitude which could happen otherwise.

Thanks Todd for such clear, simple explanation of psychotherapies. It really helped. I have a request to make. Please try to make videos on some common disorders and then briefly explain how each major school of psychotherapy explains it's causes and then treatment. It would be really nice of you to do that. Thanks.