Counseling Exam 1 Big Ideas Quizlet Part 2

Gestalt focus on language

"It" talk, "You" talk, questions, language that denies power, listening to client's metaphors, listening for language that uncovers a story

identity and relationship

"the courage to be," we must trust ourselves to search within and find our own answers, our great fear is that we will discover that there is no core, no self, being existentially "alone" helps us to discover our authentic self, balancing aloneness and relatedness helps us to develop this uniquely and live authentically in the moment, at their best, our relationships are based on our desire for fulfillment, not based on deprivation, relationships based on deprivation tend to be clinging and symbiotic

basic assumptions of existential therapy list

(not all inclusive, see terms above) self-awareness, freedom and responsibility, intimacy and isolation, meaning in life, death and anxiety, and authenticity

field theory

asserts that the organism must be seen in its environment or context as part of the constantly changing field. the field is the client's environment which consists of therapist and client and all that goes on between them. therapists pay attention to and explore what is occurring at the boundary between person and environment. emphasis may be on a figure or the ground. cues to this background can be found on the surface through physical gestures, tone of voice, demeanor, and other nonverbal content. this is often referred to by Gestalt therapists as attending to the obvious while paying attention to how the parts fit together, how the individual makes contact with the environment, and integration

goals of existential psychotherapy

assisting clients in moving toward authenticity and learning to recognize when they are deceiving themselves, helping clients face anxiety and engage in action that is based on creating a meaningful existence, help clients to reclaim and reown their lives; teaching them to listen to what they already know about themselves. Schneider and Krug (2010) identify four more: (1) to help clients become more present to themselves and others, (2) to assist clients in identifying ways they block themselves from fuller presence, (3) to challenge clients to assume responsibility for designing their present lives, (4) to encourage clients to choose more expanded ways of being in their daily lives

Heidegger's themes

authentic being, caring, death, guilt, individual responsibility, and isolation. we exist in the world and should not view ourselves as separate from it, we need to find some explicit awareness of whether we are living authentically and true to ourselves or inauthentically and constructing our lives around the expectations of others, to seize the opportunity to create new authentic experiences in the present and future rather than focusing on the past

existential view of human nature and its implications

humans have both limits and tragic dimenions as well as possibities and opportunities in life, they are in the world alone and face the anxiety of isolation, and our existence is never fixed, but we can face that isolation and continuously recreate ourselves. humans are in a state of transition, see the basic dimensions of the human condition. this view implies basing therapeutic practice on an understanding of what it means to be human, stands for respect for the person, exploring new aspects of human behavior, and divergent methods of understanding people, rather than basing practice on using a specific set of techniques

contact

interacting with nature and with other people without losing one's individuality

Buber's themes

interpersonal relationships, I/Thou perspective in therapy, and self transcendence. less individualistic than other existentialists, there is never just an I, there is always an other, we sometimes make the mistake of reducing the other to the status of a mere object, which makes a relationship I/it rather than I/thou. presence is important and has three functions: enables true I/thou relationships, allows for meaning to exist in a situation, enables an individual to be responsible in the here and now. relationship between therapist and client will only be of equal footing when relationship is fully mutual and dialogic, a fully human condition

Accommodation phase in Polster's sequence

involves clients recognizing that they have a choice and beginning to try new behaviors in the supportive environment of the therapy office, then they expand their awareness of the world. making new choices is often awkward but w/therapeutic support clients can gain skill in coping with difficult situations. clients are likely to participate in out-of-office experiments, which can be discussed in the the next therapy session

strengths of existential psychotherapy from a diversity perspective

it does not dictate a particular way of viewing or relating to reality, it has a focus on universality, and on the human experiences that transcend the boundaries that separate cultures, it considers the degree to which behavior is influenced by social and cultural conditioning

contributions of Gestalt therapy

it is a creative and lively approach that uses experiments to move clients form talk to action and experience, clients are provided with a wide range of tools for discovering new facets of themselves and changing their lives, it is a holistic approach that values each aspect of the individual's experience equally, the approach to working with dreams is a unique pathway for people to increase their awareness of key themes in their lives, there is an attempt to integrate theory, practice, and research

existentialism with brief therapy

this approach can focus clients on significant areas such as assuming personal responsibility, making a commitment to deciding and acting, and expanding their awareness of the current situation. it is possible for a time-limited approach to serve as a catalyst for clients to become actively and fully involved in each of their therapy sessions, but this requires more structuring and clearly defined and less ambitious goals. at the termination of short-term therapy, it is important for clients to evaluate what they accomplished and what issues may need to be addressed later, both therapist and client must determine short-term work is appropriate, and that benefits are likely

development of Gestalt approach over time (contemporary)

this version of the therapy stresses dialogue and the I/thou relationship between client and therapist. therapists emphasize the therapeutic relationship and work collaboratively w/clients in search for understanding. includes more support and increased sensitivity and compassion in therapy than the confrontational style of Fritz Perls. majority of today's therapists in the theory emphasize support, acceptance, empathy, respect, and dialogue as well as confrontation. the therapy is lively and promotes direct experiencing rather than abstractness and talking about situations. practitioners value being fully present during the therapeutic encounter with the belief that growth occurs out of genuine contact between client and therapist

limitations of existential psychotherapy from a diversity perspective

approach may be excessively individualistic and insensitive to social factors that cause problems; however, this is beginning to change, social injustices may lead clients to feel patronized or misunderstood if the therapy too quickly conveys that they have a choice in improving their lives, some clients may prefer more concrete direction

Frankl's view of meaninglessness

Frankl says the central human cocnern is discovering meaning to give one's life direction, his life experiences and work led him to believe lack of meaning is a major source of existential stress and anxiety in modern times, existential neurosis is the experience of meaninglessness, where people wonder if it is worth it to struggle or even live, meaninglessness in life can lead to emptiness/hollowness, the existential vacuum, often experienced when people don't busy themselves w/routine or work. because there is no preordained design for living, people have to create their own, and at times people who feel trapped by the emptiness of life withdraw from the struggle of creating a life with purpose. experiencing this and establishing values that are part of a meaningful life are issues that become the heart of counseling

development of the Gestalt approach over time (traditional)

Fritz Perls was the main originator and developer of the therapy, and although he was influenced by psychoanalytic concepts, he disliked Freud's theory for several reasons. Perls stressed a holistic approach to personality, rather than Freud's view of humans as basically mechanistic. Freud focused on repressed intrapsychic conflicts from early childhood, while Perls valued examining the present situation. the approach focuses more on process than on content, involves therapists putting themselves as fully as possible into the experience of the client without judging, analyzing, or interpreting, while concurrently holding a sense of one's individual, independent presence. therapists design experiments to increase client's awareness of what they do and how they do it moment to moment. Perls asserted that how individuals behave in the present if more important to self-understanding than why. awareness usually involves insight and sometimes introspection, but therapists in this school consider it to be much more than either. a defining trait of awareness is paying attention to flow of experience and being in contact w/what you do when you do it. self acceptance, knowledge of environment, and responsibility for choices, and ability to make contact with their field (dynamic system of interrelationships) and the people in it are important awareness processes and goals, which are based on present and ever changing experiencing/ clients are expect to do their own seeing, feeling, sensing, interpreting, as opposed to waiting passively for the therapist to provide them with insights and answers

strengths of Gestalt therapy from a diversity perspective

Gestalt experiments can be tailored to fit the unique ways in which clients perceive and interpret their culture, Gestalt therapy helps people integrate the polarities within themselves, which can assist bicultural clients in reconciling aspects of their cultures, creative experiments can emphasize nonverbal behaviors

energy and blocks to energy

Gestalt therapists focus on where energy is located, how it is used, and how it can be blocked. blocked energy is a form of defensive behavior that may result in unfinished business. clients are encouraged to recognize how their resistance is being expressed in their body and transform their blocked energy into more adaptive behaviors. blocked energy can be manifested by tension in some part of the body, by posture, by keeping body tight and closed, not breathing deeply, by looking away from people when speaking and avoiding contact, choking off sensations, numbing feelings, speaking with a restricted voice, etc. clients may not be aware of their energy or where it is, and they may experience it negatively, therapist should help clients find the focus of their interrupted energy, identify ways they are blocking it, and transform it into more adaptive behaviors. clients can be encourages to recognize how their resistance is being expressed in their body. rather than trying to rid themselves of certain bodily symptoms, clients can be encouraged to delve fully into tension and bodily symptoms. i.e. allowing themselves to exaggerate tight mouth and shaking legs to see how they divert energy and keep themselves from full expression of aliveness. body oriented methods of identifying and isolating blocks are used to clarify the Gestalt focus

Gestalt theory is a form of experiential therapy

Gestalt therapy focuses on the client's perceptions of reality in the present moment. Clients come to grips with what and how they are thinking, feeling, and doing as they interact with the therapist

Gestalt theory is a form of existential therapy

Gestalt therapy is grounded in the notion that people are always in the process of becoming, remaking, and rediscovering themselves, gives special attention to existence as individuals experience it and affirms the human capacity for growth and healing through interpersonal contact and insight

empty chair technique

Moreno originated this technique, later incorporated into Gestalt therapy by Perls, vehicle for technique of role reversal, brings to consciousness the fantasies of what the other might be thinking or feeling. role-playing technique in which all parts are played by client. introjects can surface and client can experience the conflict more fully. many applications for this, such as exploring what another person in one's social network might be feeling, and what that person's more realistic predicament might be. using two chairs, therapist asks client to sit in one chair and be fully the top dog and then shift to the other chair and become the underdog, dialogue can continue between bot sides of the client. conflict can be resolved by client's acceptance and integration of both sides, helps clients get in touch with a feeling or side of themselves that they may be denying rather than just talking about confliction, intensifies the feelings by experiencing it fully. by helping clients realize that the feeling is a very real part of themselves, the intervention discourages clients from disassociating the feeling. the goal of this exercise is to promote a higher level of integration between the polarities and conflicts that exist in everyone. the aim is not to rid oneself of certain traits but to learn to accept and live with polarities

common questions/sources of existential angst for clients

Why am I here? What do I want from life? What gives my life purpose? Where is the source of meaning for me in life?

anxiety as a condition of living (existential)

Yalom's four givens of existence create this. existential anxiety is normal, life cannot be lived nor can death be faced without anxiety, neurotic anxiety, of which we are typically unaware, is anxiety about concrete things that is out of proportion to the situation. a healthy view of this term is that it can be a stimulus for growth as we become aware of and accept our freedom; it can be a catalyst for living authentically and fully. we can blunt this term by creating the illusion that there is security in life, but if we have the courage to face ourselves and life we may be frightened, but we will be able to change

the search for meaning

a distinctly human characteristic is the struggle for a sense of significance and purpose in life, logotherapy can provide the conceptual framework for helping clients resolve this task, meaninglessness in life can lead to emptiness and hollowness; and "existential vacuum"

future projection technique

an anticipated event is brought into the present and acted out, often associated with psychodrama, designed to help clients express and clarify concerns they have about the future, may include wishes and hopes, dreaded fears of tomorrow, or goals that provide some direction in life, client creates future time and place w/selected people, brings even to present, gets new perspective on a problem, clients may act out either a version of the way they hope a given situation will ideally unfold or feared outcomes. once clients clarify their hopes they are better off taking specific steps to enable them to achieve the future they desire

Gestalt therapy

an existential and phenomenological approach, initial goal is for clients to expand their awareness of what they are experiencing in the present moment, increased awareness is curative, through becoming aware of one's denied parts and working toward owning their experiencing, clients can become integrated, or whole, this approach focuses on the here and now, the what and how of experiencing, the authenticity of the therapist, active dialogic inquiry and exploration, the I/Thou of relating

expanding awareness as a goal of existential therapy and its implications

because self-awareness is at the root of most other human capacities, the decision to expand it is fundamental to human growth, so it is made a goal in this therapy. implications for counseling with this notion include that clients may experience seeing how they trade seucrity of dependence for anxieties that accompany choosing for themselves, that their identity is anchored in someone else's definition and approval of them, they keep themselves prisoner to their past decisions but can make new ones, cannot change certain events but can change the way they view and react to those events, learn they are not condemned to a future similar to the past, they are so preoccupied with death and suffering that they don't appreciate living, able to accept limitations and still feel worthwhile, don't have to be perfect to be worthy, realize they are failing to live in present moment because of preoccupation with past, planning for future, trying to do too many things at once. Clients also need to learn a price is paid for increased awareness; ignorance of our condition may have brought contentment but also partial deadness, but as we open doors in our world we can expect more turmoil and potential for more fulfillment

Existential psychotherapy general ideas

best described as a philosophical approach that influences a counselor's therapeutic practice, asks deep questions about the nature of the human being and of anxiety, despair, grief, loneliness, isolation, and anomie, deals centrally with the questions of meaning, creativity, and love

the most frequent source of unfinished business

blocks to energy

the reversal exercise

certain symptoms and behaviors often represent reversals of underlying or latent impulses, so therapist can ask clients who suffer from severe inhibitions and timidity for example to play the role of an exhibitionist, the theory underlying this technique is that clients take plunge into the thing that brings them anxiety and make contact with those parts of themselves that have been submerged or denied, helps clients begin to accept certain person attributes they have tried to deny

phases of existential therapy: initial phase

clients are assisted in identifying and clarifying their assumptions about the world

phases of existential therapy: middle phase

clients are assisted in more fully examining the source and authority of their present value system

phases of existential therapy: final phase

clients are assisted in translating what they have learned about themselves into action

Discovery phase in Polster's sequence

clients are likely to reach a new realization about themselves or acquire a new view of an old situation, or they may take a new look at some significant person in their lives. these often come as a surprise to them

Assimilation phase in Polster's sequence

clients learn how to influence their environment, feel capable of dealing with the surprise they encounter in everyday living, beginning to do more than passively accept the environment, behavior at this stage may include taking a stand on a critical issue. eventually, clients develop confidence in their ability to improve and improvise. improvisation is the confidence that comes from knowledge and skills. clients can make choices resulting in getting what they want. therapist points out that something has been accomplished and acknowledges the changes that have taken place within the client. clients have learned what they can do to maximize their chance of getting what is needed from their environment

main purpose of experiments/description of them

clients need authentic interaction with a therapist. this term is typcially presented in an invitational manner, and grow out of the interaction between client and therapist, emerging within the dialogic process, can be considered the cornerstone of experiential learning, shifts the focus of counseling from talking about a topic to an activity that will heighten client awareness and understanding through experience, flows directly from psychotherapy and is crafted to fit the individual as they exist in the here and now. an intervention and active technique that facilitates collaborative exploration of client experience, give chance to be systematic in learning by doing, ways of exploring client's experiential world, explore awareness process and discover how their thinking, feeling, sensing, and behaving works or does not. Main purpose: learning, slowing down and depending the experience for new understanding and new possibilities for more flexible, effective response. experiences are key part of the ongoing dialogue between client and therapist, not a method to fix the client or make the process more exciting. creative adventures with results that surprise both the clients and the therapist and can occur in series over the therapeutic process, evolve from themes developed through therapeutic engagement, not to achieve goals. an attitude in Gestalt therapy, needs full participation of client, tests them to determine what does and does not fit for them through their own awareness. Polster says they bring out some kind of internal conflict by making the struggle an actual process, facilitating ability to work through stuck points, encourage spontaneity and inventiveness by bringing possibilities for action/behavior into the session, can take many forms. clients may get feelings associated with their conflicts as struggles come to life, must be tailored to each person used in a timely and appropriate manner, need context that balances support and risk, therapist uses sensitivity and careful attention to make sure things are neither too threatening nor too safe. it is important for people to experience the power of Gestalt experiments

limitations of Gestalt from a diversity perspective

clients who are culturally conditioned to be emotionally reserved may find the emphasis on feelings to be off putting, those who use Gestalt techniques in a mechanical way (e.g. intense emotions) may lead clients to terminate form therapy prematurely

six components of the Gestalt therapy methodology

continuum of experience, the experiment, the here and now, the authentic encounter, paradoxical theory of change, and process-oriented diagnosis

Kierkegaard's themes

creative anxiety, despair, fear and dread, guilt, and nothingness, becoming human is a project in which we create ourselves, the uneasiness of life is necessary for being human, if we do not experience some angst, we move through life as sleepwalkers

Nietzche's themes

death, suicide, and will, we need to give free reign to our will to power, rather than taking part in herd morality, in order to tap our potential for creativity and originality

organismic self-regulation

emergence of need sensations and interest disturb an individual's equilibrium

relationship between therapist and client in existential therapy

therapy is a journey taken by therapist and client, the person to person relationship is key, the relationship demands that therapists be in contact with their own phenomenological world, the core the the therapeutic relationship is respect and faith in client's potential to cope and sharing reactions with genuine concern and empathy

client's experience in existential therapy

encourage to assume responsibility for how they are currently choosing to be in the world, take action on the basis on the insights they develop through the therapeutic process, need to experiment with new ways of behaving in the outside world if change is successful, must be active in the therapeutic process in deciding what fears, guilt feelings, and anxieties they will explore. deciding to enter therapy is scary for most but doing so is the start of becoming more independent from others and becoming aware of who they are and have been and can decide on the future. even if they plead helplessness, they take a step toward freedom when they enter therapy and can take more small steps to expand their range of freedom as therapy progresses. they must confront ultimate concerns rather than coping with immediate problems, removing road blocks to meaningful living and assuming responsibility for actions, struggle with therapist to resonate with therapist in facing life honestly.

Importance of preparing clients for Gestalt experiments

essential that counselors establish a relationship with their clients so they feel trusting enough to participate and learn from experiments, clients will get more from them if they are oriented and ready for them, trusting relationship makes clients likely to recognize their resistance and allow themselves to participate in these experiments. if clients are to cooperate, counselors must avoid directing them in a commanding fashion to carry out the experiment, ask them if they are willing to try instead to see what they might learn, tell them they can stop whenever to give power to them, the way in which clients resist doin and experiment reveals a lot about their personality and way of being in the world. therapists expect and respect reluctance and meet clients wherever they are. experiments work best when therapist is respectful of client's cultural background and has a solid working alliance w/them. clients w/long history of containing their feelings may be reluctant to participate in experiments that will surface their emotions. contemporary therapy places less emphasis on resistance than earlier versions and is viewed as unnecessary as an idea by some, therapists should observe what is presently happening rather than trying to make something happen, getting away from the notion of resistance. change can occur through contact and awareness rather than trying to change, resistance can be appreciated and turned into a creative adjustment rather than something to overcome, resistance needs to be respected and taken seriously. clients are given chances in the safety of the session to try new behaviors. an experimental attitude in the therapeutic process involves the client's input and allows what emerges between client and therapist to guide the direction of the therapy, heightening awareness of functioning and leading to increased self-understanding. experiments are only means to the end of helping people become more aware and making changes they most desire

making the rounds

exercise that involves asking a person in a group to go up to others in it and either speak to or do something with each person in order to confront, risk, or disclose the self, experiment with new behavior, and to grow and change, can be used on clients who, for example, say they want to participate but do not think the other group members care or they don't trust them, they're afraid of being rejected or accepted, etc. can face each member of the group with some theme

difference between exercises and experiments

exercises are preplanned activities that can be used to elicit emotion, produce action, or achieve a goal. experiments are spontaneously created to fit what is happening in the therapeutic process and can be useful tools to help clients gain fuller awareness, experience internal conflicts, resolve inconsistencies and dichotomies, and work through impasses that prevent completion of unfinished business. techniques and exercises are the least important part of Gestalt therapy, neither define it or are necessary. when use at their best, interventions fit the therapeutic situation and highlight whatever the client is experiencing.

the experience of aloneness (as a part of striving for identity)

existentialists say this is part of the human condition, but add that we can get strength from the experience of looking into ourselves and sensing our separation, which comes when we see that we can't depend on anyone for our own confirmation, we alone must give meaning to life and decide how we will live. if we cannot tolerate being alone, how will we expect anyone to be enriched by our company? before we have any solid relationship with others, we need a solid relationship with ourselves that has listening.

unfinished business

feelings about the past are unexpressed, these feelings are associated with distinct memories and fantasies, feelings not fully experienced linger in the background and interfere with effective contact. the result is preoccupation, compulsive behavior, wariness, oppressive energy, and self defeating behavior

contributions of existential therapy

have contributed a new dimension to the understanding of death, anxiety, guilt, frustration, loneliness, and alienation, its emphasis on the human quality of the therapeutic relationship, the key concepts of the approach can be integrated into most therapeutic schools

exaggeration exercise

helps with the Gestalt therapy aim for clients to become more aware of subtle signals and cues they send through body language. movements, postures, and gestures may communicate significant meanings, but cues may be incomplete. this exercise has person exaggerate the movement of gesture repeatedly, intensifying the feeling attached to it and making the inner meaning clearer. ex. trembling, shaking hands, slouched posture, etc.

principles of Gestalt therapy

holism, field theory, figure formation process, and organismic self-regulation (see terms)

Binswanger's themes

holistic model of self that addresses relationship between person and environment, significant features of the self include choice, freedom, and caring, based his existential approach largely on Heidegger's ideas and notion that we are thrown into the world but still responsible for our choices and planning for the future. existential analysis emphasized subjective and spiritual dimensions of human existence. said that crises in therapy were major choice points for clients

the experience of relatedness (as a part of striving for identity)

humans depend on relationships with others, want to be significant tin their world and fear their presence is important in our world. when we can stand alone and use our own strength, our relationships with others are based on our fulfillment, not our deprivation. if we feel deprived, we can expect little but clinging relationships with others. therapy should help clients distinguish between being neurotically dependent and having a life-affirming relationship in which both people are enhanced, therapist challenges client to examine what they get from relationships, avoidance of intimacy, and how they prevent themselves from having equal mature relationships and how to create them. therapists speak of intersubjectivity, which is the fact of our interrelatedness with others and the need for us to struggle with this in a creative way

the courage to be (as a part of striving for identity)

it takes courage to discover the true ground of our being and use its power to transcend those aspects of nonbeing that would destroy us, entails will to move forward despite anxiety-producing situations, we struggle to discover, create, and maintain the core deep within our being, if clients can confront their greatest fears, such as that there is nothing to them, they can develop a better tolerance for the uncertainty of life. by assisting clients to face the fear that their lives are empty or meaningless, they can help clients create a self with meaning and a substance they chose. therapists may start by asking clients to let themselves intensify the feeling that they are nothing but introjects of others, and then to question what the escape or answer is. putting the fear into words makes it feel less overwhelming

paradoxes inherit in the existential philosophy of living and how to help clients negotiate with them to find meaning in their lives

life can be undone by death, success is precarious, we are determined to be free, we are responsible for a world we did not choose, we must make choices in the face of doubt and uncertainty, searching directly for life's meaning will not get us to it. therapists can help clients deal with these paradoxes by helping them understand that there are no ultimate answers for ultimate concerns, but that by the same token we can choose how we wish to be in the world and how we react to things, that death can enhance our value of life, that our meaning never has to stay the same, that it is only through making choices and experiencing normal anxiety that we can find fulfillment, and that having an internally produced values system is far more authentic than relying on the values of others for guidance.

Sartre's themes

meaninglessness, responsibility, and choice, believed in extreme human freedom, thought the existence of space between the whole of our past and the now frees us to choose what we will, our values are what we choose, failure to acknowledge our freedom and choices results in emotional problems but it is hard to face, so we make excuses about our past, or bad faith. we can always make choices and become very different from how we were in the past, condemned to be free, to choose is to become committed and responsible, at every moment by our actions we are choosing who we are being, existence is never fixed/finished. every action is a fresh choice, but when we try to pin down who we are we engage in self deception

some major themes of existentialism

mortality, meaning, freedom, responsibility, anxiety, and aloneness as they relate to a person's current struggle

staying with the feeling

most people want to escape from fearful/unpleasant stimuli/feelings. at moments when clients refer to feelings that are unpleasant that they want to flee from, therapist urges them to stay with it and go deeper into it. facing and experiencing feelings not only takes courage but is a mark of willingness to endure the pain necessary for unblocking and making way for newer levels of growth. a strong therapeutic relationship built on trust+ nonjudgmental acceptance creates safety needs for clients to do this

the impasse, its implications, and its relation to avoidance

occurs when external support is not available or the customary way of being does not work, therapist has to accompany clients in experiencing it without rescuing or frustrating them. the counselor assists clients by providing situations that encourage them to full experience being stuck. by completely experiencing it, rather than avoiding it, they are able to get into contact with their frustrations and accept whatever is rather than wishing they were different. Gestalt therapy is based on the notion that people have a striving toward actualization and growth and that if they accept all aspects of themselves without judging these dimensions they can begin to think, feel, and act differently

the rehearsal exercise

oftentimes we get stuck rehearsing silently to ourselves so we will gain acceptance, but when it comes to performance we get anxiety because we fear we won't play our role well. internal rehearsal consumes energy and inhibits our spontaneity and willingness to experiment with new behavior. when clients share their rehearsals out loud with a therapist, they become more aware of the many preparatory means they use in bolstering their social roles. they become increasingly aware of how they try to meet expectations of others, degree to which they want to be approved and like, and of the extent to which they go to gain it

the now, dealing with the past and dealing with the future in Gestalt

our "power is in the present," nothing exists except the "now," the past is gone and the future has not yet arrived. for many people the power of the present is lost, they may focus on their past mistakes or engage in endless resolutions and plans for the future. emphasis on learning to appreciate and fully experience the present moment. phenomenological inquiry involves paying attention to what is occurring now. most people can stay in the present for only a short time and are inclined to find ways to interrupt the present flow, often talking about their feelings in a detached way instead of experiencing them, therapists need to help clients become aware of their present experience by asking what and how questions in dialogue but rarely why questions. suspending preconceived ideas, assumptions, or interpretations concerning the meaning of clients experience is also important. experiments may be suggested once present emotions can actually be identified so they can be explored. therapists recognize that the past will make regular appearances in the present moment, usually because of some lack of completion from it. when past seems to have significant bearing on client's present attitudes and behavior, it is dealt with by bringing it to the present as much as possible. when clients speak about their past, therapists ask them to reenact it as though they were living it now.

Yalom's contributions

parents were immigrants from Russia after WWI, lived in poor inner city of Washington SC, read fiction to inspire him, his book has been translated into 12 languages, developed an existential approach to psychotherapy addressing four givens of existence or ultimate human concerns: freedom and responsibility, existential isolation, meaninglessness, and death, which deal with the client's existence or being-in-the-world. believes a vast majority of experienced therapists regardless of orientation address these themes. how we address the themes greatly influences the design and quality of our lives. believes a different therapy must be designed for each client because each has a unique story. advocates using the present of the therapeutic relationship to explore the client's interpersonal world, believes the therapist but be transparent especially about their experience with the client, his basic philosophy is existential and interpersonal, applied to both individual and group therapy, has supported the role of death anxiety in psychotherapy

role of the counselor in existential therapy

primary role is to understand the subjective role of clients and help them come to new understandings and options, concerned about clients avoiding responsibility and invite clients to accept it. when clients complain about predicaments and blame others, therapists ask how they contributed to their situation, usually deal with people living in a restricted existence and limited awareness, so therapists assist clients in seeing ways they constrict their awareness and the cost of it, therapist holds up a mirror so clients can engage in self-confrontation, clients can see how they became the way they are and how they might enlarge the way they live, begin to accept responsibility for changing their future. practitioners make use of techniques from various theoretical orientations, but no set of techniques is considered essential, makes a journey that is creative, uncertain, and different for each client, encourage experimentation in therapy office and outside of it, based on belief that life outside therapy is what counts. often ask clients to reflect on or write about problematic events they encounter in daily life

Gestalt view of human nature and its implications on counseling

rooted in existential philosophy, phenomenology, and field theory. genuine knowledge comes from what is immediately evident in the experience of the perceiver, therapy aims at awareness and contact w/the environment, involving both external and internal world, the quality of the contact is monitored, the process of reowning parts of the self that have been disowned and the process of unification are focused on until clients can carry own w/their own personal growth, becoming aware helps them make informed choices and live a more meaningful existence, this methods view assumes individuals can self-regulate when they are aware of what is happening around them, therapy provides the setting and opportunity for that awareness to be supported and restored, therapists attend to client's present experience and trust the process, assisting them in moving toward increased awareness. the more we work at becoming who or what we are not, the more we remain the same, authentic change occurs more from being who we are than trying to be who we are not (paradoxical theory of change), therapists ask clients to invest themselves fully in their current condition rather than striving to become who they should be, believe people change and grow when they experience who they really are in the world

Deurzen's contributions

says existential therapy is not designed to "cure" people of illness in the tradition of the medical model because people are not sick but are "sick of life or clumsy at living," learned her psychotherapy practice that individuals have incredible resilience and intelligence in overcoming their problems once they commit themselves to a self-searching process. her clients find meaning in heir past hardships rather than defining them in old patterns, and can recognize the contradictions and paradoxes of life to face their troubles and solve dilemmas, they discover what is most important in life

May's cotributions

struggled with his own existential concerns and two failed marriages, got tuberculosis, works reflect concern with the nature of human experience, such as recognizing and dealing with power, accepting freedom and responsibility, and discovering one's identity, writings had big impact on existentially oriented practitioners, believed psychotherapy should be aimed at helping people discover the meaning of their lives and be concerned with problems of being rather than problem solving. questions of being include learning to deal with issues like sex and intimacy, growing old, facing death, and taking action in the world, said real challenge is for people to be able to live in a world where they are alone and where they will eventually face death, therapists must help people find ways to contribute to bettering society they live in

Boss' themes

talked of being in the world with Binswanger, which pertains to our ability to reflect on life events and attribute meaning top these events, believed therapist must enter the client's subjective world w/o presuppositions that would get in the way of this experiential understanding, influenced by Heidegger and Freudian psychoanalysis, applied Heidegger's philosophical notions to therapeutic practice, especially concerned w/integrating Freud's methods with Heidegger's concepts

limitations of Gestalt therapy

the approach has the potential for the therapist to abuse power by using powerful techniques without proper training, this approach may not be useful for clients who have difficulty abstracting and imagining, the emphasis on therapist authenticity and self-disclosure may be overpowering for some clients

basic dimensions of the human condition in existential therapy

the capacity for self awareness, the tension between freedom and responsibility, the creation of an identity and establishing meaningful relationships, the search for meaning, accepting anxiety as a condition of living, the awareness of death and nonbeing

boundary disturbances/resistance to contact

the defenses we develop to prevent us from experiencing the present fully (five types (see terms): introjection, projection, retroflection, deflection, confluence)

therapeutic techniques

the experiment, exaggeration exercise, internal dialogue exercise, staying with the feeling, rehearsal exercise, making the rounds, reversal technique, dream work

holism

the full range of human functioning includes thoughts, feelings, behaviors, body, language, and dreams

the capacity for self-awareness (existential therapy)

the greater our awareness, the greater our possibilities for freedom. it is realizing that we are finite, time is limited, we have the choice to act or not to act, meaning is not automatic, we must seek it, and we are subject to loneliness, meaninglessness, emptiness, guilt, and isolation

Primary focus of Gestalt approach

the here and now, the what and how of experiencing, the authenticity of the therapist, active dialogic inquiry and exploration, and the I/Thou of relating (awareness, choice, and responsibility are the cornerstones of practice, and the initial goal is for clients to expand their awareness of what they are experiencing in the present moment)

limitations of existential psychotherapy

the individualistic focus may not fit within the world views of clients from a collectivistic culture, the focus on self-determination may not fully account for real-life limitations of those who are oppressed and have limited choices, some clients prefer a more directive approach to counseling, some practitioners may view the concepts as lofty and elusive, some practitioners may lack the level of maturity, life experience, and intensive training required to be effect, the approach does not focus on specific techniques, making treatments difficult to standardize and study empirically

how an existential therapist may intervene with a client who displays a great deal of anxiety

the therapist can help clients recognize that learning how to tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty and how to live without props can be a necessary phase in the journey from dependence to autonomy. they can explore the possibility that although breaking away form crippling patterns and building new ways of living may have much anxiety, anxiety will diminish as the client experiences more satisfaction with newer ways of being. when the client becomes more self-confident, the anxiety that results from an expectation of catastrophe will likely decrease. normal anxiety can be used as an appropriate response to encountering challenges and choices and a motivation to express freedom over ones self and way of being. identifying neurotic anxiety and how clients are immobilized from it, and then slowly breaking down the client's ability to control how they respond to events in their lives while accepting what they cannot change, is also important

Gestalt therapist's role of creating experiments and viewing clients as the expert

therapist invite clients into an active partnership where they can learn about themselves by adopting an experimental attitude toward life in which they try out new behaviors and notice what happens, therapists use active methods of personal engagement with clients to increase their awareness, freedom, and self-direction rather than directing them toward preset goals (see experiment purpose and description).

counseling implications of the notions of death and nonbeing

therapists are recommended by Yalom to talk directly to clients about the reality of death, believing fear of death can haunt us throughout life. death is a visitor in the therapeutic process, and ignoring it sends the message that it is too overwhelming to explore. however, confronting it can be the factor that helps us transform an inauthentic mode of living in to a more authentic one. one focus in existential therapy is on exploring the degree to which clients are doing the things they value. without being morbidly preoccupied by the ever-present threat of nonbeing, clients can develop a healthy awareness of death as a way to evaluate how well they are living and what changes they want to make in their lives. those who fear death fear life. when we emotionally accept the reality of eventual death, we realize more clearly that our actions do count, we have choices, and we must accept the ultimate responsibility for how well we are living

freedom and responsibility implications on existential counseling

therapists assist client sin discovering how they are avoiding freedom and encourages them to learn to risk using it. not doing this would be to cripple clients and make them depend on the therapist. therapists have to teach clients that they can explicitly accept that they have choices, even though they may have strictly avoided them in the past. those in therapy often have mixed feelings when it comes to choice. people often seek psychotherapy bc they feel they have lost control of their lives. therapists need to invite clients to recognize how they have had others choose for them and also to take steps to choosing for themselves and exploring new options for fulfillment. it is important to note that some clients may feel limited in their freedom due to cultural and social circumstances, and to help them navigate a balance in their lives. also, it is important to note that freedom to be is stronger than freedom to act, which is limited by external reality. we can be in any state and choose to react to things however we want

Gestalt therapist's role of interpretation

therapists don't make interpretations that explain the dynamics of an individual's behavior or tell a client why they are acting a certain way because they are not experts on the clients experience. instead, clients are active participants who make their own interpretations and meanings

Gestalt therapist's role of of frustrating the client

therapists may challenge and frustrate the client in order to get clients to pay attention to how they are expressing their feelings and life experiences rather than what those feelings and experiences actually are, frustrating clients can enhance their awareness, although it is not always necessary. getting clients into contact with their existing frustrations and helping them feel and then accept them is important

Gestalt therapist's role of paying attention to client body language

therapists pay attention to client's body language, these nonverbal cues provide good info as they often represent feelings of which client is unaware, therapist needs to be alert for gaps in attention and awareness and incongruities between words and body language, therapist might direct clients to speak for and become their gestures or body parts by asking questions like what do your eyes say, etc., or questions about what laughter might mean when a person is saying they are angry, facilitating discovery of what the action means for the client

Gestalt therapist's role of noting language patterns

therapists place emphasis on relationship between language patterns and personality. client's speech patterns are often an expression of feelings, thoughts, and attitudes. the approach focuses on overt speaking habits as a way to increase client's awareness of themselves, especially by asking them to notice whether their words match what they are experiencing or are distancing them from their emotions. language can both describe and conceal. by focusing on language, clients can increase their awareness of what they experience in the present and how they are avoiding contact with the present experience. (see It talk, You talk, questions, language that denies power, listening to clients' metaphors, and listening for language that uncovers a story)

goals of Gestalt therapy

therapy does not ascribe to goal oriented methodology per se, but therapists clearly attend to the basic goal of assisting clients to get better awareness and greater choice. awareness includes knowing the environment and oneself, accepting oneself, being able to make contact. increased and enriched awareness is seen as curative, w/o it clients can't possess tools for personality change. with it they have the capacity to face, accept, and integrate denied parts and fully experience their subjectivity. become aware of denied parts and working toward owning experience leads to integration. when clients stay with awareness important unfinished business emerges and can be dealt with in therapy, the approach helps clients note their own awareness process so they can be responsible and make selective choices. awareness emerges within context of a genuine meeting (contact) between client and therapist. follows existential view that we are constantly rediscovering and remaking ourselves. clients are expected to end up doing the following in therapy: move toward increased awareness of themselves, assume ownership of experience, develop skills and values that allow them to satisfy their needs without violating rights of others, become more aware of their senses, learn to accept responsibility for their actions, including consequences, be able to ask for and get help from others and give to others

Gestalt approach to dream work/how Gestalt therapists help clients understand their dreams

this approach does not interpret or analyze dreams. instead the intent is to bring dreams back to life and relive them as though they were happening now. dreams are acted out in the present, and the dreamer becomes a part of their dream. suggested format for working with dreams includes making a list of all the details, remembering each person, event, and mood in it, and then becoming each of these parts by transforming oneself, acting as fully as possible and inventing dialogue. each part of the dream is assumed to be a projection of the self, and the client creates scripts for encounters between various characters or parts. all of the different parts of a dream are expressions of the client's own contradictory and inconsistent sides. by engaging in a dialogue between these opposing sides, the client gradually becomes more aware of the range of their own feelings. Perls said every person and object in the dream represents a projected aspect of the dreamer. recognizing the senses and understanding projections go together. because clients can act out a fight between opposing sides, eventually they can appreciate and accept their inner differences and integrate opposing forces. Perls called dreams the royal road to integration and said the dream was the most spontaneous expression of the existence of the human being. represents an unfinished situation, but every dream also contains an existential message regarding oneself and one's current struggle. everything can be found in dreams if all parts are understood and assimilated, serve as way to discover personality voids by revealing missing parts of client's methods of avoidance. Perls asserts that if dreams are properly worked with, the existential message becomes clearer. if people don't remember dreams, they may be refused to face what is wrong in their life. the counselor should at least ask clients to talk to their missing dreams

confrontation's role and guidelines

this concept is set up in contemporary therapy in a way that invites clients to examine their behaviors, attitudes, and thoughts. therapists can encourage clients to look at certain incongruities, especially gaps between their verbal and nonverbal expression. does not have to be aimed at weaknesses or negative traits, clients can be challenged to recognize how they are blocking their strengths. therapists who care enough to make demands on their clients are telling them that they could be in fuller contact with themselves and others. clients must ultimately decide for themselves if they want to accept this invitation to learn more about themselves, which must be kept in mind with all experiments. contemporary theory has evolved to include more support, kindness, and compassion in therapy, combining empathic inquiry with crisp, clear, and relevant awareness focusing, rather than Perl's highly confrontational and abrasive approach. example: pointing out that as a therapist talks about how angry they are at a person, they laugh, and inviting them to examine that behavior further rather than brushing it aside

awareness of death and nonbeing

this gives us significance to living; it is necessary to think about it if we are to think significantly about life, our awareness of it is the source of zest for life and creativity, we can turn our fear of it into a positive force when we accept the reality of our mortality

authenticity and how it relates to the choices and relationships we make

this implies that we are living by being true to our own evaluation of what is a valuable existence for ourselves; it is the courage to be who we are. one of the aims of existential therapy is to help people face up to the difficulties of life with courage rather than avoiding life's struggles. when we are living authentically, the choices we make are based on our own values, and the relationships we form are based on fulfillment and benefits for both ourselves and the other person, rather than deprivation or the need for dependence on another person (see above as well)

the internal dialogue exercise

this technique helps with the Gestalt foal to bring about integrated functioning and acceptance of aspects of one's personality that have been disowned and denied. therapists attend to splits in personality function and the war between the righteous, authoritative, moralistic, demanding, manipulative top dog and the defensive, apologetic, helpless, feigning powerlessness underdog. the top dog badgers with should and oughts and manipulates with threats of catastrophe and the underdog is the one without responsibility and the one that finds excuses. they are engaged in a constant struggle for control, which helps to explain why one's resolutions and promises often go unfulfilled and why one consistently procrastinates. as a result of the struggle for control, the individual becomes fragmented into controller and controlled, and the war continues with both sides fighting for existence. the conflict between them is rooted in the mechanism of introjection, which involves incorporating aspects of others, usually parents, into one's personality. it is essential that clients become aware of their introjects, especially the toxic ones that poison the persona nd prevent personality integration

relationship between client and counselor in Gestalt

this theory practice involves a person-to-person relationship between the therapist and client. therapists are responsible for the quality of their presence, knowing themselves and the client, and staying open to them, and for establishing and maintaining a therapeutic atmosphere to foster a spirit of work on the client's part. therapist should allow themselves to be affected by their clients and share their own present perceptions and experiences as they encounter the clients in the present. however, therapists need to be thoughtful about when and what to share. when a difficulty in a client's life is being enacted in the therapeutic relationship, the therapist invites the client to explore the issue. therapist allows clients to be who they are and remain themselves and do not get lost in a role, expected to encounter clients w/honest and immediate reactions, share their personal experiences in appropriate and relevant ways, give feedback that lets clients develop n awareness of what they are doing. Brown suggests therapists share reactions but also stresses respect, acceptance, present-centeredness, and presence. Many writers prioritize the I/thou relationship and the quality of the therapist's presence, instead of technical skills. they warn that becoming technique bound and losing sight of their own being as they engage with the client is dangerous. contemporary therapy has moved beyond earlier practices. creating a relationship in therapy is not a prelude but the heart of therapy, and therapist's attitudes and behavior and the relationship are important. increasing emphasis on presence, authentic dialogue, gentleness, more direct self-expression by therapist, decreased stereotype exercise use, and greater trust in client experiencing, person of the therapist is more important than techniques, nonjudgmental dialogue. therapists need to know themselves (their qualities of tenderness, toughness, compassion, etc.) and be therapeutic instruments as they create new life, or else they become technicians, and use their own experiences as essential ingredients in the therapy process, need to be in tune with themselves and the client to make effective contact with clients, the engagement changes both parties. experiments should be aimed at awareness, not simple solutions to clients problems

Logotherapy as it helps clients deal with meaninglessness by creating new meaning in life

this therapy is designed to helps clients find meaning in life, therapist does not tell clients what their particular meaning in life should be but points out that they can create meaning even in suffering, holds that human suffering can be turned into human achievement by the stand a person takes when faced with it, Frankl says people who confront pain, guilt, despair, and death can effectively deal with it and triumph. however, meaning is not something we can directly search for and obtain, paradoxically, the more we seek it, the more likely we are to miss it, meaning is created out of individuals' engagement w/what is valued, commitment provides purpose that makes life worthwhile. it is an ongoing process we struggle with throughout life, what provides meaning may change

role of techniques in existential therapy

this therapy not technique oriented, techniques form other models can be used within the context of striving to understand the subjective world of the client, but they must be used in an integrated fashion, when the deepest self of the therapist meets the deepest part of the client, the counseling process is at its best

how the search for meaning influences what an existential therapist does during sessions

to respond to this search, which includes questions such as "why am I here" and "What gives my life purpose," therapists can provide the conceptual framework for helping clients challenge the meaning in their lives by asking questions like "Do you like the direction of your life?" "Are you pleased with what you now are and what you are becoming?" "If you are confused about who you are and what you want for yourself, what are you doing to get some clarity?" some clients have issues discarding traditional and imposed values and replacing them with new ones suitable to them. not having replacement values can cause an existential vacuum. therapists need to help clients create a value system based on a way of living that is consistent with their way of being, and to trust the capacity of clients to eventually create this internally derived system that is a foundation for meaningful life. this trust is important in helping clients trust their own capacity to create new sources of values

figure formation process

tracks how an individual organizes experiences from moment to moment as some aspect of the environmental field emerges from the background and becomes the focal point of the individual's attention and interest (foreground: figure, background: ground). derived from the study of visual perception by a group of Gestalt psychologists. in this process contemporary Gestalt therapists facilitate the client's movement toward and away from the figure of interest, the dominant needs of the individual at a given moment influence this process. relates to field theory because we are both viewing the client in the context of their environment as well as observing and altering the client's focus or attention and interest on either the figure or ground of their environment

clients experience/responsibilities in Gestalt therapy

traditional therapists in this theory assume clients must be confronted about how they avoid accepting responsibility, but the dialogic attitude that characterizes the contemporary version creates ground for a meeting place between the client and therapist. other issues that can become the focal point of therapy include the client-therapist relationship and the similarities in the ways clients relate to the therapist and to others in their environment. therapists do not make interpretations that explain the dynamics of an individual's behavior or tell a client why they act a certain way because they are not experts on the clients experience. clients are active participants who make their own interpretations and meanings, and they increase awareness and decide what they will or will not do with their personal meaning. Miriam Polster described a three-stage integration sequence that characterizes client growth in therapy (discovery, accommodation, and assimilation

Frankl's contributions

was a prisoner in a concentration camp, believed people could preserve their spiritual freedom and independence of mind despite external circumstances, developed logo therapy, central themes in his work included that life has meaning under all circumstances, the central motivation for living is the will to meaning, we have the freedom to find meaning in all that we think, and we must integrate, body, mind, and spirit to be fully alive, the modern person has the means to live but often has no meaning to live for

freedom and responsibility

we do not choose the circumstances into which we are born, but we create our own destiny through our choices, this implies we are responsible for our lives, for our actions, and for our failures to take action, these two go hand in hand, assuming this is a basic condition for change.

unfinished business as it manifests from the past in current behavior

when figures emerge from the background but are not completed and resolved, this occurs, which can be manifested in unexpressed feelings such as resentment, rage, hatred, pain, anxiety, grief, guilt, and abandonment. unacknowledged feelings create unnecessary emotional debris that clutters present-centered awareness/ because the feelings are not fully experienced in awareness, they linger in the background and are carried into present life in ways that interfere with effective contact with oneself and others, they do seek completion when the get powerful enough, and the individual is beset with worry, compulsive behavior, wariness, oppressive energy, and self defeating behavior, persists until individuals face and deal with unexpressed feelings/ the effects of it show up in some blockage within the body, and the therapist's tsk is to assist clients in exploring these bodily expressions. emphasize paying attention to bodily experience on the assumption that if feelings are unexpressed they tend to result in some physical sensation/problems

Bugental's contributions

wrote about life-changing psychotherapy, which is the effort to help clients examine how they have answered life's existential questions and invite them to revise their answers so they can live more authentically, coined term "existential-humanistic" psychotherapy, leading spokesman for this approach, included curiosity and focus that moved him away from labeling and diagnosing clients, emphasized client and therapist presence, made intervnetions to assist client in deeper inner exploration/searching, therapist must help clients make new discoveries about themselves in the living moment rather than talking about themselves, central is the view of resistance to being fully present in the therapy and in life, part of the self-and-world construct, or how a person understandings their being and relationship w/the world, forms of resistance include intellectualizing, arguing, seeking to please, other life limiting patterns, therapist notes or tags these so client increases their awareness and has increased range of choices, distinction between therapeutic process and content, had workshops and live demonstrations that emphasized here and now dialogue, wrote works that deconstructed therapy and moved beyond theory generalizations to an actual moment to moment description of the therapeutic encounter