chapter 8

Often Greta, who struggles to feel good about herself, comes to sessions with slouched posture. In order to help Greta gain a clearer understanding of the inner meaning of her slouched posture, a Gestalt therapist might: a. have Greta undergo hypnosis. b. ask Greta to free associate to the words "slouched posture." c. ask Greta to exaggerate her poor posture, which is likely to intensify her feelings attached to it. d. refer her to an orthopedic surgeon to rule out scoliosis.

C ask Greta to exaggerate her poor posture, which is likely to intensify her feelings attached to it.

A healthy contact experience involves all of the following except: a. interacting with others while maintaining a sense of self. b. creativity. c. projection.

C.projection

Which of the following is not true about Fritz Perls? a. He developed Gestalt therapy. b. He aroused various reactions in the people he met. c. During his childhood, he was a model student. d. He was trained in psychoanalysis. e. He gave workshops and seminars at the Esalen Institute.

During his childhood, he was a model student.

Which of the following is not true about the Gestalt view of the role of confrontation in therapy? a. It is not possible to be both confrontational and gentle with clients. b. Confrontation does not have to be aimed at negative traits. c. It is important to confront clients with the ways they are avoiding being fully alive. d. Confrontation should be a genuine expression of caring.

a. It is not possible to be both confrontational and gentle with clients.

The basic goal of Gestalt therapy is: a. to understand why we feel as we do. b. attaining awareness, and with it greater choice. c. to uncover repressed material. d. to help clients develop better social skills.

b. attaining awareness, and with it greater choice.

Which of the following is not one of the Gestalt group leader's roles? a. engaging in self-disclosure b. facilitating contact in the group setting c. evoking group catharsis. d. designing experiments for group members

c. evoking group catharsis.

Which of the following Gestalt techniques involves asking one person in a group to speak to each of the other group members? a. the rehearsal exercise c. making the rounds b. the reversal technique d. the exaggeration technique

c. making the rounds

Which of the following is not one of Miriam Polster's three stages in her integration sequence? a. accommodation c. reunification b. assimilation d. discovery

c. reunification

A Gestalt technique that is most useful when a person attempts to deny an aspect of his or her personality (such as tenderness) is: a. the rehearsal exercise. c. the reversal exercise. b. making the rounds. d. the empty chair technique.

c. the reversal exercise.

Erv Polster believes that storytelling: a. is an indication that one's client is a pathological liar. b. is a sign of high verbal abilities, and thus, high intelligence. c. can be the heart of the therapeutic process since people are storytelling beings. d. is acceptable only if one's client is a writer. e. is always a form of resistance.

can be the heart of the therapeutic process since people are storytelling beings.

18. According to Gestalt theory, people use avoidance in order to: a. keep themselves from facing unfinished business. b. keep from feeling uncomfortable emotions. c. keep from having to change. d. all of these

d

A contribution of this therapeutic approach is that: a. it can be a relatively brief therapy. b. it enables intense experiencing to occur quickly. c. it stresses doing and experiencing, as opposed to talking about problems. d. all of these. e. none of these.

d

Gestalt therapists say that clients resist contact by means of: a. introjection. c. projection. b. retroflection. d. all of these

d

In Gestalt therapy, the relationship between client and counselor is seen as: a. an existential encounter. c. an I/Thou interaction. b. a joint venture. d. all of these

d

Who among the following is not considered a relational Gestalt therapist? a. Laura Perls c. Erv Polster b. Miriam Polster d. Fritz Perls

d frittz

The empty chair technique: a. helps to resolve unfinished business. b. balances internal polarities. c. assists clients in reowning parts of their personality. d. allows clients to externalize an introject. e. all of these.

e

Field theory suggests that: a. phenomenological inquiry is the key to behavior change. b. everything in human experience is relational and in constant flux. c. the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. d. the "how" of behavior is more important than the "why" of behavior. e. human beings have a innate capacity to self regulate.

everything in human experience is relational and in constant flux.

1. Gestalt theory is best considered as a form of psychoanalytic therapy.

false

According to Perls, awareness of and by itself is not sufficient to lead to change; clients must also put their experiences into some type of cognitive framework if change is to happen.

false

Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) is synonymous with Gestalt therapy.

false

Gestalt therapy focuses on the cognitive aspects of therapy.

false

Gestalt therapy is designed for individual counseling, and it typically does not work well in groups.

false

One of the contributions of Gestalt therapy is the vast empirical research that has been done to validate the specific techniques used.

false

Retroflection involves doing to others what we would like them to do to us.

false

Since Gestalt therapy focuses on the here-and-now, the past is neither explored nor given emphasis. ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: pg. 216

false

The Gestalt approach to dream work consists of the therapist interpreting the meaning of the symbols in the dream.

false

The Gestalt therapist typically uses diagnosis and interpretation as a basic part of the therapeutic process.

false

The goal of Gestalt therapy is to solve basic problems, to resolve one's polarities, and to help the individual to adjust to his or her environment.

false

Therapy is based upon the successful resolution of the transference relationship.

false

A Gestalt therapist pays attention to ways the client uses language. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: pg. 220

true

A current trend in Gestalt therapy is toward greater emphasis on the client/therapist relationship rather than on techniques.

true

Although Perls used a highly confrontational approach in dealing with client avoidance and resistance, the confrontational model is not representative of contemporary Gestalt therapy.

true

Blocked energy is a form of defensive behavior.

true

Both contact and withdrawal are necessary and important to healthy functioning.

true

Fritz Perls' wife Laura stated, "Without the constant support from his friends, and from me, without the constant encouragement and collaboration, Fritz would never have written a line, nor founded anything."

true

Gestalt group therapists use experiments to encourage clients to move from talking about action to taking action.

true

Gestalt therapies view a client's avoidance behavior as related to unfinished business. ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: pg. 216

true

Gestalt therapy makes use of a wide variety of techniques that are designed to increase the client's awareness of his or her present experiencing.

true

In Gestalt terms, awareness refers to our connectedness to our external and internal worlds.

true

In Gestalt therapy, a client's resistance is welcomed and used to deepen their therapeutic work.

true

In the Gestaltist view, unfinished business is best explored in the present.

true

Most of the Gestalt techniques are designed to intensify one's experiencing.

true

Part of success in using Gestalt techniques is contingent upon preparing clients for these techniques.

true

People who rely on retroflection tend to inhibit themselves from taking action out of fear of embarrassment, guilt, and resentment.

true

In Gestalt theory, the experiment is considered: a. a theoretical proposition crafted to fit the client's unique needs. b. a specific technique of therapy. c. a scientific procedure to assess the effectiveness of therapy. d. a ready-made exercise used to achieve a behavioral goal.

a.a theoretical proposition crafted to fit the client's unique needs.

Empirical support for Gestalt therapy is: a. weak. c. well-developed. b. becoming stronger. d. unavailable.

b. becoming stronger.

Because of his need to be liked, Jose makes careful efforts to get along with everyone and minimizes interpersonal conflicts. Which boundary disturbance is Jose exhibiting? a. introjection. c. retroflection. b. confluence. d. projection.

b. confluence.

Mariah tells her therapist, a Gestaltist, that she dreamt she got married to a pit bull and felt uneasy about telling her parents that she married a dog. When her parents discovered their son-in-law was a pit bull, they disowned her and suddenly became dogs themselves. In response to this dream, Mariah's therapist: a. should interpret the dream for her client. b. should assist her client in reliving the dream as though it was happening in the now and have her become each part of the dream. c. may need to contact a psychiatric hospital (and possibly an animal shelter) since it is likely Mariah unconsciously desires to marry a dog. d. should encourage her client to forget the dream since it was meaningless.

b. should assist her client in reliving the dream as though it was happening in the now and have her become each part of the dream.

Which of the statements below regarding emotion-focused therapy (EFT) is not true? a. EFT blends the relational aspects of the person-centered approach with the active phenomenological awareness experiments of Gestalt therapy. b. EFT entails the practice of therapy being informed by understanding the role of emotion in psychotherapeutic change. c. EFT was developed by Fritz Perls' wife, Laura. d. EFT methodology is similar to Gestalt therapy but emphasizes empirically supported treatments. e. All are true.

c. EFT was developed by Fritz Perls' wife, Laura.

Which of the following is not true about Gestalt techniques? a. "Exercises" are ready-made techniques. b. Techniques are used for the purpose of increasing the client's awareness. c. Experiments are always carried out during the therapy session, rather than outside it. d. Clients need to be prepared for their involvement in Gestalt techniques. e. "Experiments" grow out of the interaction between therapist and client.

c. Experiments are always carried out during the therapy session, rather than outside it.

Contemporary Gestalt therapists view client resistance as: a. a sign of poor motivation for therapeutic work. b. a way that clients avoid confrontation. c. an element of therapy that needs to be respected. d. a therapy interfering force that needs to be overcome.

c. an element of therapy that needs to be respected.

According to the Gestalt perspective, if people do not remember their dreams: a. they are sound sleepers. b. they lack creativity. c. they may be refusing to face what is wrong with their lives. d. they should be referred to a therapist with a different theoretical orientation. e. that suggests they have no internal conflicts.

c. they may be refusing to face what is wrong with their lives.

The Gestalt therapist: a. is mainly nondirective. b. freely makes interpretations for the client. c. assigns homework to bring about specific cognitive and behavior changes. d. pays attention to the client's nonverbal language. e. helps the client understand why he or she is behaving in self-defeating ways.

d. pays attention to the client's nonverbal language.

Which of the following aspects of a client's use of language would a Gestalt therapist not focus on? a. "it" talk b. "you" talk c. language that denies power d. semantics e. questions

d. semantics

Without proper training, Gestalt therapists may: a. evoke catharsis without having the ability to work it through with their client. b. design faulty experiments. c. may damage the therapeutic relationship with the client. d. may use ready-made techniques inappropriately. e. all of these.

e

Which of the following is not considered one of the six methodological components of Gestalt therapy? a. the here and now b. the authentic encounter c. the paradoxical theory of change d. process-oriented diagnosis e. assessment

e . assestment

10. When a person experiences an internal conflict (namely a conflict between top dog and underdog), which of the following techniques would be most appropriate? a. the rehearsal exercise b. making the rounds c. the reversal technique d. the exaggeration exercise e. the internal dialogue exercise

e the internal dialogue exercise

Gestalt therapy is a form of: a. existential therapy. c. behavior therapy. b. Freudian psychoanalytic therapy. d. neo-Freudian analytic therapy.

existential therapy.

xGestaltists typically ask why questions in the attempt to get clients to think about the source of their problems.

false

A critical difference between early Gestalt therapy and relational Gestalt therapy is: a. the emphasis on contact. b. the approach to confrontation. c. the use of techniques. d. the focus on the figure formation process.

the approach to confrontation B

Gestalt techniques can be considered experiments.

true

Since Gestalt therapists believe that questions have a tendency to keep the questioner hidden, safe, and unknown, they often ask clients to change their questions into statements.

true

The paradoxical theory of behavior change suggests: a. we change by setting future-oriented goals. b. change is facilitated when we accept our mortality. c. we change through becoming aware of who we currently are. d. careful attention should devoted to changing behavior in the moment it is happening. e. clients should pay particular attention to becoming the person they wish to be.

we change through becoming aware of who we currently are.

According to Gestalt theory, all of the following are true about contact except: a. contact is necessary for change and growth to occur. b. one maintains a sense of individuality as a result of good contact. c. contact is made by seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and moving. d. we often tend to resist contact with others. e. withdrawal after a good contact experience indicates neurosis.

withdrawal after a good contact experience indicates neurosis.