Finding Freedom Through Gestalt Therapy

You can’t be defined as just one thing. So healing requires looking at all of the things that make you, you. Gestalt therapy shows how all the facets in your life impact you. This approach honors that both you and your environment are always shaping each other. And you can learn how to make this relationship a positive one. 

In rehab, gestalt therapy can empower you to move forward from what’s holding you back.  

What Is Gestalt Therapy?

A “gestalt” is a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts.¹ According to this approach, if you want to understand something, you have to look at its context. Gestalt therapy helps you realize how different areas of your life impact you. 

This therapy works by bringing you into the present moment to heal.² It focuses on the here and now. You can still look at past experiences that you want to work through. But by focusing on what you’re feeling right now, you’re better able to understand and regulate your feelings. Gestalt therapy aims to help you make peace with the past, so you can move on to a brighter future.

This healing journey encourages you to reconnect with and accept buried parts of yourself. It also urges you to be accountable for how you live your life. While we can’t always control our circumstances, learning to adapt to the unpredictable can be hugely empowering.

How It Works

The key to Gestalt therapy is trust: trusting your therapist and trusting yourself. Doing so helps you develop the self-awareness to recognize patterns you want to change. 

In session, your therapist focuses on empathizing with you. By giving unconditional acceptance, they’ll provide a safe space for you to heal. They’ll do much more listening than talking. 

Gestalt Therapy Exercises 

Gestalt therapy takes a hands-on approach to healing. This experiential therapy will have you do more than just talking. In a session, you might do exercises like the following, including some that focus on analyzing body movement:

• “I” statements: Instead of “they were mean to me,” for example, you might say: “I feel that they’re being mean to me.” Using this kind of phrasing helps you take responsibility for your thoughts and emotions instead of blaming them on others. 

• The empty chair: You’ll face an empty chair, representing someone or something, and have an open conversation with it. Here, you’ll work through your unprocessed experiences—what Gestalt therapy refers to as “unfinished business.” The empty chair method³ releases negative feelings, making life more joyful. 
• The reversal technique: Your therapist will encourage you to act in ways you normally wouldn’t. If you’re normally passive, for example, you might act assertively. This allows you to overcome self-imposed labels and get in touch with your full self.
• Top dog vs. underdog: You’ll speak as both the “top dog” and “underdog” of your personality. That is, you’ll speak as your own dominant side versus your submissive side. This exercise reveals internal conflict and empowers you to work toward a middle ground. 
• Exaggeration: Your therapist will ask you to repeat certain actions, like your leg bouncing or picking your nails, that you do while talking. By doing this action again, you’ll see what emotion it’s tied to. Understanding this mind-body connection is grounding and allows you to develop control of your emotions. 

Is Gestalt Therapy Right for You?

Gestalt therapy treats a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. And you don’t have to have a diagnosis to benefit from it. Gestalt therapy is also used for low self-esteem⁴ and relationship problems. 

Gestalt therapy is process-oriented,⁵ unlike many other therapies. This means that it follows the flow of the therapy session and does not have specific rules or a timeline. If you need more structure, Gestalt therapy may not be a fit.