The Psychology Book (37 page)

116 FRITZ PERLS

perceived reality in the present

patient, who work together as

moment. This ability, to “be here

partners toward the goal. The

now” is critical to the Gestalt

therapist is dynamic but does not

process; it is an acute emotional

lead the patient; the Gestalt

awareness, and one that forms the

approach of Perls would later form

foundation for understanding how

the basis of Carl Rogers’ humanistic,

each of us creates and reacts to our

person-centered approach.

own environment. It also offers a

pathway for learning how to change

A denial of fate

the ways we experience ourselves

Another component in the Gestalt

and our environment.

method involves the use of language.

As a tool for personal growth,

One critical tool patients are given

the ability to get in touch with

for increasing self-awareness is the

authentic feelings—true thoughts

instruction to notice and change the

and emotions—is more important

use of the word “I” within speech.

Like Buddhism, Gestalt therapy

to Perls than the psychological

Perls says that to take responsibility

encourages the development of mindful

explanations or analytic feedback

for our reality, we must recognize

awareness and the acceptance of change

of other forms of therapy. The

how we use language to give the

as inevitable. Perls called change “the

“why” behind behavior holds

illusion that we have no control

study of creative adjustments.”

little significance for Perls; what

when this is not the case. By simply

is important is the “how” and

rephrasing “I can’t do that” to “I

responsibility for their perceived

“what.” This devaluing of the need

won’t do that,” it becomes clear that

sense of reality, they could create

to find out “why” and the shift of

I am making a choice. This also

the reality they wanted.

responsibility for meaning from

helps to establish ownership of

Perls helped his patients achieve

analyst to patient brought with it a

feeling; emotions arise in and belong

this through teaching them the

profound change in the therapist–

to me; I cannot blame someone or

integral processes of Gestalt therapy.

patient hierarchy. Where previous

something else for my feelings.

The first and most important process

approaches in therapy generally

Other examples of language

is learning to cultivate awareness

involved a therapist manipulating

change include replacing the word

and to focus that awareness on the

the patient toward the therapeutic

“should” with “want,” changing, for

feelings of the present moment.

goal, the Gestalt approach is

example, ”I should leave now” to “I

This allows the individual to directly

characterized by a warm, empathic

want to leave now.” This also acts

experience his or her feelings and

relationship between therapist and

to reveal the element of choice. As

Fritz Perls

Frederick “Fritz” Salomon Perls

thought. In the late 1960s, they

was born in Berlin at the end of

separated, and Perls moved to

the 19th century. He studied

California, where he continued

medicine, and after a short time in

to change the landscape of

the German army during World

psychotherapy. He left the US

War I, graduated as a doctor. He

to start a therapy center in

then trained as a psychiatrist, and

Canada in 1969, but died one

after marrying the psychologist

year later of heart failure while

Laura Posner in 1930, emigrated

conducting a workshop.

to South Africa, where he and

Laura set up a psychoanalytic

Key works

institute. Becoming disenchanted

with the over-intellectualism of

1946
Ego Hunger and

the psychoanalytic approach, they

Aggression

moved to New York City in the

1969
Gestalt Therapy Verbatim

late 1940s and became immersed

1973
The Gestalt Approach and

in a thriving culture of progressive

Eye Witness to Therapy

PSYCHOTHERAPY 117

Lose your mind and

come to your senses.

Fritz Perls

The 1960s hippie culture
chimed

with the Gestalt idea of finding oneself,

but Perls warned against the “peddlers

of instant joy” and the “so-called easy

road of sensory liberation.”

we learn to take responsibility for

With this personal responsibility

counter-culture revolution of the

our experience, Perls says, we

comes the obligation to refuse to

Western world. But this focus on

develop authentic selves that are

experience events, relationships,

individualism was seen by some

free from society’s influence. We

or circumstances that we know

psychologists and analysts as

also experience self-empowerment

to be wrong for our authentic

a weakness within the therapy,

as we realize that we are not at

selves. Gestalt theory also asks us

especially by those who view

the mercy of things that “just

to look closely at what we choose

human beings as, above all, social

happen.” Feelings of victimization

to accept among our society’s

beings. They claim that a life lived

dissolve once we understand that

norms. We may have acted under

along Gestalt principles would

what we accept for ourselves in our

the assumption of their truth for so

exclude the possibility of intimacy

lives—what we selectively perceive

long that we automatically accept

with another, and that it focuses

and experience—is a choice; we

them. Perls says we need instead to

too much on the individual at the

are not powerless.

adopt beliefs that best inspire and

expense of the community. In

develop our authentic self. The

response, supporters of Gestalt

ability to write our own personal

therapy have claimed that without

rules, determine our own opinions,

the development of an authentic

philosophies, desires, and interests

self, it would not be possible to

is of the essence. As we increase

develop an authentic relationship

our awareness of self-accountability,

with another.

self-reliance, and self-insight, we

In 1964, Perls became a regular

If you need encouragement,

understand that we are building our

lecturer at the Esalen Institute in

praise, pats on the back

own world, or truth. The lives we

California, becoming a lasting

from everybody, then

are living become easier to bear,

influence on this renowned center

you make everybody

because “truth can be tolerated

for spiritual and psychological

your judge.

only if you discover it yourself.”

development. After an explosion of

Fritz Perls

popularity in the 1970s, Gestalt

The possibility of intimacy

therapy fell out of favor, but its

Gestalt therapy’s emphasis on

tenets were accepted into the roots

“being in the present” and finding

of other forms of therapy. Gestalt is

one’s own path and one’s own ideas

today recognized as one of many

fitted perfectly within the 1960s

“standard” approaches to therapy. ■

118

IN CONTEXT

APPROACH

IT IS NOTORIOUSLY

Psychoanalysis

BEFORE

1900s
Sigmund Freud

INADEQUATE TO

suggests that neurotic

conflicts (and the superego)

arise in the Oedipal period—

TAKE AN ADOPTED

between ages three and six.

1930s
Melanie Klein claims

CHILD INTO ONE’S

that a primitive form of the

HOME AND LOVE HIM superego develops during the

first year of life, and that love

and hate are inherently linked.

DONALD WINNICOTT (1896–1971)

AFTER

1947
Psychologist and play

therapist Virginia Axline

develops her eight principles

of play therapy, which

include: “Accept the child

as she or he is.”

1979
Swiss psychoanalyst

Alice Miller says in
The Drama

of the Gifted Child
that we are

encouraged to “develop the art

of not experiencing feelings.”

M
any people believe that

if a child has suffered

an upbringing that was

lacking in love and support, he or

she will be able to settle and

flourish with a new family that

provides what is needed. However,

while stability and acceptance

help to give a foundation in which

a child can grow and find a healthy

state of being, these qualities

make up only one part of what

is required.

As the first pediatrician in

England to train as a psychoanalyst,

Donald Winnicott had a unique

insight into the mother-infant

relationship and the developmental

process of children. He was

PSYCHOTHERAPY 119

See also:
Sigmund Freud 92–99 ■ Melanie Klein 108–09 ■ Virginia Satir 146–47 ■

John Bowlby 274–77

Children originally

…so in defense, they

from neglectful or abusive

act out in hatred
, even

homes are
afraid that they

when placed with

will not be loved
by

good parents.

their adoptive family…

Donald Winnicott

If parents

This naturally evokes

The English pediatrician and

acknowledge their

feelings of
hatred in

psychoanalyst Donald Woods

hatred
and tolerate

the parents
.

Winnicott was the youngest

these feelings…

child and only son born to a

prominent, prosperous family

living in Plymouth, England.