Gestalt Therapy Is a Form of Psychotherapy

Gestalt therapy is a form of psychotherapy that can be of immense benefit to certain types of people with certain types of issues. It is largely considered distinct from other varieties of psychotherapy because it is greatly concerned with perception -- both how it relates to the individual as well as to the observer. Although one might argue the case that virtually all forms of therapy are preoccupied with the thoughts and feelings of their subjects, Gestalt therapy's appeal (in certain instances) is that it is almost wholly concerned with such a subjective approach to the exclusion of most other factors. As such, one of the immense benefits of this form of therapy is that it helps to raise awareness, both of the individual as well as of awareness itself.

Essentially, Gestalt therapy forces a patient to get out of his or her normal thought patterns and modes of behavior. It does so by requiring such a patient to focus on immediacy in two primary forms: physical location and time. The so-called 'here and now' relevance of Gestalt therapy underscores this fact. In order for patients to truly understand what it is that they are perceiving, they need to focus on what is closest around them (in a physical sense) at the present time that they are attempting to determine their perceptions.

One of the most interesting facets about this predominance to immediacy in the form of time and space is that such a concept is integral to other theories in areas outside of philosophy. In fact, the more one reads about gestalt therapy, the more it begins to sound like branches of Buddhist or Eastern Zen thought. One of the central components of Buddhist ideology is that one can actually control one's thoughts and perceptions by ridding oneself of all of one's desires. This notion is somewhat akin to the fact that gestalt therapy is based on an immediacy that precludes a lot of different factors, such as "explanations and interpretations" which "are considered less reliable than what is directly perceived and felt" (Yontef, 1993).

This notion of ridding one of all desires is a very important basis for the similarities and the differences that exist between Gestalt therapy and Buddhism. Where a good deal of the focus of Buddhism is on freeing oneself from external wants, it could very well be possible that the perception that is attained in gestalt therapy through blocking out all other non-immediate concerns relating to a particular moment and place is time is some form of desire. Such a desire, of course, could be for anything -- a woman, a feeling, or any of the forms that ambition takes. Still, the patent similarity that exists between this Buddhist concept and this particular form of therapy is that the individual still must rid himself of all other external concerns. Even to get to one's primal desire in Gestalt therapy would require a canceling out of all other desires or thoughts that are not related to that very moment and that specific place in which a person is. Thus, it appears that in this respect, despite the fact that the sort of attunement that is required for gestalt therapy may actually reveal some innate desire (it also might not, in which case the similarity between Buddhism and this therapy are increase), the fact that it requires one to be rid of externalities is a patent similarity with this Eastern religion.

There are also other Buddhist principles that Gestalt therapy seemingly evokes with its methodologies. An important tenet in Buddhism is to attempt to remain in the moment. This principle, of course, is somewhat aligned with the previous concept of getting rid of one's desires. However Buddhism is based on the individual actually existing for himself and herself at that particular point in time in which they do exist. The valuation of temporal factors is clearly seen in Gestalt therapy, especially when one considers that the basis of this therapy is to identify one's perceptions at a particular moment in time.

Ultimately, the objective of Gestalt therapy is for the patient to better understand his or her feelings, thoughts and desires. This form of therapy strives to present a lucid view of what it is that a person is feeling. It is partly based on experience, but is more focused on achieving clarity at a specific moment. Even this aspect of Gestalt therapy closely parallels Eastern philosophy and religion. The subsequent quotation alludes to the principle end that gestalt therapy seeks to attain. "The goal of gestalt phenomenological exploration is awareness, or insight…Awareness without systematic exploration is not…sufficient to develop insight. Therefore, Gestalt therapy uses focused awareness and experimentation to achieve insight" (Yontef, 1993). Interestingly enough, the ultimate goal of Buddhism is to attain a state of enlightenment. In many ways, insight and enlightenment function as synonyms of one another.