Chapter 7: Gestalt Therapy

    Gestalt Therapy is best known to be associated with Fritz Perlz. The basic idea behind Gestalt Therapy is that humans are growth oriented, where physical and psychological aspects are inseparable from each other. An interesting part of Gestalt Therapy is the emphasis on creativity where a healthy individual is expected to go against social norms. Gestalt Therapy states human motivation to be the drive to satisfy needs and to regulate the organism (mind and body) so it can grow. The first construct is contact, which refers to the connection of the individual through hearing, talking, smelling, touching, moving etc. and the environment. Needs is the next construct. A Gestalt is a German word that can means whole or figure in which an individual can perceive a figure or object as well as something in the background. As humans we seek to satisfy our needs such as making things 'whole'. Once this need has been satisfied it is then destroyed. Polarities is a third construct which emphasized the fact that everyone and everything possesses opposites. The final construct is contact disturbance in which the cycle of awareness (sensation > awareness > mobilization > full contact > withdrawal > assimilation) is disrupted. This may happen through introjection, projection, confluence, and retroflection.
    When working with college students it would not be unexpected for a student to experience a contact disturbance. Specifically confluence may occur as students, in an attempt to fit in, may reject or loose their self. Instead adapting completely to the environment or to the people in the environment with no regard to true self. Introjection is also a easily possible occurrence as a student may encounter any number or new experiences in college or study abroad life but never truly fully digest these experiences to allow for better understanding.