This week we will take a deeper look at Gestalt theory. Fritz Perls originated, developed, and popularized Gestalt theory as a means of working with anxiety. While influenced by Freud, Perls was deeply rooted in existential thought which embraced fewer organized techniques and more experimentation.
For the purposes of this discussion, you will need to access Psychotherapy.net from the MBU library. Select the "Counseling & Psychotherapy Theories in Context & Practice" videos. Once you open these videos, select Gestalt Therapy and watch the video in its entirety. After you have watched the video, answer the following questions:
1. Two of the primary components of Gestalt theory are Contact and Awareness. How did using the Empty Chair technique help Sidney address both components? Explain your reasoning and be specific.
2. As a counselor-in-training watching this session, what is your personal reaction to Gestalt theory? Does the idea of an unstructured theory that relies on experimentation directed by the counselor make you comfortable or uncomfortable? Why?
In order to adequately complete this discussion assignment, you will need to watch the Gestalt theory video in full and properly cite it in your discussion post. You will also need to include citations from the course text in this week's post. There are no peer-reviewed citations required this week, however, you MUST reply SUBSTANTIALLY to at least TWO peers.