| "Therapy (in Greek: θεραπεία) or treatment is | | | | experiencing and resolving the situation. Gestalt |
| the attempted remediation of a health problem, usually | | | | promotes direct experience and testing in order to |
| following a diagnosis." (WIKIPEDIA) | | | | adapt to the environment; express different behaviour; |
| In the context of mental health, therapy has vastly | | | | and instigate awareness of action and further |
| changed over time. Long before the scientific | | | | responsible recognition of the results. Some basic |
| approach to the treatment of mental health prevailed, | | | | concepts of the Gestalt approach include: |
| attempts to discover the underpinnings of the human | | | | Holism: all nature is seen as unified and as a coherent |
| mind produced a wide range of therapies and theories. | | | | whole, and the whole is different from the sum of its |
| For many centuries, the therapeutic approach to the | | | | parts. |
| human mind was mostly based on supernatural and | | | | Field Theory: the organism must be seen in its |
| religious beliefs. | | | | environment, or in its context, a part of the constantly |
| This approach began to change when Phillipe Pinel, in | | | | changing field. |
| 1793, introduced his methods in Paris. Pinel believed that | | | | The Field-Formation Process: it describes how the |
| switching from a commonly violent and | | | | individual organises the environment from moment to |
| medicine-based treatment to a strictly non-violent and | | | | moment. The figure-formation process tracks how |
| observational approach could produce a better | | | | some aspect of the environmental field emerges from |
| outcome for patients. At this point, the history of the | | | | the background and becomes the focal point of the |
| counselling therapy had begun to be shaped. | | | | individual's attention and interest. |
| Therapy in Counselling | | | | Organismic Self-Regulation: The figure-formation |
| The general concept of therapy has its differentiations | | | | process is intertwined with the principle of 'Organismic |
| from the counselling approach to therapy. In counselling, | | | | self-regulation', a process by which equilibrium is |
| providing therapy does not mean providing a cure to a | | | | 'disturbed' by the emergence of a need, a sensation, or |
| patient's illness. Counselling's general objective is to help | | | | an interest. Gestalt therapists direct the client's |
| improve the client's quality of life, and in many | | | | awareness to the figures that emerge from the |
| instances that could mean to simply explore a | | | | background during a therapy session and use the |
| relationship issue or the perception towards oneself. | | | | figure-formation process as a guide for the focus of |
| The varied types of counselling therapies reflect many | | | | the therapeutic work. |
| approaches to solve similar issues - and these | | | | Person-Centred Therapy |
| approaches can work differently depending on the | | | | Person-Centred Therapy is "an approach to helping |
| individual. In order to better understand this concept, | | | | individuals and groups in conflict. A clearly stated |
| we've gathered some information about some | | | | theory (developed by psychologist Carl R. Rogers), |
| counselling treatments used nowadays. | | | | accompanied by the introduction of verbatim |
| Cognitive Behaviour Therapy | | | | transcriptions of psychotherapy, stimulated a vast |
| CBT is an insight-focused therapy that emphasises | | | | amount of research on a revolutionary hypothesis: that |
| recognising and changing negative thoughts and | | | | a self-directed growth process would follow the |
| maladaptative beliefs. The approach is based on the | | | | provision and reception of a particular kind of |
| theoretical rationale that the way people feel and | | | | relationship characterised by genuineness, |
| behave is determined by how they perceive and | | | | non-judgemental caring, and empathy." (Corsini 1995). |
| structure their experience. CBT proposes that change | | | | In Person-Centred therapy, the focus is on the client. |
| comes about by changing the client's thinking about the | | | | The objective is to achieve progress by self-directed |
| situation. Once the client has converted his/her point of | | | | growth, emphasizing on the 'here-and-now' of the |
| view, the problem-perception switches to a clearer | | | | individual's life. This emphasis on the present replaces |
| context. Some basic concepts within the CBT schools | | | | the diagnostic perspective in counselling. Here, |
| of thought include: | | | | individuals are not products of their past experiences - |
| Arbitrary Inferences: refers to making conclusions | | | | instead, they are able to determine what is right for |
| without supporting and relevant evidence. This includes | | | | them (self-diagnosis and remediation). The |
| "catastrophising", or thinking of the absolute worst | | | | person-centred approach is intrinsic to most therapies |
| scenario and outcomes for most situations. | | | | as it aims to establish an affective relationship |
| Selective Abstraction: consists of forming conclusions | | | | between client and counsellor. |
| based on isolated details of an event (and ignoring | | | | Solution-Focused Therapy |
| other information). | | | | This therapeutic focus is on exploring the client's |
| Overgeneralisation: a process of holding extreme | | | | perspective towards a problem. The client is assisted |
| beliefs on the basis of a single incident and applying | | | | to develop a different perspective towards the future, |
| them inappropriately to dissimilar events or settings. | | | | and through that perspective, work on their current |
| Personalisation is a tendency for individuals to relate | | | | situation. The goal-driven process is similar to coaching |
| external events to themselves, even when there is no | | | | - the counsellor's role is to build initial rapport and then |
| basis for making this connection. | | | | use questioning techniques to direct the process of |
| Labelling or mislabelling: involves portraying one's identity | | | | therapy (in order to enhance the client's understanding |
| on the basis of imperfections and mistakes made in | | | | of his/her strengths and successes in already |
| the past and allowing them to define one's true identity. | | | | overcoming his/her problems). The solution-focused |
| The Gestalt Therapy | | | | approach can be defined in five different stages: |
| An existential/phenomenological approach based on | | | | describing the problem, developing well-formed goals, |
| the premise that individuals must be understood in the | | | | exploring for exceptions, end-of-session feedback, and |
| context of their ongoing relationship with the | | | | evaluating client progress. |
| environment. Gestalt proposes that change comes | | | | Subscribe to our FREE eZine. |
| about by the client being aware of what he/she is | | | | |