Gestalt therapy

Gestalt therapy, its principles and benefits for well-being, are attracting more and more people, and for good reason: 86% of patients who have consulted in Gestalt therapy report a significant improvement in their health. At Hello Soins, a premium booking platform for alternative medicine, we are seeing growing interest in this holistic therapeutic approach.

Developed in the 1950s by Fritz and Laura Perls, Gestalt therapy stands out for its integrative vision that considers the individual as a whole. Indeed, this method takes into account the mental, sensory, physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the person. Our platform makes it easier to connect with qualified Gestalt practitioners who effectively support people suffering from mood disorders, anxiety, or relationship difficulties. Thus, the Gestalt therapist focuses more on the "how" than the "why" of lived experiences, making the Gestalt method particularly effective for developing self-awareness in the present moment.

In this article, we explore the fundamental principles of Gestalt therapy and its many benefits for your mental and emotional well-being.

Understanding Gestalt therapy: origins and philosophy

The birth of Gestalt therapy marks a decisive turning point in the history of psychotherapeutic approaches. Beyond being a simple method, it constitutes a complete theoretical body centered on the constant interaction between the human being and their environment.

A humanistic and existential approach

Gestalt therapy is fully part of the humanistic and existential psychology movement. This orientation considers the individual in their totality, with a holistic vision that refuses to separate the physical, mental, affective, and emotional dimensions. Indeed, unlike traditional analytical approaches, the Gestalt practitioner is more interested in the process underway in the present moment than in analyzing underlying causes.

Several major philosophical currents of the early 20th century nourished this approach: American pragmatism, phenomenology, existentialism, and certain Eastern wisdom traditions. This wealth of influences made it possible to develop a method that values subjective experience and immediate awareness, thus placing the person at the center of their own experience.

The founders: Fritz and Laura Perls

It is to Fritz Perls, a German psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, and his wife Laura Perls, a doctor of psychology, that we owe the creation of this innovative approach. Fleeing antisemitic persecution, they left Germany in 1933 to settle first in the Netherlands, then in South Africa, where they wrote their first book, "The Ego, Hunger and Aggression," in 1942.

Their arrival in the United States truly marked the official birth of Gestalt therapy. There they met the writer Paul Goodman and a circle of thinkers with whom they built the theory and method together. The foundational work, titled "Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and Growth in the Human Personality," appeared in 1951, co-authored by Perls, Hefferline, and Goodman.

Why 'Gestalt' means 'to give form'

The word "Gestalt" is a German term that translates as "form." It derives from the verb "gestalten," meaning "to shape" or "to give structure." This terminological choice is not accidental: it perfectly reflects the very essence of this therapeutic approach.

Indeed, the Gestalt method is interested in how the interaction between the individual and their environment takes shape and seeks to introduce movement when that shape becomes fixed or repetitive. The Gestalt therapist observes how people organize their experience and helps them become aware of these processes in order to transform them.

This dynamic conception enables Hello Soins to offer connections with qualified practitioners who help their patients develop a better awareness of their relational patterns, thus contributing significantly to their emotional and mental well-being.

The 4 major principles of the Gestalt method

Gestalt therapy is based on four fundamental principles that structure its practice and therapeutic effectiveness. These conceptual pillars guide the work of the Gestalt practitioner and promote deep transformation in the people who engage in this process.

1. The individual and their environment are inseparable

This first fundamental principle is inspired by Kurt Lewin's field theory, which states that it is impossible to describe human behavior independently of its context. Indeed, "every human being is part of a field, and their behavior is always the result of a global field including themselves and what surrounds them."

Within this holistic perspective, the Gestalt approach considers the person as inseparable from their environment. The "self" is not a fixed entity but a process, "the contact system between the person and their environment." That is why the Gestalt therapist observes the "contact boundary," this vibrant and fluctuating interface that connects us to the world.

2. Contact as a driver of transformation

Contact represents the human being's "primary experience." It is the continuous exchange process that allows the person to transform. "Gestalt places the client as an agent of change, and contact as the driver of this change (relationship being the sum of contacts)."

In Gestalt therapy, the client-practitioner relationship is "dialogical, non-hierarchical, and co-created." This relationship itself becomes a laboratory where new modes of contact are experimented with, thus promoting personal transformation. Through Hello Soins, patients can identify practitioners who have mastered this art of therapeutic contact.

3. The importance of the present moment

Gestalt therapy gives a central place to "here and now." This focus on the present makes it possible to clarify emotions and thoughts that may be vague or unrecognized. Rather than ruminating on the past or constantly worrying about the future, the Gestalt method invites us to anchor our awareness in the present moment.

The therapist invites the patient to "express everything that is present for them: what occupies their thoughts, their concerns, their moods." This practice strengthens self-awareness and improves the quality of interactions with others.

4. Creating in order to become the actor of one’s life again

Creativity is the fourth pillar of Gestalt therapy. "Creativity is the invention of a new solution." Faced with the challenges of existence, therapeutic work encourages the experimentation of new ways of being and acting.

"Experimentation aims at the heart of resistance; it changes and transforms a person's rigidity into a flexible support system." Through this process, the person becomes an actor in their life, capable of making conscious choices that lead to personal growth and well-being.

The Hello Soins platform allows people seeking personal transformation to find qualified Gestalt practitioners who will support them in this creative process.

What does a session with a Gestalt practitioner look like?

A Gestalt therapy session is distinguished by a structure that is both clear and adaptable, allowing the patient to explore their feelings in a safe space. At Hello Soins, we facilitate connections with qualified Gestalt practitioners who are fully proficient in this therapeutic framework.

The therapeutic framework: duration, frequency, relationship

A meeting with a Gestalt therapist generally lasts between 45 and 50 minutes. Sessions are organized around face-to-face dialogue, in a caring and authentic presence. The ideal frequency is weekly, with an interval not exceeding 15 days between two sessions in order to maintain therapeutic momentum.

The relationship established is non-hierarchical and co-created. The therapist commits to a humble and authentic stance, far from any detached analysis. This commitment includes confidentiality, regular supervision, and continuing education. The total duration of Gestalt therapy is about two years, although the first results often appear after a few months.

Key stages: verbalization, experimentation, change

The therapeutic process unfolds in several essential phases. First, the patient is invited to verbalize their present feelings—concerns, emotions, bodily sensations. The therapist listens not only to the words but also to body language and underlying emotions.

Then comes the experimentation stage, where the office becomes a true laboratory. Patient and therapist test new approaches together to move beyond fixed patterns. This phase is crucial for transforming blockages into adaptive flexibility.

Finally, change gradually emerges, leading toward greater autonomy and responsibility. The Gestalt practitioner supports this process without ever imposing a direction.

Examples of exercises: empty chair, monodrama, amplification

Gestalt therapy offers several powerful techniques:

• The empty chair: a symbolic object allowing dialogue with an absent person or a part of oneself. This method helps resolve unresolved relational conflicts.

• Monodrama or role-play invites the expression of different facets of one’s personality, sometimes contradictory. One can also play characters from our daily surroundings.

• Amplification consists of exaggerating unconscious gestures to make explicit what is implicit. The therapist identifies these "slips of the body" that reveal our deeper functioning.

These techniques make it possible to access emotions that are sometimes buried and to open pathways toward lasting change.

What benefits are there for mental and emotional well-being?

The therapeutic effects of Gestalt therapy are numerous and profound, touching several dimensions of mental and emotional well-being. At Hello Soins, we observe that patients seek this approach for its concrete and lasting benefits.

Reducing stress, anxiety, and mood disorders

Gestalt therapy acts effectively on anxiety disorders such as GAD, panic attacks, and depressive states. Indeed, it helps identify and soothe the automatic emotional reactions associated with intense anxiety. This approach is particularly recommended for getting through and moving beyond mood disorders, whether it is reactive depression or persistent sadness.

Research by Joseph LeDoux, professor at the Center for Neuroscience at New York University, supports the idea that it is awareness and the exploration of automatic emotional reactions that make it possible to intervene durably on anxiety.

Improving self-confidence and relationships

Self-confidence is not innate but can be developed through certain therapeutic methods. Gestalt helps in particular to:

• Move out of avoidance strategies in the face of demanding situations

• Reduce mental noise that limits our potential

• Transform limiting beliefs into supporting beliefs

Without self-confidence, one can easily find oneself in unpleasant, even debilitating situations. The Gestalt method makes it possible to better understand and improve our relational patterns, thus promoting healthier relationships with others.

Support during periods of transition or crisis

During difficult phases (accident, bereavement, illness, job loss, divorce), Gestalt therapy makes it possible to identify resistance to change while drawing on our resources. It is by letting go of the old that one can welcome the new and sustainably energize the transformation process.

The Hello Soins platform makes it easier to connect with qualified Gestalt practitioners during these crucial moments, with personalized follow-up thanks to our integrated chat.

Personal development and emotional autonomy

Gestalt therapy aims to develop autonomy, responsibility, and creativity. In addition, it enables better self-knowledge, the ability to recognize one’s needs and respect them. It also promotes self-acceptance, recognition of one’s limits, and greater emotional stability in the face of others’ moods.