According to the Gestalt Institute, "Gestalt is a highly positive and practical integrative therapeutic approach. Broadly, Gestalt practitioners help people to focus on their immediate thoughts, feelings and behaviour and to better understand the way they relate to others. This increased awareness can help people to find a new perspective, see the bigger picture and start to effect changes." (https://gestaltcentre.org.uk/what-is-gestalt/)

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Gestalt is a powerful tool to explore the unconscious, energy, and mind/body, body/soul, thinking/feeling, feeling/action connections. As Fritz Perls (1996 in Gladding 2000), the founder of Gestalt, stated:

 

"I do my thing and you do your thing.

I am not in this world to live up to your expectations

And you are not in this world to live up to mine.

You are you and I am I,

And if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful.

If not, it cannot be helped."

 

Gestalt considers human beings holistically, alongside their relationship and integration to the world, themselves, and others. Focusing on the here and now through the sensory, it fosters an awareness and reconnection of self. Individuals are empowered to 'be' who they want to be, as they self-regulate to take responsibility for themselves and their actions. Gestalt encourages an unblocking of what is 'stuck', which can manifest itself in negative thought patterns, behaviours, feelings and emotions, worries and concerns. It is helpful when addressing anxiety, anger management, depression, self-esteem, confidence, performance issues, relationships, judgemental attitudes, and in achieving a sense of resolution.  

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