Ranked among the top twenty types of psychotherapy that are widely recognized today at the European and global levels, Gestalt therapy has, over its 60+ years of existence, deservedly taken a prominent place right after the numerous variants of psychoanalysis (Freud, Jung, Klein, Winnicott, Lacan, and others). Created in the mid-20th century by psychoanalyst Frederick Solomon Perls, philosopher and writer Paul Goodman, and Gestalt psychologist Laura Perls, Gestalt therapy has developed into a dynamic and democratic approach suitable for resolving both acute crises and for long-term therapeutic work.
In the post-Soviet space, it has been developing and spreading since the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Gestalt is a humanistic therapy based on the belief that people are born with the ability and potential to be in contact with others in a satisfying way and to live a creative and joyful life. However, sometimes, in childhood or later in life, something interrupts this process, and a person gets "stuck" in certain situations or self-perceptions that hinder their progress. The task of therapy is to explore and uncover how these situations and perceptions affect the person in the present moment and to find new and more creative ways to resolve the crisis.
Initially created by Marsha Linehan in the USA for patients with borderline personality disorder and chronic suicidal behavior, DBT gradually evolved into a method designed to treat "difficult" clients with complex behavioral problems and borderline personality disorder (BPD).
DBT has been adapted for treating behavioral disorders that are hard to manage and are accompanied by emotional dysregulation, including anorexia and bulimia, bipolar affective disorder, depression, and suicidal behavior. Today, there are simplified versions of DBT that can be applied both in outpatient and inpatient settings, in individual and group therapy formats. Currently, DBT has the highest effectiveness in the treatment of eating disorders.
Who does a Gestalt therapist work with?
Primarily with mentally healthy individuals. Support is also possible for people who are in a borderline mental state.
I enjoy Gestalt therapy for its creativity, experiments, and the ability to work with the client "here and now," addressing long-standing problems and tasks together with the client (and not instead of them) in the present moment.
Duration of therapy
Both Gestalt therapy and DBT are relatively short-term methods. A course can last anywhere from 10-20 to 100-200 sessions. The duration of therapy depends on:
Who does a Gestalt therapist work with?
Primarily with mentally healthy individuals. Support is also possible for people who are in a borderline mental state.
I enjoy Gestalt therapy for its creativity, experiments, and the ability to work with the client "here and now," addressing long-standing problems and tasks together with the client (and not instead of them) in the present moment.
Duration of therapy
Both Gestalt therapy and DBT are relatively short-term methods. A course can last anywhere from 10-20 to 100-200 sessions. The duration of therapy depends on: