Gestalt therapy approach
Dale R. Smith · 10/2/98 at 9:11 PM ET
Sure enough, send all the mean, evil, aggresive people over to us .... vee has vays of making zem talk!
I would think that John is referring to the gestalt dialogue therapy using two chairs. The idea is the client sits on one chair and talks to an imagined self on the other chair. Once enough dialogue is accomplished to bring a kind of presence to the empty chair, the client then switches chairs and talks to the stronger presence on the first chair. Eventually a conflictive energy build-up is manifested and the client becomes aware of how real and present the opposing energies are.
As the therapy progresses, the client slowly closes the disparity between the poles sifting out the wheat from the chaff. Therapy ends succesfully when the client thinks the whole procedure has become kinda foolish; but in a healthy sense is not unhappy or frightened by NOT doing the chair therapy. A new person has emerged as a whole person who is greater than the sum of the parts.
As for what the therapist does while all this theatre is going on is keeping his popcorn butterd and his drinks cold!
Actually I would help the client stay present -- here and now -- within the dialogue of the client. Not let the client wander off and get lost. I stay with the client. I become a shadow of the client, helping to bring context to the therapy.
As for doing this kind of thing on-line, that would be very difficult cuzz gestalt in particular relies on presence of the client and therapist exclusively; and the on-line manfestation of presence is simply below the threshold required to enjoy gestalt therapy.
However..., perhaps the cognitive forum could better answer the Jeykel and Hyde conflict on-line. Uh-oh....what have I said!? I guess (they tell me anyways) that they need presence also!! Now i'm in trouble!
In the end I guess either therapy would be better if done ftf.
Regards,
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