Psychotherapy generally takes place over a longer period of time than Counselling might and is often negotiated as an open -ended arrangement. It can be seen to differ from Counselling in that the issues that are explored are often as a result of difficult childhood experiences that have influenced the way a person feels in themselves and in the world.
In working with the Gestalt approach, I work with clients to become more aware of how they are experiencing, feeling and behaving in the world. This developing sense of awareness is found particularly through paying attention to the bodily, ‘felt’ experience in the moment rather than through a ‘thinking’ process.
This can give a client a deeper understanding of their true feelings and also of how they are interrupting their capacity to be their real selves and more fully alive .
Gestalt therapy lends itself well to working with creative methods such as images, dreams, art, posture, voice, enactment as well as with the dialogue with the therapist.
The client is always able to choose what feels right for them in terms of creative ways to work and is encouraged to make suggestions about what proves to be most helpful.