Gestalt Therapy in London
An experiential approach that brings awareness to the present moment, helps you integrate fragmented parts of yourself, and supports authentic living.
What is Gestalt Therapy?
Gestalt therapy is a humanistic, experiential approach developed by Fritz Perls in the 1940s-50s. The word "Gestalt" is German for "whole" or "pattern", reflecting the therapy's core belief: we experience ourselves and the world as integrated wholes, not just collections of separate parts.
At the heart of Gestalt therapy is awareness—bringing conscious attention to what you're experiencing right now: your thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and behaviours. Rather than analysing the past or planning the future, Gestalt focuses on the here and now, trusting that present-moment awareness leads to insight and change.
Gestalt therapy is one of the three modalities I integrate into my humanistic counselling practice. It provides powerful experiential techniques to help you become more aware, integrate fragmented parts of yourself, and take responsibility for your choices and wellbeing.
Fritz Perls and the Development of Gestalt Therapy
Fritz Perls, along with his wife Laura Perls, developed Gestalt therapy in the 1940s as a response to psychoanalysis. Perls felt that psychoanalysis focused too much on the past and interpretation, and not enough on present experience and personal responsibility.
Drawing on existential philosophy, phenomenology, and Eastern practices, Perls created an approach that was experiential rather than interpretive. Instead of analysing why you feel or behave a certain way, Gestalt therapy invites you to experience what's happening in the moment and discover insights through awareness.
Perls famously said: "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." This reflects Gestalt's emphasis on personal responsibility, authenticity, and rejecting "shoulds" imposed by others.
Core Concepts of Gestalt Therapy
Here-and-Now Focus
Gestalt therapy emphasises what you're experiencing in the present moment. The past informs who you are, but change happens now. By bringing awareness to your current thoughts, feelings, and sensations, you can make new choices.
Awareness
Awareness is the cornerstone of Gestalt therapy. Simply becoming aware of how you think, feel, and behave—without judgment—creates the possibility for change. Many problems stem from lack of awareness or avoidance of difficult feelings.
Personal Responsibility
Gestalt encourages you to take ownership of your thoughts, feelings, and choices. Rather than blaming others or circumstances, you explore your role in creating your experience and how you can respond differently.
Unfinished Business
Unfinished business refers to unexpressed emotions or unresolved situations from the past that continue to affect you in the present. Gestalt techniques help you complete these emotional experiences and find closure.
Contact and Contact Boundary
Contact is the meeting between yourself and the world (people, experiences, emotions). Healthy contact allows you to engage fully while maintaining your sense of self. Disturbances in contact (like withdrawal or merging) can create difficulties.
Gestalt Therapy Techniques
Gestalt therapy uses creative, experiential techniques to heighten awareness and facilitate integration.
Empty Chair Technique
You imagine someone (or a part of yourself) sitting in an empty chair and engage in dialogue with them. This helps resolve unfinished business, integrate conflicting parts, and express unspoken feelings.
Two-Chair Work
You move between two chairs, each representing a different part of yourself (e.g., your critical voice vs. your compassionate voice). This externalises internal conflicts and creates space for integration.
Body Awareness
Paying attention to body sensations, posture, and physical expressions. Emotions often show up in the body before conscious awareness. Gestalt therapy helps you notice and explore these bodily experiences.
Dream Work
In Gestalt, every part of a dream represents a part of you. You might 'become' different dream elements and speak from their perspective, gaining insight into fragmented aspects of yourself.
Exaggeration
Amplifying a gesture, tone of voice, or behaviour to bring it into full awareness. This makes unconscious patterns more visible and helps you understand what you're avoiding or expressing.
Experiments
Trying new behaviours or ways of being within the safety of the therapy session. This helps you discover new possibilities and break free from habitual patterns.
What Gestalt Therapy Helps With
Gestalt therapy is particularly effective for issues involving awareness, integration, and authenticity:
How I Integrate Gestalt Therapy
In my integrative humanistic practice, I draw on Gestalt techniques when they can deepen awareness and facilitate emotional integration. For example:
- •When you're stuck in a pattern: We might use two-chair work to explore different parts of yourself and find resolution.
- •When emotions feel overwhelming: We bring awareness to body sensations, grounding you in the present moment.
- •When there's unfinished business: We might use the empty chair technique to express unspoken feelings or find closure.
- •When you're disconnected from yourself: Awareness exercises help you notice what you're feeling and thinking in the moment.
I combine Gestalt's experiential focus with the warmth and acceptance of Person-Centred therapy and the relational insights of Transactional Analysis, creating a truly tailored approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Experience Gestalt Therapy
Book a free 15-minute consultation to explore how Gestalt techniques can deepen your awareness and support your growth.