


Wedding & Corsini: Ch. 13

Okun: Chs. 8. 9. 10


Violet Oaklander, Ph.D., Gestalt Therapy with Children

Discussion Post:

What are the core elements of Gestalt Therapy?

Tay responded to the main post

Gestalt Therapy is a new term for me. Within this therapeutic method it emphasizes personal responsibility and the experience being present in the setting within children. The difference in this therapeutic approach with children, and dealing with the present moment, is that sometimes children may not present what is bothering them outside that exact moment. By including principles from Gestalt therapy, it allows children to focus on the issues of the current moment and become aware of that. Oaklander (n.d.) also states how this therapeutic approach allows children to experience and understand d how they are operating in the world. Another interesting element of this approach Oaklander (n.d.) highlights are that when they reach a realization/ impact from children, and the child cuts off contact, it is the role of the therapist to honor this emotion and not to pry and try to dig a bit deeper into the situation, as opposed to with adults.

Okun (1990), further identifies and dissects the core of Gestalt therapy. Okun (1990), states how this theory is  a holistic viewpoint based on the belief that all human behaviors and experiences are organized into configuration patterns, in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts (p.225). This explains that the overall experience of the individuals, and not just sub or key parts, contribute to the behavior/ regulations of the individual. In relation to Gestalt therapy in children, this idea of self-regulation from the child stems from environmental and self-awareness (Okun, 1990, p.230). Giving children space within their own context  of the environment, and allowing them to developed their own awareness of being in the world, rather than someone hinting it for them, contributes to the psychological wellness of the child.

Reference :

Oaklander, V. (n.d.). Gestalt Therapy With Children.

Okun, B. F. (1990). Seeking connections in psychotherapy. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 

2025 dq resp2

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