Grief Part 2

Fritz Perls, who established Gestalt Therapy with his wife Laura, was particularly interested in viewing human beings as a whole; body, mind and soul. The word “gestalt” means whole. Perls used the present moment to try to gather evidence for what is truly affecting each client. Gestalt therapy seeks to connect the role people play in their own discomfort with the problems they experience. It’s not for everyone as it can be highly confronting but if delivered sensitively and responsively, a client’s awareness can rapidly increase along with positive outcomes and change.

One technique often associated with Gestalt therapy is empty chair work. It is used to allow clients' integration of different aspects or "disowned parts" of themselves in order to further psychotherapeutic insight. This is often used to facilitate the mourning process. Particularly when loss or grief is not mourned and released successfully. Sometimes people are left carrying the weight of the past and need to resolve “Unfinished Business”. This was central to Perls’ work. The idea is to bring to the fore front “unexpressed and unintegrated . . . thoughts and feelings relative to a person” or situation. To reintegrate that continued bond with the deceased and the ‘self’ we once knew before our loss.

The client is asked to imagine the absent individual in the “empty chair” opposite them, describing appearance, emotional state, expression. There is an emphasis on giving a voice to everything and integrating opposites, permitting a client to go through a cycle of emotions. The interesting thing about bell hooks quote is that she depicts herself engaging in dialogue work in an organic manner.

Perls et al., (1951) put forward that each time you go through one of these cycles, albeit painful, you will be able to recover additional details and to tolerate in your awareness more and more of the blocked-off emotion which these memories contain. Ultimately permitting these unresolved memories to be revisited and gradually resolved. This process can elicit intense emotions so it is important you work with a qualified professional and feel comfortable before engaging with this type of therapy.