Deck 7: Gestalt Therapy

Question 1

Name and describe two ways people avoid contact with the here and now, according to Perls. Give client examples for each.

Answer 1

According to Perls, people avoid contact with the here and now in two main ways: introjection and projection.

Introjection is when a person takes in the values, opinions, or beliefs of others without questioning or critically evaluating them. This can lead to a lack of self-awareness and an inability to fully engage with the present moment. An example of introjection could be a client who constantly seeks validation from others and is unable to make decisions without seeking approval from those around them. They may struggle to tune into their own thoughts and feelings, instead relying on the opinions of others to guide their actions.

Projection, on the other hand, is when a person attributes their own thoughts, feelings, or motivations to others. This can also hinder their ability to fully engage with the present moment, as they are projecting their own unresolved issues onto those around them. An example of projection could be a client who constantly accuses others of being untrustworthy, when in reality it is their own trust issues that are causing the conflict. By projecting their own fears onto others, they are unable to fully connect with the reality of their relationships.

In both cases, introjection and projection can serve as defense mechanisms that prevent individuals from fully experiencing the present moment. By becoming aware of these patterns and working to challenge them, clients can begin to engage more fully with the here and now.

Question 2

Describe the theoretical rationale, upon which the topdog-underdog technique rests.

Answer 2

The topdog-underdog technique is based on the psychological principle of social comparison theory. This theory posits that individuals evaluate themselves and their own abilities by comparing themselves to others. The topdog-underdog technique specifically relies on the idea that individuals tend to feel more motivated and confident when they perceive themselves as the "topdog" or superior to others in a particular domain.

By creating a situation where individuals feel like they are the topdog, they are more likely to be motivated to perform better and exhibit higher levels of confidence. This is because being the topdog can lead to a sense of superiority and validation, which can be a powerful driver of behavior. On the other hand, when individuals are made to feel like the "underdog" or inferior to others, they may experience feelings of inadequacy and lower levels of motivation.

In essence, the topdog-underdog technique is designed to leverage the psychological impact of social comparison to influence behavior and motivation. By manipulating individuals' perceptions of their status relative to others, the technique aims to elicit specific responses and outcomes. This can be particularly useful in settings such as competitive sports, academic environments, or workplace performance, where motivation and confidence play a significant role in success.

Question 3

What did Fritz Perls mean by "unfinished business"? Give an example.

Answer 3

Fritz Perls, a prominent figure in the field of Gestalt therapy, used the term "unfinished business" to refer to unresolved emotions or experiences from the past that continue to impact a person's present behavior and emotional well-being. This could include unresolved conflicts, unexpressed feelings, or unacknowledged needs from childhood or previous relationships.

An example of "unfinished business" could be a person who experienced a traumatic event in their past, such as a car accident, and has never fully processed or come to terms with the emotions and fears surrounding that event. As a result, they may continue to experience anxiety or avoidance behaviors when it comes to driving or being in a car, even though the initial event happened many years ago. In this case, the unresolved emotions and fears from the past are impacting the person's present behavior and emotional well-being, illustrating the concept of "unfinished business" as defined by Fritz Perls.

Question 4

Describe the forms that contact disturbances might take. Create a client example.

Question 5

What is the goal of Gestalt therapy?

Question 6

Discuss research on process and outcomes of emotion-focused therapy.

Question 7

Evaluate Gestalt therapy's utility for clients who are of diverse backgrounds. What are its strengths and potential pitfalls?

Question 8

Perls' first theoretical attempts replaced Freud's sexual drive with what drive?

A) sleep
B) hunger
C) safety and security
D) love

Question 9

Assimilation is a central construct of Gestalt therapy that best describes the:

A) congruence between verbal and nonverbal communication
B) process of developing a sense of personal identity
C) combination of the "picture" and the "ground"
D) resolution of "unfinished business"

Question 10

Research on the process and outcomes of emotion-focused therapy has found that

A) positive results in clinical trials
B) superiority of emotion-focused therapy over client-centered therapy for the treatment of depression
C) better outcomes for clients who have resolved unfinished business
D) all of the above

Question 11

According to Gestalt therapists, self-regulation:

A) is an innate tendency that all humans have
B) promotes harmony between the individual and his/her environment
C) promotes harmony within the individual
D) all of the above are true

Question 12

A Gestalt therapist's awareness of his/her experience of the client during therapy sessions is most like that of a(n):

A) Interpersonal therapist
B) Rational emotive behavior therapist
C) Solution-focused therapist
D) Adlerian therapist

Question 13

Which of the following are central elements of Gestalt therapy?

A) rational thought, free will, and insight
B) relationship, awareness, and experiment
C) genuineness, unconditional positive regard, and warmth
D) working through, transference, and insight

Question 14

Jane is a 30-year-old single mother of 2 children who has been in therapy with Theo, who is a well-known Gestalt therapist. During their sessions, Jane speaks openly about her feelings of not belonging in her school age years with her peers or her family. Jane also talks about her feelings of anxiety that are related to memories of her father, who was an alcoholic and routinely was physically abusive to Jane and her sister when he returned from "a night out." Jane has been having difficulty "allowing herself to get close" to a man that she has been dating for the last six months. Each time that Theo attempts to inquire about Jane's feelings about increased intimacy in the relationship, she reverts to talking about her lack of belonging with her peers. Theo may be feeling frustration with Jane's:

A) tendency to stray from engaging in authentic communication with Theo
B) difficulty taking responsibility for her behaviors
C) difficulty staying in the here and now
D) repeated patterns of asking Theo questions about her progress in therapy

Question 15

Which of the following statements best describes the Gestalt concept of "unfinished business"?

A) Unfinished business occurs when biological, psychological and/or interpersonal needs are not met.
B) Unfinished business influences how an individual perceives his/her environment.
C) Unfinished business contributes to psychological dysfunction.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 16

A major characteristic of the therapeutic atmosphere of Gestalt therapy is to:

A) examine what has happened in the past as it is experienced in the here and now of therapy
B) focus solely on the experience of the here and now and disregard what has happened in the past
C) focus solely on events of the past and disregard the experience of the here and now
D) prevent the client from gaining awareness of how past events influence how he or she interacts in the here and now

Question 17

Melissa is studying for her counseling theories exam; however, she is getting frustrated because she is having a difficult time concentrating. She suddenly realizes that she is having difficulty concentrating because she is very tired from working until midnight the evening before. According to Gestalt theory, Melissa's fatigue is

A) irrational
B) figural
C) speculative
D) conditional

Question 18

Desi's therapist, Pat, is a practicing Gestalt therapist and hypothesizes that Desi is experiencing:

A) retroflection
B) incongruence
C) introjection
D) confluence

Question 19

Pat will MOST likely assess Desi to determine

A) the most accurate DSM-V diagnosis
B) whether his presenting symptoms of anxiety are due to his history of asthma
C) the career that would be most appropriate for him to pursue
D) Desi's current level of awareness

Question 20

If you read contemporary Gestalt therapy sources, you are likely to see

A) few structured techniques
B) pronounced focus on the phenomenological exploration of the client's experience
C) excessive reliance on technique
D) both A and B

Question 21

Which of the following characteristics of Gestalt therapy contributes to its usefulness with clients from diverse populations?

A) focus on expressiveness
B) the lack of attention paid to the development of insight
C) the focus on self-disclosure
D) the lack of importance of content

Question 22

This concept refers to a complete loss of self in which the individual cannot separate him/herself from the environment

A) retroflection
B) introjection
C) confluence
D) projection

Question 23

This defense occurs when a client's impulse is blunted or dampened (i.e., a person smiles to soften the expression of his/her anger)

A) deflection
B) denial
C) avoidance
D) acting out

Question 24

Healthy contact with the environment, according to Gestalt theory, results in:

A) assimilation
B) accommodation
C) introjection
D) confluence

Question 25

Tammy is angry because her boyfriend, Shane, has dumped her. She contemplated suicide. According to Gestalt therapy, she is experiencing:

A) introjection
B) retroflection
C) confluence
D) suppression

Question 26

If you are a Gestalt therapist, you will probably conclude that George:

A) is experiencing unfinished business
B) has disowned some feelings
C) is probably operating on the basis of interjected shoulds
D) all of the above

Question 27

As a Gestalt therapist, you are authentic in your interaction with George, but not terribly invested in helping him change. You are displaying:

A) creative indifference
B) inappropriate behavior
C) retroflection
D) affirmation of the self

Question 28

Gestalt therapists would be unlikely to use which of the following techniques:

A) dream work
B) exaggeration
C) free association
D) reversals

Question 29

Maladaptive behavior in Gestalt therapy would NOT be likely to include:

A) inability to complete Gestalts
B) dichotomizing the self
C) disowning parts of self
D) cognitive distortion

Question 30

Gestalt therapists believe that contact:

A) facilitates the development of a healthy sense of self
B) is a trivial component of a person's more important daily activities
C) prevents healthy growth and development
D) is a positive way to reframe aggression

Question 31

Which of the following statements best describes research that has tested the quality of Gestalt theory?

A) Gestalt therapy theory is easily testable and based on sound analog studies
B) Gestalt therapy theory is difficult to test because of constructs that are difficult to operationalize
C) Gestalt therapy theory is easily testable, but the results do not generalize to other samples
D) Gestalt therapy theory is difficult to test because it is difficult to recruit participants for studies

Question 32

Joyce and Sills (2010), Gestalt therapists, take a broader approach to dream work. They suggest that clients can benefit from interventions such as

A) telling the dream in past tense
B) creating different endings for their dreams
C) verbally telling the story of the dream
D) differentiating between dream elements