appointments available by self referral, 2025
What is Gestalt Psychotherapy?
"Gestalt" is a German word and doesn’t have a direct translation in English. It can mean pattern, shape, configuration or form. In gestalt therapy, this relates to understanding the 'whole' person without reducing them to isolated parts: mere fractions of their entire being.
GESTALT IS ABOUT PERCEPTION & EXPERIENCE
How we make sense of our world...
* Recognising our ways of being in relationship with one another and our patterns of behaviour.
* The circumstances that have created our life experiences and how we react to them.
Gestalt therapy is a process-driven modality which means that my curiosity will be peaked by how you tell your story and how your story plays out in your life. Frequently we get stuck in unproductive or outdated patterns of thinking and behaviour. Such repetition can be a catalyst for addressing the change that is needed to feel whole.
By attending to an individual's here and now situation (present consciousness) with accountability, issues of the past and anxieties about the future can be integrated.
Gestalt therapy is a blend of Western Psychoanalytic Theories and Eastern Practices. It is an Existential Philosophy that respects the curiosity of our human experience as a holistic embodiment. It is a profoundly Relational modality that allows for a collaborative encounter. It is also an Experiential and Phenomenological approach; gestalt therapists regularly tune in to what is happening with a client's body. Somatic memory: body sensations, imagery, feelings, and abstract thoughts are all valuable methods of deepening enquiry into life experiences. Visualisation techniques, art, clay, movement, music, aromatics, storytelling, play and enactment are all creative processes that can be utilised.
Ultimately, gestalt therapy is client-centred. We will build self-awareness in the present moment of what is, experiencing, co-creating and experimenting with how to be human together.
I hold a:
*Graduate Certificate in Gestalt Psychotherapy
*Master of Gestalt Psychotherapy
* Level 1 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy
*Diploma of Aromatherapy
*Diploma in Pregnancy Massage & Perinatal Care
*Certificate in Basic Loss & Grief Support:
NALAG - National Association of Loss and Grief
*ASIST - Suicide Intervention First Aid
PACFA M'ship # 29033
GANZ Council Member
NALAG Member & Volunteer
Interested?
Gestalt therapy can be great for working through:
Anger
Anxiety
Depression
Guilt
Self-Criticism
Communication-Barriers
Uncertainty & Inertia
Overwhelm & Shutdown
Grief/Loss
Postnatal Depression
Relationship Issues
Transitions
Addictions
Trauma
Gestalt Psychotherapy vs Psychology
**Gestalt Therapy**
- Offers a holistic and experiential approach to mental health, catalysing the present moment for personal responsibility and awareness creation.
- Views individuals as whole entities, encouraging clients to explore emotions, thoughts and behaviours as interconnected.
- Utilises dynamic techniques such as guided imagery, dreams, music, creative expression: art and movement, role-play etc. to facilitate self-awareness and growth.
- Emphasises the importance of interactions in relationships, and the environment, as shaping one's experiences and behaviours.
- Appeals to those seeking a depth of exploration with a more existential and experiential journey in therapy.
**Psychology**
- Utilises various theoretical approaches and often relies on structured interventions such as CBT, DBT, ACT, IFS etc.
- Primarily focuses on diagnosing and treating issues as disorders.
- Offers a wide range of specialities within the field.
- Characterised by a more systematic and standardised approach to therapy, with specific treatment plans and goals.
- Recognised within healthcare systems and covered by insurance plans.
