The first internationally focused book on gestalt therapy to provide a comprehensive overview of current practice around the world. Features coverage of the history, training, theoretical contributions, and research initiatives relating to gestalt therapy in seventeen countries Points to future directions and challenges Includes extensive information on worldwide gestalt associations, institutes, and professional societies that promote the development of the approach

"The field of psychotherapy has been fragmented and staggered by over-choice. We have witnessed the hyperinflation of brand-name therapies. In 1959, Harper identified 36 distinct systems of psychotherapy; by 1976, Parloff discovered more than 130 therapies in the therapeutic marketplace or, perhaps more appropriately, the "jungle place." Recent estimates put the number at over 500 and growing (Pearsall, 2011)"--

Over a decade in the making, this volume brings together some of the richest thinking about gestalt therapy theory and practice that emerged in the lead-up to the 21st century. In 1996, the internet was breaking out of its shell, and the first electronic journal for gestalt therapy appeared as a hybrid of the text-based discussion group Gstalt-L and the graphically rich, web-based journal itself. The journal, supported by a community at St. Johns University, was titled Gestalt!. Its vision was to stimulate a global discussion of gestalt therapy using the electronic medium that has now become so common and essential, and it did just that. Gestalt! was free. It was quick. Those working with the journal were focused on substance over style. The editors have ensured this relevant and playful attitude shines through in this collection. There are errors in form, because the editors have maintained many in order to provide a realistic feel for what the journal was like. Although it no longer exists, this book reclaims the journal’s great historical value and still-significant ideas.

Enchantment and Gestalt Therapy is a personal exploration of Erving Polster’s remarkable career, the value of the Gestalt approach, and the power of enchantment in psychotherapy. Polster points ahead to a vision of a psychotherapy that includes the population as a whole rather than focusing on individuals, highlights common aspects of living, and focuses on creating an ethos for a shared understanding. The book outlines the six Gestalt therapy concepts that have formed the basis of Polster’s work and describes Life Focus Groups, with an emphasis on the communal relationship between tellers and listeners. Polster also describes the phenomenon of enchantment in psychotherapy in detail, with reference to his own experiences. This unique work is essential reading for Gestalt therapists, other professionals interested in Gestalt approaches, and readers looking for a deeper insight into community and connection. In the below link, Erving Polster speaks to Margherita Spagnuolo Lobb, the series editor of The Gestalt Therpay Book Series, about Enchantment and Gestalt Therapy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PVG9JgpTQQ&feature=youtu.be

This book is a practical, professional reference on the practice of Gestalt Therapy (GT) by Philip Brownell, a leading practitioner and scholar in the field. The book covers the philosophical basics of GT and contrasts it with various types of psychotherapeutic approaches. The book also provides guidelines on how to apply GT principles to therapeutic practice with clients. Lastly, the authors cover training on a post-graduate level, certification, and continuing education issues relevant for the practicing therapist. Key Features: Explains Martin Buber's use of "dialogue" in gestalt therapy and how to practice in a dialogical manner Compares and contrasts the features of a gestalt system of diagnosis with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Provides GT treatment planning and case management practices

This volume describes the most current gestalt approaches to treating substance abuse and other self-medicating behaviors by a leading practitioner and scholar in the field. It is based on the gestalt view of the self-medicating dynamic as one of pattern repetition and difficulty overcoming rigid patterns of response to sensory experience and life's routine demands. The book provides a practical model for helping clients with the gamut of self-medicating behaviors-substance and alcohol abuse, overeating, gambling, overworking, rage, and others-and describes a recovery program as a system created to change one's lifestyle over time through the development of disciplines that ultimately shape one's life. The volume will also be helpful to therapists in other modalities as an alternative therapy when treating self-medicating clients, as well as a spiritual alternative to the 12-step approach. Key Features: Applies current gestalt therapy approaches to the spectrum of addictive behaviors Provides practical treatment models for self-medicating behaviors Written by a prominent practitioner and scholar of gestalt therapy Offers a spiritual alternative to the 12-step approach to recovery

The Gestalt approach is based on the philosophy that the human being is born with the healthy ability to regulate needs and wants in relationship with the environment in which she/he lives. Heightening of personal awareness and exploration of needs is enabled by the therapist who actively engages in supporting and assisting the therapeutic journey of the client. Gestalt Therapy: Advances in Theory and Practice is a collaboration of some of the best thinkers in the Gestalt therapy approach. It offers a summary of recent advances in theory and practice, and novel ideas for future development. Each chapter focuses on a different element of the Gestalt approach and, with contributors from around the world, each offers a different perspective of its ongoing evolution in relation to politics, religion and philosophy. Incorporating ideas about community, field theory, family and couple therapy, politics and spirituality, this book will be of interest not only to Gestalt therapists but also to non-Gestalt practitioners, counsellors, psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals. Counselling, behavioural science and psychotherapy students will also find this a valuable contribution to their learning.

This book tells the story of the community at the New York Institute for Gestalt Therapy (NYIGT) as it evolved in connection with the highly regarded theory it produced, examining some important turning points for the institute spanning the period from the early 1970s until 2020 and describing the more large-scale changes the community underwent. Through chronologically ordered chapters, the history of the NYIGT is written in a documentary-style narrative complete with the voices of contemporary witnesses embedded into the storyline. The book explores the aggressiveness during community meetings that the institute was once known for, how the LGBTQIA community shaped the institute from the beginning, what changed when the institute began to be run democratically, its feminist revolution, as well as recent developments and the institute’s current group processes. This historically rich work is essential reading for Gestalt therapists, other professionals interested in Gestalt approaches, and readers interested in the history of Gestalt therapy.

Gestalt Therapy: The Basics provides an accessible and concise overview of the approach and its substantial theory. Experiential exercises, clinical vignettes and examples from everyday practice are included to enrich understanding of gestalt’s theory and its clinical application. This book explores: the history of gestalt therapy, gestalt maps, philosophical beliefs, creative experimentation and ethical considerations. Useful chapter summaries are featured throughout to aid comprehension. This book is essential reading for gestalt trainees, as well as counsellors and psychotherapists wanting to learn more about the gestalt approach.

Gestalt Therapy: History, Theory, and Practice is an introductory text, written by major Gestalt theorists, that will engage those new to Gestalt therapy. Editors Ansel Woldt and Sarah M. Toman introduce the historical underpinnings and fundamental concepts of Gestalt therapy and illustrate applications of those concepts to therapeutic practice. The book is unique in that it is the first Gestalt text specifically designed for the academic and training institute settings. Gestalt Therapy takes both a conceptual and a practical approach to examining classic and cutting-edge constructs.