Theory Critique - Gestalt & Behavior - Essay Example

Gestalt Therapy Gestalt Therapy offers so much to prospective in search of understanding their present circumstances. It is concerned with the whole well-being of a person – emotional, cognitive and even the physical manifestations of an individual’s problems. As an existential-phenomenological approach, Gestalt Therapy aims for clients to gain awareness of what they are experiencing and how they are doing it. It is existential because it is grounded on the notion that people are always in the process of becoming, remaking and rediscovering themselves. It is phenomenological because it focuses on the client’s perceptions of reality. In order for a client to fully understand his conflicts, he needs to re-experience significant scenes in his life that are responsible for it. The therapist is a trusted companion in the experience who helps him gain a better understanding of the consequences of such experience. It is believed that no matter how painful that experience is, the client needs to confront it with the help of creative techniques or experiments facilitated by a skilled therapist who uses his wise judgment and perfect timing in the choice of a productive experiment. The client needs to go through the painful experience again with more objective and sensitive thinking in the able company of the therapist. It is like gold going through fire so that it can be refined and polished. The therapist needs to be thoroughly trained in reading and interpreting a client’s verbal and more importantly, non-verbal communication and adept enough in bringing out the real feelings and thoughts of the client out in the open. Gestalt theories seem to have borrowed ideas from Psychoanalytic theories and modified it to suit its own theories. Its “channels of resistance to contact” parallels Freud’s “defense mechanisms”. Likewise, it delves deep into an individual’s dreams. Such focus on deep, underlying meanings behind a person’s actuations and speech entails thoroughness and depth in the study of the unconscious. The wisdom expected of a Gestalt therapist is reminiscent of the biblical Joseph the dreamer who has used his gift of interpreting dreams accurately to win the favor of men while giving glory to God, as he always acknowledged that the interpretation of the dreams came from Him. Joseph was humble enough to admit that God was only using him as an instrument to uncover truths. If Joseph’s ability for dream interpretation is natural, a Gestalt therapist’s is acquired through careful study and training. Aside from that, he should learn various techniques that require a client to act on his resistance to uncomfortable truths about himself. Reading through the examples of the experiments a Gestalt therapist uses made me think it would be difficult for withdrawn persons like me. Such experiments draw much attention to the client and make him vulnerable and self-conscious. Although I believe the experiments may be successful in unearthing deep issues within the client, I think much of the drama it entails (especially during group therapy) may be distracting because of the overwhelming self-consciousness it may cause the client. The meticulous dissection of a person’s make-up covers even the physical manifestations of an internal conflict. Non-verbal gestures and even diseases usually caused by stress are analyzed if they are related to unexpressed hostilities that come out in the form of “blocked energies”. Eventually, as issues are resolved, it is expected that over-all well-being follows. Like other forms of therapy, the basic goal of Gestalt therapy is to bring about self-awareness in the client. During therapy sessions, the therapist is alert enough to remind the client to use language that shows “ownership”, accountability and responsibility for feelings and conflicts. One example is using “I” statements such as “I find it difficult to talk to my father” instead of “It is difficult talking to my father”. Personally, I find it exhausting to be a Gestalt therapist because it requires that he be on his toes all the time to spot hidden truths the client might slip at revealing at one time or another. As a client, I would feel violated when someone would intrude in my private thoughts, somewhat like somebody “censors” my already censored expressions to bring me back to truths that I chose to cover up. I need to maintain a positive self-image to project to the world. However, as a client, I should be ready for disclosure of my thoughts and feelings to a trusted therapist. I must remember that he is God’s instrument for my own healing. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” ( Romans 12:2). Indeed, with the support of good mentor, the client learns to take responsibility for his actions. Being more objectively aware of his reactions to certain stimuli, the client learns that he has some choices that he might have taken to change the outcome of the situation and is not limited to his default personal reactions. Therefore, in the future, when faced with the same circumstances, he is more equipped in influencing his environment and make better choices for his own good. Behavior Therapy Behavior therapy follows very scientific principles in the study of human behavior. Its precepts on the predictability of behavior patterns using reinforcements (either positive or negative) and extinction of negative behavior by withholding reinforcements has been used in a variety of applications – from education, dealing with inappropriate behavior, etc. I have associated my schooling as a child with behaviorism. I guess most people have been in the traditional method of education where the all-powerful figure was the teacher way up in front of the class. We were all expected to listen to her, the “dispenser of wisdom” that she is, and we pupils, were merely empty slates waiting to be filled with her knowledge. We were punished with low grades for our poor performance in school not to mention the humiliation we suffered from jeering achievers. On the other hand, we were rewarded with high marks if we showed exemplary academic performance, along with medals and awards of distinction. Growing up in this system caused me to question its credibility in assessing how we learned. My spirit wanted to break free and learn through experiential methods instead of being limited to lectures, books and paper work. I wanted to be intellectually challenged using my own views and opinions on important matters and not with memorized pieces authored by someone else shoved down my throat. Learning that the methods used in my education were “behavioral”, I developed a dislike for the whole theory. Reading about the new behavior therapy methods as a more mature student, I have cast out some of my angst against it while I was enlightened about its advantages. I have read how effective it can be in modifying unhealthy and inappropriate behaviors like over-eating, smoking or drug addiction. This approach has become the treatment of choice for many psychological problems. I have gained more respect and appreciation for it, considering the scientific study it merited and how it evolved from its testy beginnings. Behaviorists help clients take specific actions to change their lives, more than merely talk about their troubles during therapy sessions. Therapists are likewise concerned with how stimulus events are mediated by cognitive processes. Finally, they emphasize the client’s responsibility for his own behavior. It is the clients who choose their desired goals for therapy and are expected to fully cooperate with the therapist in the fulfillment of such goals. This kind of therapy is not so much concerned with a client’s past as it is with his present struggles to change his current maladaptive behaviors. A “can-do” attitude is fostered as therapy empowers a client with self-management skills. Usually, a client’s work extends outside the therapy sessions and is accountable for his “homework”. He is expected to report the details of his work to his therapist. What I like from this theory and am decided on applying in my counseling practice is Relaxation training and Systematic Desensitization. Nowadays, most of the anxiety experienced by clients overrules their daily lives rendering them helpless. The use of effective relaxation and desensitization techniques to help manage stress during anxiety-producing situations is worth coming to therapy in itself. In comparison with other counseling therapies, I find Behavior therapy less concerned with the affect of the client. The therapist maintains an objective and distant persona who is more concerned with behavior modification than the feelings the client undergoes. This may stem from its origins as a product of experimental Psychology. As a Christian counselor, what bothers me about behavior therapy is its over-reliance on human capacities. Coming from a scientific foundation, it is not tolerant of unexplained behavioral reforms inspired by one’s faith. It is difficult to conceive merging two distant disciplines such as science and religion, especially in the study of human behavior. Although human empowerment in distressing events should be celebrated, I personally believe it should also give credit to a higher being who makes it possible. I would be at a loss as to how to incorporate spirituality in a purely behaviorist therapy session, as it seems to be designed in such a way that all bases are covered by its own theories. However, the fact that a human connection is still established beyond the scientific methods both therapist and client practice, there is hope of imparting Godly inspiration from one person to another (devoid of their therapy roles). This message from James refreshes any weary soul, wounded from life’s battles: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1: 2-5) Read More