Chapter 6d: Gestalt, Existential, and Cognitive Theories & Techniques

What is the idea behind Gestalt therapy?

The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Why does the client come to a Gestalt therapist and what is the goal?

- The client comes to therapist because of a lack of integration and a lack of awareness of their psyche, body, and social connections.

- Goal is to increase awareness of emotions, thoughts, social interactions, and one's physical body.

What is the Gestalt Empty Chair Technique?

Imagine a person in another chair (dream character, person in real life) and speak to them, imagine what they say.

What is the Gestalt Body Awareness Exercise?

Check what's going on in one's own body, including when considering memories or experiencing different emotions. Uses visual imagery (ask client to recall a time they felt certain way, what happened then, relive it. Or therapist could ask client to imagine them doing something well).

What is the point role playing with Gestalt theory and what is role reversal?

To understand self & other's feelings. Important in forgiveness, to take perspective of offender.

•Role Reversal: client act out another's position

What are Gestalt Dialogue Games?

Client acts out conflicting feelings

Why would a Gestalt therapist directly confront a client?

If the client's behaviors are inconsistent with their values and beliefs.

What is the purpose of "I Statements"?

To get the client to take responsibility for their own emotions. (Ex: "I get angry when you yell" not "You make me angry").

What is Yalom's Existential Theory of Personal Dynamics?

Awareness of Each Ultimate Concern causes anxiety (inner conflict) that leads to Defense Mechanism.

What are Yalom's four ultimate concerns for existentialism?

- Death: You are mortal & Life is short

- Freedom: you are master of your own destiny

- Isolation: no one else can make choices for u; u r born & die alone

- Meaninglessness: There is no meaning other than what you create

What is Existential Anxiety/Angst?

- Unpleasant feelings caused by contemplating these concerns. Anguish over major choices we make, which are never perfect.

What is forlorn and despair in existentialism?

- Forlorn: nothing can guide your choices, u alone responsible. Pitifully sad and alone – you and only you can choose your path in life. Many deal with this by finding a partner that make decisions for them, or vote for strong leader, etc.

- Despair: many outcomes in life are beyond your control. Complete loss or absence of hope - outcomes like when someone dies, who you can marry, etc.

What are our two choices for existential defenses?

- Living an authentic existence

- Living in bad faith

What does it mean to live an authentic existence?

- Recognizing & facing ultimate concerns directly

- Find oneself (what you attach meaning & value to), live fully, in accordance with that self.

- The moral and correct choice, but will not relieve any loneliness and unhappiness

- Client takes responsibility to find what they value and go do those things.

What was Frankl's view of living an authentic existence?

Finding purpose in life is key. Any purpose will do. ( Ex: Concentration camps - those who lived were those who found a purpose to live for).

What does it mean to live in bad faith?

- The immoral, but more comfortable option for people to take.

- They don't think for themself, blindly follow what society says - religious dogma, political propaganda, advertising.

Why is living in bad faith good for a short while, but not in the long run?

Because we lose the one & only opportunity to experience life fully according to how you truly want to live your life and to find true happiness. This is a waste of the little time that we have.

What are Yalom's 4 inappropriate defense mechanisms for living in bad faith?

- Death: believe afterlife thru religion

- Freedom: displace responsibility on political, religious, lover, excuse (excuse such as "I was poor," etc.)

- Isolation: lose ego boundaries in relationship

- Meaningless: believe God has plan for all of us

What are the major existential therapy techniques?

–Finding meaning: From creating something, From experiencing something, From loving someone

–Taking responsibility

–Fully living: make them aware of their own death

What are the key features behind the cognitive theory?

- How one thinks largely determines how one feels and behaves

- Mental health problems result from irrational thoughts & cognitive distortions

What are Albert Ellis's Major Irrational Thoughts?

- I must be liked by everyone to be a worthwhile person

- Other people should always act considerately & fairly

- The environment around me should always be non-frustrating & gratifying

- I CAN'T stand this! Its unbearable!

What is Elli's ABC's cognitive theory and example?

- Activating Event -> Belief System -> Consequence.

- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

- Example: Activating Event (break up with boyfriend) leads to emotional consequence (depression), but does not cause the consequence. It’s the Beliefs you hold that cause the consequence. If you believe you lost the love of your life, that you two should have worked out but you blew it, that you should have put up with his crap, that he should have treated you better, then you will be depressed and probably angry.

What are Aaron Beck's 4 major cognitive distortions?

1. Dichotomous Thinking

2. Selective Abstraction

3. Mind Reading

4. Fortune Telling

What is dichotomous thinking and an example?

-Definition: Things are seen in two exclusive categories with no "shades of gray" in between.

- Ex: believing one is either a success or a failure, anything short of perfect is failure.

What is selective Abstraction and an example of it?

- Definition: Focus on one aspect of a situation, ignore other aspects.

- Ex: focusing on the one negative comment in work evaluation and overlooking all the positive comments.

What is mind reading and an example of it?

- Definition: Assuming others are reacting negatively to u without evidence.

- Ex: thinking, "I just know he thought I was an idiot!"

What is fortune telling and an example of it?

- Definition: Believe negative expectations about future events are established facts.

- Ex: thinking, "He's leaving me, I just know it!," and acting as though this is definitely true.

What is the purpose of a self-monitoring form?

- Note unrealistic thoughts & their precursors that lead to those thoughts.

What are three ways to change/challenge your irrational thinking?

- Recognize how thought is irrational

- Socratic Questioning: question rationality of thought

- Consider more rational alternative thoughts

How did Albert Ellis interact with clients?

Directly challenge clients general irrational philosophical patterns.

How did Aaron Beck interact with clients?

Treated client as a colleague, hypothesis test, experiment with irrational thoughts to see if they are true.

What is mindfulness?

- Nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment

- Accept

- Describe/Label in an Objective/Nonjudgmental way (cold, bitter, sharp pain, anxiety)

- Neutral, Non-evaluative (not terms like good, bad, nice, awful)

What is an unstructured/free-flowing type of mindfullness?

- Note your experience in the present moment (Senses: what you see, hear, feel, taste; Thoughts, Emotions).

What is an example of a structured activity for mindfullness?

Mindfulness Meditation (focus on the breath).

What are the types of interventions for mindfulness in cognitive therapy?

- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction -by Jon Kabat-Zinn (Pain x Attachment = Suffering)

- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression

- Dialectical Behavior Therapy by Marcia Linehan (Acceptance-based strategies (like mindfulness); Change-based strategies (like cognitive-behavior therapy)).

- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) by Stephen Hayes (Use of metaphors (waves rolling in), Accept your limitations or conditions in life, Commit to your values - work to achieve your goals).