Sei sulla pagina 1di 3

u04d1 Elements of Theory - Functionalism, Structuralism, Gestalt

Each school of thought is attributable to a theorist. Each theory has attributes that provide the distinction for the separation of schools of thought. Referring to the text and two peer-reviewed journals, discuss the elements of functionalism, structuralism, and Gestalt as they apply to your work.

Response Guidelines
Respond to at least two other learners. Your responses to other learners are expected to be substantive in nature and reference the assigned readings, as well as other theoretical, empirical, or professional literature to support your views and writings.

Resources

Attributes and Evaluation of Discussion Contributions. Professional Communications and Writing Guide.

Gestalt psychology began in Berlin, Germany as behaviorism was fast becoming the dominant school in American psychology in the mid-1920s. These two schools of thought were reactionary movements to the theories of Wundt and functionalism. Both behaviorism and Gestalt psychology protested against Wundts brick and mortar, reductionist approach of conscious elementalism. However, Watson rejected the scientific usefulness of the concept of consciousness and focused on the empirical study of behavioralism. In contrast, Gestalt psychology found value in the conscious experience, the wholeness of perception and a modern approach to phenomenology. Max Wertheimer, who was highly influenced by Ehrenfels work on form qualities of consciousness, pioneered Gestalt studies on perceptual phenomena. He asserted that we perceive objects as apparent wholes not as elements of sensation as Wundt postulated. He defined it as the phi phenomenon (Schultz & Schultz, 2008). Wolfgang Kohler, another principle founder of Gestalt, developed studies on the global conception of behavior in stark contrast to the atomistic view of behavior held by behaviorists. He helped expand Gestalt theory to include the parameters of learning, thinking, emotions, and behavior. Gestalt therapy today is a psychological discipline that stresses the development of client selfawareness and personal responsibility. The goal is to raise a clients' self awareness regarding how they function in relationships and their environment and subsequently taking responsibility for the outcome. The focus of Gestalt therapy is phenomenological, holistic and intuitive rather than on the specific content being discussed. Awareness occurs as the client interfaces specific needs with full sensorimotor, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual and energy support. A key element of Gestalt is the figure formation process of how the client organizes relationships and environmental factors based on present need. Critical factors of Gestalt therapy are client self regulation and awareness, therapist-client emphatic identification, and the parameters of ethical practice. In Gestalt therapy, the interaction between therapist and client is an ever changing dialogue marked by straightforward caring, warmth, acceptance, and self-responsibility. Establishing trust in client contact is essential (Simon, 2009). Empathetic identification is marked by inclusion of the therapist into the phenomenology of the client.

Emotional availability of the therapist is critically important in Gestalt to facilitating deep and sustained emotional contact with a client and is a major factor in facilitating the client's healing and growth. It requires a genuine interest in the client, and the availability of the therapist to enter into emotional contact. As a result, the multicultural and ethical ramifications can be very challenging to the Gestalt therapist. By becoming increasingly reflective about the sources of meaning and motivation in his or her own life, the therapist will be less likely to unwittingly inject personal values and beliefs into the phenomenology of the therapeutic process and therefore understand the clients' subjective worlds in all of their nuances and complexity. Useful within the counseling environment is the concept of decentering, which reflects a clinical sensitivity and reflection about how a therapists personal theoretical commitments, relational-history and multiculturalism influence the therapeutic process to better understand and respond accurately to client pathologies (Zeddies, 1999). Addressing multiculturalism in psychological practice requires a Gestalt practitioner to demonstrate that satisfactory training and experience has been acquired to provide culturally relevant client interventions. I have used Gestalt theory in counseling in the past in several multicultural contexts and have found it to be very effective. I have engaged a range of active interventions such as dream work, guided visualization, verbal and nonverbal cues, role playing and the paradoxical theory of change through self dialogue with favorable results. Various therapeutic techniques and modalities can be used in Gestalt as long as they are focused on increasing self-awareness, phenomenology, and are within the parameters of sound ethical APA practice (APA, 2002). Anthony Rhodes General Psychology Ph.D. Reference American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Washington, DC. Schultz, D. P. & Schultz, S. E. (2008). A history of modern psychology (9th ed.). Belmont: CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. ISBN: 9780495097990. Simon, S.. (2009). Applying Gestalt Theory to Coaching. Gestalt Review, 13(3), 230-240. Retrieved February 4, 2010, from ProQuest Psychology Journals. (Document ID: 1944586861). Zeddies, T. (1999). Becoming a psychotherapist: The personal nature of clinical work, emotional availability and personal allegiances. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 36(3), 229-235.

Potrebbero piacerti anche