Experiment : lead the client by following him half a step behind

ROUBAL, Jan. Experiment : lead the client by following him half a step behind. GTK Rivista di Psicoterapia. Istituto di Gestalt Therapy Hcc Kairos, 2019, Neuveden, No 7, p. 79-97. ISSN 2039-5337.

Basic information

• Original name: Experiment : lead the client by following him half a step behind
• Authors: ROUBAL, Jan (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: GTK Rivista di Psicoterapia, Istituto di Gestalt Therapy Hcc Kairos, 2019, 2039-5337.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 50101 Psychology
• Country of publisher: Italy
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: celé číslo 7/2019 - open access
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14230/19:00110678
• Organization unit: Faculty of Social Studies
• Keywords in English: Gestalt therapy; intervention; experiment; therapy process; field theory
• Tags: rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

This article presents an experiment both as a specific kind of intervention and as an integral part of the Gestalt therapist’s work. Experiment is described as an adventurous common journey for both the client and the therapist, starting in the here-and-now situation, continuing through a creative indifference and aiming towards an unplanned discovery. The text presents and attempt to introduce the conditions necessary on the therapist’s side for an effective use of an experiment. Specifically, the text will offer inspiration on how to set a therapist’s mind-body to an „experimental mode“ before actually offering an experiment to the client. Different ways of grounding in the here-and-now, active suggesting, openness to discoveries, courage for creativity, and strategic leadership will be introduced. The use of an experiment will also be described from the perspective of field theory. The transformation from anxiety to excitement, essential for an experiment, is then seen as happening first in the therapist’s mind-body-set thus enabling a necessary support for welcoming an experiment offered by the situation.