What is the main difference between person centered therapy and gestalt therapy?

Answer 1

Therapies!You are asking a rather technical question! You are asking about two psychological approaches to therapy that are about as radically different as any could be. Roger's client-centered therapy lets the client put forth his/her feelings and hopes that with this emotional release his/her inner tensions can be resolved. Of course, there is some direction that leads the client into the areas of stress.

Gestalt therapy - the Pearls version - stresses our need to see the total picture of a situation, e.g. our basic instinct when in danger to imagine the tiger when we only see the tiger's eyes. "Closure", to want to see the complete picture of a situation is the driving force of this therapy.

The above descriptions are only preliminary and incomplete interpretations of both therapies. For more insight read the following book. "The Nature of Personal Reality," by Jan Roberts.

I do not agree with this statement about the two therapies being so different. They both stress the importance of the here and now as apposed to the ' then and there' basically dealing with current presenting issues rather than deep analysis of the past.

Gestalt does use a more directive approach and uses techniques such as the empty chair whereby a client imagines the person they wish to talk to is there and they say what they would say if they had the chance or the confidence to do so. gestalt could be a bit confrontational to some but not if done empathically and respectfully

gestalt is more directive but both methods value congeunce, accurate empathy and genuiness. They both also stress the importance of not interpreting the clients view as they both feel that no-one knows the client better than the client.

gestalt is a more visually driven approach and also focuses on body language and encourages awareness of somatic responses such as nail biting or fist clenching. It gives these actions a voice. Both therapies look at internal as apposed to external causes and both demonstrate great respect for client autonomy

There are more similarities than there are differences