Gestalt Therapeutic Approach

Reflection
Furthermore, a Gestalt therapeutic approach was used in this case study because it allowed the client to learn that recovery was possible. Although the client was coping with the pain, it was certainly not the best way. Therapy gave the client insight into what needed to change to move on from that suffering. It was important that the client realized that there are other ways to look at this situation and cope with it. I believe Gestalt therapy worked well with the client’s situation mainly because she became aware of her behaviors and understand why she would do them. For instance, due to past experiences, Chelsea allowed others to dictate what she should do and feel, resulting in the lack of confidence. This approach guided the client to understand that she is the one responsible for her emotions and how to view her situation

appropriately. Thus, once she was able to see that she could be independent, she may not have felt the need to engage in self-destructive behaviors. Instead of just focusing on the self-harming behavior, the client took a step back and looked at her entire story. From there, she was able to realize why she would cope the way she did and learn the confidence to change her mentality overall. Therefore, by tackling the hidden issue may result in long-lasting effects of treatment rather than simply looking for a quick solution to the problem.
As the therapist, my personal characteristics influenced the relationship by establishing an empathetic atmosphere free from any judgment.

I believe my non-judgmental nature and open-mindedness makes it easier to connect with the client and have them feel more comfortable to disclose. Given this situation, the client was self-harming because she lacked the ability to cope with emotions in a positive manner. She was doing what she could to relieve the pain; she was engaging in that behavior to punish herself. It was essential that I created this accepting environment and that the client knew she was being understood. If Chelsea felt she was being judged, my lack of empathy may reinforce more of the self-destructive behavior. This closed-mindedness reaction may continue this self-perpetuating cycle of self-harm that the client is trying escape from. Gestalt therapy looks at the big picture, self-harming and other self-destructive behaviors are just one part of the story that could be changed. If the therapist creates this atmosphere that allows the client to feel they are understood, it can benefit their progress

greatly.
Additionally, another personal characteristic that may have influenced the counselor-client relationship was being able to establish trust with the client. In Gestalt therapy, the client is responsible for their growth in treatment through the therapist’s guidance. In order to have the confidence to do that, the client needs to believe that the counselor will guide them towards the right direction, if not therapy becomes useless. Therefore, to establish this trust, I disclosed my own personal experiences regarding a similar situation. Through my vulnerability, it allowed the client to become more comfortable in talking about her scenario by reassuring that I could help. It is crucial that both the therapist and client work together to ensure the best therapeutic experience. The therapist’s vulnerability may allow more interpersonal growth for both parties. Also, given the nature of this situation, it was essential that the client was able to trust the therapist. In fact, research supports that in order to effectively help those who engage in self-harming behaviors, there must be a collaborative teamwork between the client and therapist. Both need to work as a team to tackle the issue rather than having the therapist tell the client what to do (Jobes & Drozd, 2004; Orbach, 2001; Sidley, 1998). Therefore, by becoming aware of my own personal baggage and figuring out how to incorporate my experiences at an appropriate time in the session, helped create this trust where we can work together to understand the big issue at hand. Overall, by using the Gestalt perspective allowed the client to feel autonomous when it came to her treatment as well as secured that I was guiding her throughout the entire process.