Reflection On Gestalt Theory

Working in small groups is either welcomed with excitement by individuals or dreaded with apprehension. However, group work is a fact of life. Whether in a classroom setting or workforce collaborating within small groups are experiences many will interact at some point or regularly participate in. According to the 2010 third edition of the book A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking by Dan O’Hair, Hannah Rubenstein, and Rob Stewart, small groups can be defined as “a collection of between three and twenty people” (321). Small groups, though, are interesting in that while a small collection of people communication role is imperative to the success of the group, but also demonstrates individual’s behaviors when interacting. During small groups, they way in which the member communicates with each other illustrates how individuals perform by taking on specific roles as well as exposing their leadership style. During participation in group work, there is a set of expectations individuals hold for themselves as well as members of the group. Individuals will subconsciously take on a specific role as to how they will help the group achieve their goal, whether that be cohesively or disconnected. Subsequently, the recognition of these acquired roles provides an insight into the individual’s corresponding leadership style. Depending on roles and leaderships style group work can be a consistency of either individual challenging or complimenting one another.

Many times in my life I believed I could feel someone watching me and had a slight panic attack, I had no idea that at one point in my life I would willingly subject myself to a “Fish Bowl” and volunteer to be watched and evaluated by my peers and a professor. But it happened to myself and my classmates as we endeavored to use our newly practice communication skills to the test. Using Rothwell’s Standard Agenda for problem solving and group discussion, our Fish Bowl groups were able to use group communication skills and critical thinking to arrive at viable solutions for the problems placed before them.

Reflecting on experience is an important capability for an individual to be able to move forward. As (SOURCE) said, “(CONTEXT”). Moreover, individuals ought to be able to work not only individually, but also to work together in a group. Working with other people, especially whom you have not known is not as easy as it seems. In fact, it is quite difficult to develop an effective team. Through this reflection essay on the group presentation that I did last Monday, I have become more aware of useful strategies to deal with issues and understand what could be improved for future presentations. Developing teamwork skills is am important benefit for me as future professional workers.

Gestalt theory, is concerned with the whole person, encouraging a balance between body, feeling, intellect and imagination. The Gestalt approach in psychotherapy understands people as being inextricably linked with their environments, both affected by and affecting the context in which a person lives. Here and Now, experiments, creativity and imagination are concepts linked with the theory and practice of Gestalt.

5. What therapeutic communication techniques did the group leader use? Provide specific examples of the methods/approach/style the group leader used to lead this group. The first communication technique that I observed by the group leader was active listening. As each woman spoke, Lynna would face them, and non-verbally acknowledge what they were saying by nodding her head. At times, she would verbally acknowledge what they were saying by making a comment or saying, “I understand how you are feeling.” The one communication technique that she used over and over was giving hope to those women who were feeling down or were finding it difficult to refrain from drinking or doing drugs. She stated that although it is difficult, they will

The conversation between me and my friend was recorded after the microbiology class. It was held in a very quiet room which was located on the top of the building. Through the window, I could see autumn breeze tickling the trees softly. It was a perfect day to have a relaxed a conversation. After writing the transcript, I learned how each person has different ways of talking and how those aspects can help or hinder the other person from understanding the subject. I compared and contrasted the conversation in two different perspectives: the conduit/container perspective and the pragmatist perspective. In the end, I felt that the pragmatist perspective is more valuable than the conduit/container perspective due to its more organized and holistic aspects.

Carl Rogers and Fritz Perls played important roles in the field of psychology. They modeled two great theories that are still used in the current psychology and counseling sessions. Even though Rogers and Perls are certainly two very extreme personalities, there are a lot of commonalities that exist between the person-centered and Gestalt theories those that stem from a similar existential base (Larsson, 2006). This work will explore major assumptions of the two theories, compare and contrast views and assessments of the normal and abnormal behavior between the two theories; it will further look into how behavior change is facilitated between the two theories. The work will also explore various technologies used between the two theories; it will also highlight the strengths and shortcomings between the two theories.

As a novice counsellor, one of the primary objectives was to demonstrate my ability to create a therapeutic space where the client’s felt safe to discuss their issue. Creating this space entails use of counselling skills (Mcleod & Mcleod, 2011). Examining the video the notable skills evident were the skills of attending and listening. The skill of attending entails

This essay will begin with a short background on Carl Rogers and Fritz Perls and an overview of the beginnings of their approaches to counselling followed by a discussion on their views on the theory of personality and problems in living then a discussion on Rogers and Perls theory of change. I will then give a personal evaluation on each theorist’s strengths and weaknesses and include which approach would be the most beneficial for

There have been many times in my life I believed I could feel someone watching me, but I had no idea that at one point in my life I would willingly subject myself to a “Fish Bowl” and volunteer to be watched and evaluated by my peers and a professor. However, this is exactly happened to me and my classmates as we endeavored to put our newly learned communication skills to the test. Using Rothwell’s Standard Agenda for problem solving and group discussion, our Fish Bowl groups were able to use group communication skills and critical thinking to arrive at viable solutions for the problems placed before them.

When viewed in a Gestalt format, during a session the conversation about resources can reveal the power in the family. The family may have unlimited resources, however whoever controls those resources has the power in the family. The therapist can better work with the family by following which

A cornerstone for facilitators is to understand what happens to people in groups. To do this, we need to look both at what people set out to achieve, the task, as well as how they get along – the processes of group activity. People often behave quite differently in groups and teams from one-to-one settings. Some people become quiet, others turn into bullies or tormentors, some become jokers. For the facilitator who has to rely on others for getting the job done, this can be daunting. Why is it that a meeting feels electric one moment and awkward the next? Why do some people refuse to communicate while others do all the talking? It becomes easier to understand the process level if we take a practical example.

|Willumsen |Case study |Interpersonal and |Situation changes over time; |Different professions and |Coordinating team meetings |

Fritz Perls, along with Laura Perls and Paul Goodman, developed Gestalt therapy in the 1940’s (Spillman & Rosen, 2014, p. 202). Fritz Perls was born into a Jewish family, but never fully identified with his Jewish heritage. In Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and growth in the human personality, Fritz Perls promotes the “Gestalt way of life”, which is when individuals become more aware of themselves and their needs rather than to allow external forces to dictate how they live their life (Perls, 1971). In other words, Gestalt therapy’s model could best be summarized by the “I do my thing, and you do your thing. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations and you are not in this world to live up to mine” motto (Spillman & Rosen, 2014, p. 203).

Effective group communications come in forms of verbal and non-verbal techniques. Essential parts of the entire group’s contribution are that the group contains full participating members, the group is diverse, and that the diversity is recognized and respected (Hartley, 1997). In the videos viewed, three were evaluated on the effective and ineffective communication skills of the participants and suggestions made on how they could improve. The videos are titled, “Planning a Playground”, “Helping Annie”, and "The Politics of Sociology.