study

Stage of Change

Definition

Example (related to bulimia)

Precontemplation

Not considering change; may be unaware of or resistant to the need for change

A person who engages in frequent episodes of bingeing and purging, but does not see it as a problem or may be in denial about the negative impact on their health

Contemplation

Considering the need for change, but not yet committed to taking action

A person who acknowledges that their bulimic behaviors are causing harm, but is uncertain if they are ready or willing to make the necessary changes

Preparation

Preparing to take action and making plans to change behavior

A person who decides to seek treatment for their bulimia, sets up an appointment with a therapist or doctor, and begins to research support groups or resources for recovery

Action

Taking steps to change behavior and actively making changes in their life

A person who engages in therapy or counseling, learns coping strategies to manage their urges to binge and purge, and begins to establish a regular eating pattern

Maintenance

Sustaining the changes made in the action stage and preventing relapse

A person who has successfully stopped engaging in bulimic behaviors for several months, continues to attend therapy sessions, and has developed a support network to help them stay on track with their recovery goals

Category

Definition

Examples

Human Nature

Gestalt therapy emphasizes awareness and contact with the environment, leading to informed choices and a meaningful existence.

Helping clients become more aware of their present experience and how it shapes their behavior and emotions. Encouraging clients to take responsibility for their actions and choices.

Principles

Holism is a central principle of Gestalt therapy, which attends to thoughts, feelings, behaviors, body, memories, and dreams.

Recognizing that a person is more than just their symptoms or problems, and considering their whole experience. Encouraging clients to attend to all aspects of their experience, rather than just focusing on one or two.

Resistances

Gestalt therapy identifies and addresses several forms of resistances, including introjection, projection, retroflection, deflection, and confluence.

Helping clients recognize how they may be avoiding contact or awareness in certain areas of their life, and addressing these patterns. Encouraging clients to take responsibility for their own experience and avoid blaming others.

The Now

Gestalt therapy emphasizes the present moment, focusing on phenomenological inquiry.

Helping clients become more aware of what they are experiencing in the moment, and how this shapes their behavior and emotions. Encouraging clients to explore their experience in the moment, rather than just talking about it.

Goals in Therapy

The main goal of Gestalt therapy is to assist the client to attain greater awareness and greater choice.

Helping clients become more aware of their experience and how it shapes their behavior and emotions. Encouraging clients to take responsibility for their choices and actions.

Therapist Role

Clients are the experts on their own experience. The therapist is a guide, present experiments, and shares observations.

Helping clients explore their experience and discover new insights. Encouraging clients to take responsibility for their own experience and choices.

Language

Language can both describe and conceal. Depersonalizing language like “It” talk and global and impersonal language keeps clients hidden.

Encouraging clients to use language that reflects their experience and emotions, rather than just describing their situation. Helping clients explore the metaphors they use and how they shape their experience.

Gestalt Experiments

Gestalt experiments are spontaneous, one-of-a-kind, and relevant to a particular moment.

Encouraging clients to experiment with new behaviors and perspectives in the moment. Helping clients explore their experience and emotions through role-play, visualization, or other techniques.

The Gestalt Approach to Dream Work

The intent is to bring dreams back and relive them as if they were happening now.

Encouraging clients to explore their dreams and the meaning they hold. Helping clients explore how their dreams relate to their experience in waking life.

Multicultural Perspective

Gestalt therapy can be tailored to fit the unique experience or interpretation of culture.

Recognizing that different cultures may have different ways of experiencing and expressing emotions. Encouraging clients to explore how their cultural background may influence their experience and emotions.

Limitations to Gestalt Therapy

The therapist must have a high level of personal development. Therapists need to be highly active, exhibit sensitivity, timing, inventiveness, empathy, and respect.

Recognizing that Gestalt therapy may not be effective for all clients or in all situations. Encouraging therapists to continually develop their own skills and self-awareness.

ACT Concept

Definition

Example

Acceptance

Willingness to experience uncomfortable thoughts, emotions, and sensations without trying to control them or avoid them.

Instead of trying to push away feelings of anxiety, a person in ACT would accept them as they are and allow them to be present while they take action towards their values.

Cognitive Defusion

Learning to observe thoughts as passing events in the mind, rather than as accurate reflections of reality.

When a person experiences a thought like “I am not good enough,” they learn to recognize it as a thought and not a fact, and let it pass by without getting caught up in it.

Being Present

Mindfulness-based practice of focusing on the present moment, rather than getting caught up in past or future concerns.

When a person is doing an activity, such as washing dishes, they focus their attention fully on the task at hand, without distraction by thoughts or emotions.

Self as Context

Seeing oneself as an observer of thoughts, emotions, and experiences, rather than as the thoughts and experiences themselves.

Instead of saying “I am anxious,” a person in ACT would say “I notice anxiety is present.”

Values

Clarifying what matters most to a person in life, and taking action towards those values.

A person may identify that family and health are important values, and therefore make time for exercise and spending quality time with loved ones.

Committed Action

Taking effective action towards one’s values, even in the face of uncomfortable thoughts and emotions.

A person who values a healthy lifestyle may make a commitment to exercise regularly, even when they don’t feel like it or when life gets busy.

Component

Definition

Example

A (Activating Event)

The situation or trigger that causes an emotional response

Losing a job

B (Beliefs)

The thoughts and beliefs about the activating event

“I’m a failure”, “I’ll never find another job”, “It’s all my fault”

C (Consequences)

The emotional and behavioral responses that result from the beliefs

Feeling depressed, withdrawing from social activities, difficulty sleeping

D (Dispute)

Challenging and questioning the beliefs to reduce the intensity of the emotional response

“Is it really true that I’m a failure?”, “What evidence is there to support the belief that I’ll never find another job?”

E (Effect)

The resulting emotions and behaviors after disputing the beliefs

Feeling less intense emotions, taking action to look for new job opportunities