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Gestalt Therapy: Student Perceptions of Fritz Perls in Three Approaches to Psychotherapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 February 2012

Joe Reilly*
Affiliation:
Drexel University, Goodwin College of Professional Studies, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America. jar32@drexel.edu
Veronica Jacobus
Affiliation:
Drexel University, Goodwin College of Professional Studies, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
*
*Address for correspondence: Joe Reilly, Drexel University, Goodwin College of Professional Studies, One Drexel Plaza, 3001 Market Street, Suite 100, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
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Abstract

The Three Approaches to Psychotherapy (TAP) videotape series introduces students to three major schools of psychotherapy: client-centered therapy, Gestalt therapy, and rational–emotive therapy. A sample of undergraduate students viewed the TAP series. The students were surveyed about their observations of Gestalt therapy and Fritz Perls' interactions with and treatment of Gloria, the client. This importance of the film series is its presentation of psychotherapy as done in that time by the founders of these schools. Videotapes are routinely employed educationally to show therapy techniques and illuminate theory. This paper examines the usefulness of this video to teach gestalt therapy to psychology students in four sections — two underclass and two upper class sections — in the same term. Student perceptions of this 40-year-old film series are explored. The gender relationship of therapist and client is shown as an example of the apparent sexism of the culture and cognitive processes of the time and its participants. Results found to today's instructionally sophisticated students agreed with Perls' explanation and portrayal of gestalt therapy and interactions with Gloria, his adult client.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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