How does a session unfold ?
The 60-minute session takes place face-to-face (in a well-ventilated room adhering to COVID-secure safety measures) or teletherapy via whereby.com. I welcome you as you are in non-judgmental style. During the first sessions we get to know each other, and we address your questions and requests.
I am fully concentrated on you and your needs and engaged as a listener that relies on awareness of the here and now. You are not alone; I am at your side to help you find new tools/ways to move forward in your life.
One of the goals developed together for you during the sessions is to reconnect with yourself without losing sight everything that you are (your past, your beliefs, your emotions, your body, your behavior, your environment...) to be able to highlight who you are today and give a cleaner definition of what you aim for.
What is Gestalt-therapy?
Gestalt comes from the German verb «gestalten» meaning « to shape, give structure ». Gestalt-therapy is a psychotherapeutic method developed in the 1940s collectively by Fritz Perls, Paul Goodman and Laura Perls. They were inspired by Sandor Ferenczi, Otto Rank, Wilhem Reich and Kurt Lewin.
Based on a framework of psychoanalysis, phenomenology and existentialism, Gestalt-therapy focuses on the consciousness of what is happening here and now. The present moment is a complex mode that weaves together our history, our memories, the current situation, and our intentions since every relationship is an experience of contact between ourselves and others.
Gestalt-therapy is part of the most widespread currents of humanistic, existential, and relational psychology. It has a holistic vision of human beings and fosters a constant dialogue between thoughts, emotions, and body sensations. Moreover, it does beyond the individual vision but is on the contrary, interested in the interactions of the individual with his/her environment, whether personal, professional, or social. It therefore aims to develop autonomy, responsibility, and creativity.
What is Positive Psychology ?
Positive Psychology is an extremely young and fast-growing field of research which was first studied in the late 1990s. Positive Psychology finds part of its roots in Humanist Psychology, which focuses on basic human and psychosocial needs. Positive Psychology tries to elaborate tools to make it practical and applicable to go from one layer to the next. It is defined as "the study of the conditions and processes that contribute to the development or optimal functioning of individuals, groups and institutions." (Gable & Haidt, 2005). It aims to discover and promote the factors that allow individuals and communities to thrive.
Researchers focus their attention on the sources of psychological health, thereby going beyond previous emphasis upon disease and disorder. The different areas of studies are subjective experience together with emotions, individual character traits, positive experience and specificity in institutions, social relationships, and achievements. It is applicable in all professions and in all spheres of life.
It is qualified as "positive" psychology in reference to a search (Myers, 2000) on the Psycinfo database which in the 1990s, showed, since 1967, 21 articles had been written on negative emotions for one on positive emotions (5,548 articles were written on anger, 41,416 on anxiety and 54,040 on depression, but only 415 on joy, 1,710 on happiness and 2,582 on satisfaction with life). “Positive” psychology does not imply that good/positive or bad/negative psychology exist. Psychologist study the whole person with both negative AND positive emotions.