For yourself
Today, the concept of “psychotherapy” no longer evokes exclusively negative associations that suggest that “individual psychotherapy is a whim and staged shots from movies” or that “each of us is our own psychologist.”
>> The person of today realizes that consulting a Gestalt therapist launches transformational processes aimed at finding oneself and one’s new form.
At the same time, the information space (opinion leaders, non-professional media, and experts) and the variety of offers on the service market often mislead us. Let us examine the common questions that arise when choosing a psychotherapist.
When is individual Gestalt therapy needed?
There are two paths for an individual therapy to take: solving an urgent need to address a specific issue that a Gestalt consultant can help with (depression, the pain of loss, conflict situations, self-rejection, a new place of work, difficulty in making a decision, and so on); and working to empower.
Does the therapy process differ in these cases?
In the former case, the psychotherapist first directs their efforts to the process of “resuscitation,” and it is only after that stage that the therapy begins. When a person feels the support, they no longer need to be saved; instead, they believe in their strength and work with their psychotherapist on an equal footing from the standpoint of stability. This option is longer and more expensive. In the latter case, the therapy process is based on the client’s resource state. This type of therapy encompasses a constructive dialog, a set of effective ways to address an issue, and a different level of the quality of life.
>> One of the missions of our center is to set this trend, which will affect awareness and create sustainable ways of interacting with yourself and the world.
How can you find a Gestalt psychotherapist?
The first thing worth paying attention to is the field-specific education of a Gestalt psychotherapist. Similarly to any other field, a strong interest in a particular topic generates unqualified “experts” who, at best, will not be able to help. At worst, they will aggravate the situation. Next, you need to collect the necessary information by reading the website, social networks, blogs, reviews, lectures, and so on.
What questions should you ask a specialist?
Ask the prospective therapist about their theoretical and practical experience in dealing with your specific issue. And the final stage is your intuitive perception of the specialist’s personality (that is, the presence or absence of sympathy at your subconscious level).
As a rule, all the rules and nuances of joint work are discussed at the beginning of the first session (additional time is allocated for this); this is enough to make a decision, get the emotional component out of the discussion, and understand whether it is worth continuing therapy with this particular specialist.
How much does individual psychotherapy cost?
>> There is no specific fixed amount for the provision of psychotherapy services on the market.
Everything is priced on the individual basis and depends on many factors (experience, education level, specificity) of any given psychotherapist. Naturally, high-quality help cannot come cheap. The work of psychotherapists, like that of other specialists, is often devalued. Many novice practitioners initially put a high price tag on their services in order to immediately inspire confidence in themselves. Therefore, a high price may not always be a marker of a high-quality therapy. Gather all the information you need according to your individual request and read feedback. It is not worth focusing solely on a specialist’s pricing policy.
How can you evaluate the result of psychotherapy?
>> Gestalt psychotherapists do not give advice, do not solve the client’s issues, and do not prescribe medication.
Their task is to gently lead their clients (you) to the desired result, which was originally sounded in the request before starting therapy. It is important to emphasize that this is does not always come as a literal solution to the issue. For example, a person comes with a problem of a serious conflict at work. And they leave, after working out the issue, with a clear understanding of their own needs and an algorithm aimed at their satisfaction. The real reason may turn out to be their low self-esteem and devaluation from their colleagues. This is where the effectiveness of the entire therapy process lies.
How can you understand that psychotherapy gives good results?
The client’s ability to cope with their problems on their own after working together with a specialist constitutes a good result of therapy. The duration of psychotherapy depends on the client's request and is discussed individually.
