ABSTRACT
Person-centred gestalt therapy is based on the premise that emotional, social, and spiritual development continues up to the point of death provided that individuals do not experience significant cognitive decline. Present experiencing involves feelings, thoughts, behaviours, and bodily experiencing. The relationship is central in person-centred gestalt therapy. Relationships in person-centred gestalt therapy occur in many forms, such as the relationship of a client with a therapist, the relationship of a trainee or professional in a personal development group with the facilitator, or the relationship of group members with the group therapist. Person-centred gestalt therapy integrates two humanistic approaches to therapy and is based on existential and humanistic assumptions. Healing is viewed as occurring during three phases of therapy through a relationship that offers empathy, unconditionality and authenticity coupled with the completion of eight task–outcomes by clients. This integration provides a more powerful framework than either therapy on its own.
