ABSTRACT
Like most approaches in our field, Gestalt art therapy has developed in alignment with theories and practices underlying broader-based disciplines. Gestalt art therapy grew out of two very different movements. The first, Gestalt psychology, developed from laboratory research in perception and learning; the second, Gestalt therapy, evolved from applications in psychotherapeutic practice. Gestalt psychologists have earned respected places in academia, but do not extend their concepts to clinical applications. Gestalt therapists base much of their practice on some theories of Gestalt psychology, but have adapted them to support therapeutic interventions. Gestalt art experience incorporates ideas from both, aiming for their integration in a Gestalt approach to art therapy.
