Uncertainty and Emergence

Author: Alan Cohen, LCSW, LP We are conscious beings. Our consciousness allows us to be aware of the world outside our skins, and our experience inside our skins. In Gestalt therapy terms, we are able to be in contact with the world that we live in, and are...

Cliché Layer or The Art of Small Talk

Cliché Layer is by far the most disrespected layer of the neurotic personality. It is so disrespected that Fritz Perls would call it the “chicken shit layer”. And as Gestalt therapists, we tend to turn our collective noses up when it comes to “chit chat”. But, it has...

Polarities

It has long been understood that any value, quality, or attribute exists in relation to its opposite. So, “up” has meaning in relation to “down”, “poor” has meaning in relation to “wealthy”, “dry” has meaning in relation to “wet”, and so on. The ancient symbol of the...

Presentness and Presence

Presence has become a focus of much recent writing in the field of psychotherapy, and in Gestalt therapy in particular. But, much of the writing is vague regarding what exactly “presence” refers to. It is my impression that there is confusion between two different...