Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and Growth in the Human Personality

Having read the first 3 earlier reviews presented here, I find that I agree with most of what has been written, and I don't have anything of importance to add. Especially because I dont have any serious first hand experience with the therapeutic method. So what is left to me is to share a bit of my personal enthusiasm. I bought the kindle edition, which is for me a delightful improvement of my reading environment, and I read just a few pages every day, highlighting the essence. I experience the text as a wonderful practical philosophy of human nature, a great theoretical concept, and a wonderful series of practical excercises. Many years ago I had a copy of the book, and then, too, I was very delighted, but skipped much of the theoretical discussion, and was enchanted mainly by the practical self-training. Now also the theory is as useful and mind-opening to me, perhaps no less then the practical excersises. The image of the many aspects of myself as an organism interacting with many aspects of a larger field is vitalizing and liberating. I rank the book as top value in my modest library, and hope that more and more people will adopt this or a similar orientation when dealing with issues of human interaction with society, culture, and many other aspects of the world in which we live.

A classical work dedicated to one of the most interesting approaches to psychotherapy. Presenting a very humane and lively view of the human nature, the book is amazingly fresh and smart, even after decades in print. The introduction is worth reading, which in my experience is very rare. The book has two distinctly different parts: the first is a comprehensive description of the theory, which would be an engaging read to anyone even slightly concerned with the human condition, and the second is a practical course, inviting on a personal journey of self-discovery, which is exactly what it sounds like, a journey, with its fun and toil, and the measure of becoming wiser in direct proportion to being curious and honest with yourself. One may feel special gratitude to the publisher, who took the risk of turning the book "back on its feet" after years of "upside down" editions. That is, the reader has a chance to learn the fundamentals of the method before seeing examples of its practical application.

I have been using this book as the main resource for my thesis and my therapy sessions. It had been very very helpful in clarifying Perl's original idea in Gestalt therapy. I would recommend it to professionals in psychology.

Gestalt Therapy is divided into two parts: 1 provides a set of personal experiments structured to allow one to learn more about how they actually relate to their world. 2. provides a detailed explanation of the point of view of the Gestalt school of psychology as envisioned by Perls, Hefferline and Goodman I have found this book to be of value for occasionally working with one of the experiments and/or reading a few pages of the theoretical descriptions. Excellent material for when I need to move beyond feeling stuck or stagnant.

As far as I have seen, the only true "counseling theory" book. Covers human "behavior" and therapeutic action. Tough read, it would be impossible for me to read it all at once, I go page by page really.

This complex book holds revolutionary messages for radical inclusion of all parts of ourselves

This is really the core of Gestalt theory and great examples too.

Important reading for the understanding of the early Gestalt Therapy concepts.

Great book relavent even today after 50 years more so in present distracted dysfunctional times

I would not recommend it for an easy reading before going to sleep; it needs to be read and re-read, and digested. Not an easy book, but a must for a Gestalt psychotherapist.

Über den Text dieses Klassikers muß man kein Wort verlieren, der steht für sich. Lausig schlecht und kaum akzeptabel ist die Machart des Buchs. Ich habe selten ein derart lieblos gemachtes Buch in der Hand gehabt. Das Layout (z.B. keine ausreichend breiten freien Ränder rechts auf den Seiten) behindert einen beim Lesen. Die Buchstaben fallen optisch von der Seite runter. Als Verlag ist "Printed in Poland by Amazon Fulfillment" angegeben. Da will wohl jemand das gedruckte Buch endgültig aus dem Markt vertreiben. Kann man jedenfalls nicht empfehlen.

Excelente libro! Es Impresionante todo lo que Goodman ha escrito. Precisa los conceptos clave de la terapia Gestalt sin reducirlos en lo absoluto.

It's a series of ones and zeros that was sent electronically to a device that I have, which turns that pattern into words that I can read. That is the now.