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n1. What is Awareness? Contact? Gestalt formation? **(Jenna) **
**Awareness**
 * 1) Is the full use of all your 5 senses
 * 2) It incorporates your total field of perception
 * 3) It initiates change and growth
 * 4) It is you sensing and experiencing your environment and feeling what arises within you.

There are 3 zones of awareness. Inner, middle and outer //Inner// – emotions and feelings //Middle// – thinking, remembering, imagining, analyzing and planning //Outer// – the 5 senses

**Contact**
 * 1) The excitement when we use our 5 senses by hearing, seeing, touching, smelling and tasting our environment
 * 2) It occurs when you sense a difference between you and others. It occurs when you notice a difference between what is “I” and “not-I”
 * 3) It’s also when you can clearly see a figure in the background

**Gestalt formation** A circle of contact and withdrawal A cycle of one getting their needs met Sensation, awareness, mobilization of energy, excitement, action, contact and withdrawal.

**Example - A thirsty person**. Sensation- dry mouth Awareness – I’m thirsty Mobilization of energy – shifting your energy and thoughts over to your thirst Excitement – mental and physical is now focused on your need for water Action – get up and get a glass of water Contact – actually drinking the water Withdrawal – going back to what you were doing before you noticed your dry mouth

A symptom in Gestalt terms is a displayed resistance (e.g., Introjection, Retroflection, Projection, Confluence).

 * We resist to avoid painful feelings
 * This resistance requires extensive energy to maintain, thereby limiting our energy in other facets of life
 * The resistance also blocks true excitement and contact in the present
 * Becoming more aware of the resistance, can help unblock the resistance and bring about re-newed energy, excitement and contact

3. Discuss the concepts of environmental, support ,and self-support? (Sean)
Environmental Support is looking to the environment for support in what is needed in the moment - ex. sitting down on a soft chair when tired, drinking a glass of refreshing water when thirsty. Self-support is when one looks to and engages with her environment to support herself. Support is not a fixed thing - it is dependent on the present moment, and so it is often our contact boundary disturbances that prevent us for getting self support. When one chooses a single way to support himself, the "support" may no longer be helpful, and could rather be detrimental to one's health. Gestalt Therapists help clients find ways of developing self-support, so that they are not dependant on others to function in their daily lives.

4. Discuss the contact-withdrawal cycle. What are the implications of interrupting this cycle? ** (reasonable Guess - Robin) **
See Jenna's clear explanation in item 1 at the top of the page for a description of the Contact-Withdrawal Cycle.

If the cycle is interrupted, one's needs are not met. Understanding where the interruption is can help bring awareness to where a client get's stuck.

===5. Discuss how the suppression of contact originate. What are the implications, evidence, and results? (Myera) ===

The origins of contact suppression lie in a history in which contact was too scary, dangerous, un-supportive or confusing. When an individual supresses their interest in or need for contact it is because they believe that contact will in some way be harmful or just to uncomfortable for them to endure.

The implications of contact suppression are many. Without contact with the environment and without the development of I-thou relationships, the individual is vulnerable to development of neurotic defenses. Retroflection, Introjection and Projection are all available neurosis for an individual who is suppressing contact with their environment. Without contact the organism will attempt to navigate their environment through neurotic manipulations as this likely feels like the only available option to them.

I'm not sure what is meant by 'evidence'? But I imagine that the question is referring to the evidence of contact suppression that can be identified by the therapist. To which the answer would be, the evidence is found in the neurotic behaviours that the client demonstrates and experiences in his or her life. The behaviours that get in the way of the client making contact either with the therapist or with other elements of thier environment.

The result of contact suppression is that the individual is frozen in a state of anxiety where they feel separate or alienated from the environment. I am guessing that the development of self support would be the first step in dispelling contact suppression and allowing the client to develop a new perspective that is not tainted by the belief that the environment is always dangerous, etc.

6. Discuss the concept of resistance. **(Nazy) **
The natural function of an organism is to respond spontaneously to their prompting of needs. If the organism is healthy, it is not necessary to channel, encourage, or inhibit basic needs. If left alone, they will tend to spontaneously regulate themselves until they achieve Homeostasis or balance.The organism does this by means of a self-regulating process called organismic self-regulation.So as a healthy individual becomes aware of a pressing need, he or she naturally and spontaneously seeks to fulfill that need. This is sometimes possible and sometimes not possible, depending on the environmental circumstances. An individual's failure to make contact with his or her need, or failure to make contact with the environment in such a way as to fulfill the need, constitutes a **RESISTANCE.** Gestalt Therapy identifies four ways in which the organism resists or avoids contact. Although Perl's described only four interruptions to contact, Perls, Hefferline and Goodman describe six - desensitization and egotism are also interruptions to contact. The four are as follows;

1- **__Introjection__** consists of taking in to our system aspects of the environment without assimilating them. Things we swallow whole. Introjects are like foreign bodies, as they are not part of us but still part of the environment and we cannot use them to grow. Food which is thoroughly assimilated nourishes, whereas food which is swallowed whole sits heavily on the stomach and is difficult to digest. The psychological process of assimilation is similar to the physical one; facts, ideas, moral values, too, must be selected according to taste and chewed over, and parts which seem to make sense are digested while other parts are discarded.

2- __**Projection**__ is a quality, feeling or behavior which belongs to me but which I don't experience as such. Instead I attribute the quality, feeling or behavior to other people or institutions around me. Planning, anticipating and empathizing involve projections or assumptions based on observation about the outside world. When I empathize, I project myself into the other person's situation and imagine what it is like to be him.

3- __**Retroflection**__ literally means "to turn sharply back against". Retroflection is doing to yourself what you want to do to others or doing to yourself what you originally wanted others to do to you. Instead of creatively engaging with the environment and directing your energies outwards in attempts to contact the environment and meet your needs, you redirect your energy and activity inwards towards yourself.

4- __**Confluence**__ is an interruption to contact when used unawares as a means of avoiding or preventing contact.Confluence occurs when two people or two parts of the field flow together without a sense of differentiation. The chronically confluent person does not know where he ends and other begins.

5__**- Desensitization**__ is the process by which we numb ourselves to the sensation of our bodies. The existence of pain or discomfort is kept out of our awareness. Perls, Hefferline and Goodman believed people in the West have learnt to block our bodily sensations in a damaging fashion.

6- __**Egotism**__ is slowing down of spontaneity by deliberate introspection and circumspection to make sure that there is no threat of danger, surprise or risk. Egotism becomes neurotic to contact when the individual tries to control the uncontrollable elements in his life through persistent self-consciousness.

7. Discuss the concept of growth blocks, feeling blocks. What are some of these? (Grant)
Contact with awareness is the lifeblood of growth. It is by ‘feeling’ that we are able to experience this contact in the here and now and; therefore, experience growth.

There are two interdependent poles of growth -- increasing awareness of and contact with one's total mind-body organism, and increasing awareness of and contact with other people and the world (one's environment).

The major blocks to growth in gestalt therapy all involve diminished awareness of what one is experiencing in the here-and-now. Reduced awareness prevents one from perceiving accurately, feeling alive, coping freely and responsibly with one's ever-changing situation. Perls held that there are four basic psychological mechanisms that reduce awareness and contact with oneself and others, and thereby constrict growth:

Introjection, Projection, Retroflection, Confluence.

===8. What does the term responsibility mean in Gestalt? How is avoidance of responsibility manifested (language, behaviour, etc.)? Share a few methods for promoting response-ability? What Gestalt form is best for sharpening response-able contact? (Jane)(in progress) === 1- People according to Gestalt therapy are responsible (response-able) that is, they are the primary agents in determining their own behavior. When people confuse responsibility with blaming and shoulds, they pressure and manipulate themselves; the "try" and are not integrated and spontaneous. In such instances their true wants, needs, and response to the environment and choices in the situation are ignored and they over-comply or rebel against shoulds.

gestalt therapists believe in the importance of a clear distinction between what one chooses and what one is given. People are responsible for what they choose to do. For example, people are responsible for their actions on behalf of their environment. Blaming outside forces (e.g. genetics or parents) for what one chooses is self deception. taking responsibility for what one chooses, a typical shame reaction, is also deception.

People are responsible for moral choices. Gestalt therapy helps patients discover what is moral according to their own choice and values; far from advocating "anything goes" Gestalt therapy places a most serious obligation on the persons choosing and valuing. (from an article by Gary Yantef)

2- Avoidance of responsibility is manifested by blaming others or the environment. Ones ability to to be response- able is hindered by where one gets stuck in the Gestalt cycle. Awareness of ones resistances will help to make choices that are in alignment with ones true wants and needs.

3- To promote responsibility one can use the language of responsiblity e.g "I will, I won't" instead of "I should, I shouldn't"

4- The Gestalt form that is best for sharpening responsible contact Is practicing I / Thou.

9. What are the goals of Gestalt therapy? <span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">(Robin)
**The Goal of Gestalt Therapy** The goal of Gestalt Therapy is to assist a client to become aware of how he/she functions as a person and as an organism, thereby permitting the client take responsibility for the choices he/she make.

**The Story**
 * Babies do not start off being at war or in conflict with themselves.
 * Highly emotional and impactful events occur early on in life, and if a child does not receive sufficient acceptance or support, he/she shut out his/her feelings and develops fixed ways of responding
 * These experiences are known as unfinished business because the child never full experiences what happened
 * Awareness of these unfinished is blocked, shut-off. The individual is incapable of making contact in situations related to unfinished business
 * Considerable energy is devoted to maintaining a fixed or blocked stance in unfinished business, thereby preventing individual from undertaking attractive new business
 * One cannot on any rational ground take responsibility for what one is not in contact with and aware of
 * Gestalt therapy helps the individual become more aware of his or her feelings associated with unfinished business. Note feelings are emphasized, not thought and explanations
 * As one become aware of one true feelings, once can begin to make contact and take responsibility for choices made in the present
 * Profound change and healing are more possible when we are aware of what we are doing and when we fully own it.
 * The ultimate goal of Gestalt therapy is to re-establish trust in the natural, self-regulating process and feelings that babies experience in the here and now

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">10. What is projection? <span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">(Shan)
A projection is a trait, attitude, feeling, or bit of behavior which actually belongs to your own personality but is not experienced as such; instead, it is attributed to objects or persons in the environment and then experienced as directed toward you by them instead of the other way around. The projector, unaware, for instance, that he is rejecting others, believes that they are rejecting him; or ,unaware of his tendencies to approach others sexually, feels that they are make sexual approaches to him.(Perls et al., 1951/1969:211)

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">12. Discuss the term assimilation or integration. Does this relate to repression .. to disgust? If so, how? ** (Another reasonable guss by Robin) **
Assimilation or integration in Gestalt refers to the extent to which an individual truly digests experiences/ideas/feelings in his/her life. When the needed experiences/ideas/feelings has been assimilated, the Gestalt is closed, and a state of equilibrium is reached.

If one is repressing experiences/ideas/feelings, perhaps because of feeling of disgust, assimilation is blocked. One can not even begin to digest the experiences/ideas/feelings in question, therefor the Gestalt cycle remains open, seemingly at the beginning part of the cycle, and equilibrium is not attained.

===<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">13. What is the difference between expressive speaking, purposive speaking, and description? How does this relate to Gestalt therapy? <span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">(Lori) === - expressive speaking originates from the body, is unrehearsed, spontaneous, is more derived from feeling, and includes an expanded sense of self (as opposed to a contracted, or shrunk sense of self) - purposive speaking is based on introjects and is rehearsed, deliberate, planned, and less derived from feeling - descriptive speaking comes from the head, is usually void of emotion and less derived from feeling - as Gestalt therapists we want to encourage our clients to speak more expressively and expansively based on their feelings, perceptions, and awareness and less on introjects and intellect alone

===<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">14. Perls talks about changing a neurotic symptom into an ego function? What does this mean? <span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">(Emily G.) ===

<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Within the therapeutic process, the individual is invited to develop greater awareness and bring notice to their own neurosis and how it interrupts a safe and satisfying Gestalt cycle. As that awareness increases, the individual develops a 'choice' to shift their figure ground from the unawares neurosis to an awareness and ownership of their behaviour, as a function of the ego. This shift empowers the individual to make choices in their figure, so that needs and processes can be satisfied.

Neurotic Symptom (unawares behaviour) ---> Ego function (behaviour in awareness, and with an understanding of choice).

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">15. What is the impasse? (Emily M.)
The Impasse or Stuck Point is the point in therapy in which the individual feels stuck. Perls says it is at the core of every neurosis. It is the struggle between personal growth and resistance. It’s a stalemate between what seem to be contradictory polarities in the personality. We keep repeating our fixed gestalts or rigid patterns of behaviour. We are actually stuck and so we can’t assimilate new information and grow. We usually avoid experiencing this layer of ourselves because of the existential anxiety that arises when we take responsibility for our stuckness and our ability to choose to experience things in new ways. We are fearful of the unknown. We tie up all our energy, turning it inward, in the battle between growth and resistance. In this “implosive layer” of the personality, we have no energy for an outward impulse which could help to loosen the impasse and make way for explosion and authenticity. When he worked with clients, Perls found the impasse as quickly as he could since this is where the greatest potential for change is possible. He invited his clients to really feel the sensations of stuckness they were feeling. As the client amplifies the sensations, turning them inward, the implosion gets so great that the energy must come out into the authentic layer. The client does something different such as laughs, cries, shakes etc. Then the impasse is resolved and the client moves forward in an authentic direction.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">16. Why do we do bodywork in Gestalt therapy? <span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">(Zdenka)
**Why do we use the body work in Gestalt?** Our body express more than our words, usually we as a person cannot see it unless we become aware it. Usually we become aware of it if we observe our body in the mirror (usually little toddlers start to observe themselves when they notice themselves in a mirror) or somebody point out that to us. Our body is like a chronicle we started to write when we were born or even before (if we would apply past life experience and impact to our lives and bodies). Such a “chronicle” we can use in the Gestalt therapy as we can observe and read the reactions of the patient and address them during the therapy. Thus we may categorize two main awareness of our bodies, an aware voluntary body language or unaware involuntary body language. For example, a client or myself is/am aware s/he is smiling or has/have a sweaty hands etc, or s/he may not be aware of it. If s/he is aware of it, we may ask how come that you are smiling at me while you are upset with me. If s/he is unaware of it, we explore it to become aware of it. In the therapy, we look at any condition of chronic or transient, aware or unaware, consistent or inconsistent body language via expression, movements or positions. In order to live we need to breathe, that’s the key process in our bodies going most time unaware of. __ **Breath** __ Breath is key element of our lives. Mostly we even do not notice that we are breathing or how we are breathing. We take it for granted. In difficult situations, we tend to hold our breath or speed up our breath, eg. in stress situation, challenging situation, emotional extension or exhaustion. In contrast, we may use the opposite knowing the patient in calm conversational situation and the comparison may lead to open up or bring up awareness and explore the cause of it. It is quite easy to observe at others while sitting close if the breath is shallow, or deep, or calm, or hardly noticeable etc. Where do we or patient hold the breath, what is it relating to, how we or s/he is doing that? **__Body movement, body armours__** How we move our bodies around? How we can say things the way we move without speaking? How we can express what’s going on? By simple observation the others may read from the other person quite easily if they are happy, upset, angry, sad or depressed etc. One of the key influences in the body technique and body movements has been brought into the Gestalt Therapy that will allow the patient body to relax from used postures, holdings. __**Alexander technique**__ was developed by an actor Frederick Matthias Alexander, who thanks to loss of his voice and impact to his acting career he noted by self observing that he did not hold the body properly and therefore allow the muscles be relaxed including voice muscles. As a result of the improper body postures and holding, the body tends to use muscles to fix it which become sore or stiff or block the movement of energy. That was a focus of Dr Alexander in his theory and practical application. Alexander technique works with the body and first the therapist analyzes how we are using our bodies and how as a result of that we experience pain, lack of support etc and may assist us in allowing us to reset it back to correct body holding. Simple walk displays so much about our current emotions, where do we hold on things in our lives, we can observe the dynamic. Also if we in pain, e.g after injury or by tension in other parts of our body, the overall system of body posture will adjust and reflect to such a pain. Simply saying by undoing or doing to reset the bodies postures to balanced and supported holding. The key is in this method a posture of head on the neck. Dr Alexander noted that the key is how do we hold our head on the neck, and how it affects the remaining vertebras and other limbs of our body. It works like a suspension – if you stretch one part, the other get loose. Also the way how we hold our head is driving the way how we breathe, how our blood circulates in the body, and is key in the every movement, its synchronicity and balance, mainly between back, neck, head and breath. Dr Alexander developed series of relaxing and “undoing” methods to relax the muscles and tensions in the body holding and thus allow reset of natural balanced posture and therefore quality movement. Thanks to that if we are able to relax the muscles of our neck, and adjust the posture of our head, the body as a reaction to that will adjust as well in order to respond to the new set up. By learning how to relax our body and loose the tension, we may be able to reset the basic body holdings and learn how to undo what we have learned to do over the years. Thanks to that we may feel the lightness of it. I personally went for several sessions for Alexander technique to relax out of stressful work, tired muscles after workout and was amazed how easily thanks to the guidance of the therapist I was feeling lighter, smoother and energized in my movement as well as calmed down in my mind.

**__Body armour__** **Dr. Wilhelm Reich’s theory** of body armour and reflection of those in the body (tension, tone of voice, facial expression, body reaction or no reaction) was a revolutionary theory back in 1930’s and 1940’s. He was influenced and coached by Sigmund Freud. Reich also found that beneath his patients' emotional-physical blockages -- or "armoring," as he termed their chronic muscular tensions they usually had a "layer" of violent and socially unacceptable feelings that had been suppressed since childhood. Freud had considered this murderous layer to be instinctual. But below it, Reich claimed, lay decent, loving emotions -- our true, inborn "core." Armouring is a result of the energy blocks in the muscles and therefore affecting the whole body in its expression, including facial, vocal expression. Reich's new approach made two innovations, both revising Freudian analysis by directly focusing on the body. Therapists were encouraged to closely observe body and facial language as important indicators of personality. "If we know the patient well enough, we know what's going on without words being spoken." Reich observed that the way we speak, walk, even sit on a chair -- all of our seemingly trivial daily actions provide clues to our inner self. "When it becomes possible to read emotional expressions, the patient doesn't have to talk." Therapists were encouraged to closely observe body and facial language as important indicators of personality. "If we know the patient well enough, we know what's going on without words being spoken." Reich observed that the way we speak, walk, even sit on a chair all of our seemingly trivial daily actions provide clues to our inner self. "When it becomes possible to read emotional expressions, the patient doesn't have to talk." He focused on breathing and its free expression through the musculature as especially important clues to our capacity for bodily pleasure of all kinds. He also discovered that when certain parts of our anatomy are therapeutically massaged or manipulated, long-buried emotions like sadness, longing, or anger often come into awareness. Reich would relax and loosen his patients' breathing, then help them to release their pent-up feelings -- for example, through unrestrained sobbing. It was essential, he said, that this process be guided by a competent therapist; otherwise, patients might become overwhelmed or even suicidal due to the surging strength of these long-denied emotions. Dr Reich separated the body into segments and allocated body parts to the segments. Based on the observation of the patients’ bodies and their expression and localization of the tension in their bodies, Reich summarized following releasing of muscle tension or body armour approaches **a)** **Vibrate (shake)** **b)** **Stress (fatique)** **c)** **Massage** d) **Press** e) **Stretch** Ad a) By exaggerating the movement or stiffness by shaking body/limb or its part Ad b) By using polarity of calmness to evoke the stress and reaction of the body in it, where the patient may hold on things, eg. simple breath. Ad c) There are various massage therapies that may support to release the muscles (shiatsu, aromatherapy, Swedish tissue massage, hot stone massage etc.) Ad d) Acupuncture, acupressure Ad e) Yoga and tai-chi teach us to listen to our body and accept it as it is and work with it in the present moment while relaxing it.
 * * **Ocular** || Eyes, eyebrow, forehead || * **Diaphragmic** || lower chest and diaphram ||
 * * **Oral** || Mouth, chin || * **Abdominal** || abdomen ||
 * * **Cervical** || Neck, throat, upper shoulders || * **Pelvic** || Pelvis, hips ||
 * * **Thoracic** || Chest and back ||  ||   ||

Thanks to the both theories described above the answer to the question “Why do we use the body work in the Gestalt Therapy” leads us to the way we may open or deepen better understanding and awareness of the body, our reactions, our unaware expressions. By doing so the change may impact quality of how we feel about ourselves and how we may as a result of our change have an impact on our environment. By “undoing” and relaxing our bodies, as well as becoming aware of the body, facial expressions, postures and body movements, we may adjust or reset our body, expressions and allow us feeling the change, improve and enjoy our lives.

===<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">17. Discuss the concepts of Personality Functions, Personality Function Disturbance, Ego Function, Ego Function Disturbance. Give examples. Relate this to the concept of Boundary Disturbances in Gestalt Therapy. (Jonathon & Olethia) ===

The Self can be discussed in terms of the forms it takes in different phases of figure formation. There are three phases: id function, ego function and personality function.

The Id function is when an individual experiences themselves as passive, receptive and moved by outside things. In this phase, the individual is aware of the environment but doesn't perceive themselves as acting on it. The experience of emotions, rest and relaxation, and receiving a massage are examples of where the the id function can be seen. The language is passive: "I was moved, I fell asleep I was touched, etc"

The Ego function is a part of the process in figure formation where an individual chooses which elements of the field join the emerging figure, and which are rejected. The individual experiences themselves as a separate entity within their environment. They are a "doer" actively constructing the figure: paying attention, concentrating organizing, putting things in order. The environment is approached aggressively and dominantly - "mastering" the field so to speak.

The Ego/Id functions are similar to male/female energies or yin/yang energies in other psychological models. Health between these two types of energy (aggressive and passive) is when there is a fluid and flexible movement back and forth between them.

The personality functions, as a structure of the self, consist of the system of attitudes, beliefs, convictions, and assumptions about ourselves and the workings of the world to which we refer when we are asked to explain ourselves. It is also being aware of oneself, studying oneself, reflecting upon oneself in the present moment, as well as referring to oneself. The personality is both a reproduction of ourselves in words--"a verbal replica of the self," Perls, Hefferline, and Goodman wrote--and the self-conscious activity of studying and replicating ourselves. The personality involves speaking of oneself; therefore it exists in terms of our relations to others because speaking is a social act: We speak to others

As "consciousness," awareness of oneself, the personality function of the self is a part of healthy living. For the most part, however, it is important only in those times when especial difficulties in figure formation occur, and those which involved reconsiderations of ourselves - personality disturbances.

A person exists by differentiating self from other and by connecting self and other. These are the two functions of a boundary. To make good contact with one's world, it is necessary to risk reaching out and discovering one's own boundaries. Effective self-regulation includes contact in which one is aware of novelty in the environment that is potentially nourishing or toxic. That which is nourishing is assimilated and all else is rejected. This kind of differentiated contact inevitably leads to growth (Polster and Polster, 1973, p. 101).

When the boundary between self and other becomes unclear, lost or impermeable, this results in a disturbance of the distinction between self and other, a disturbance of both contact and awareness (see Perls, 1973; Polster and Polster, 1973). In good boundary functioning, people alternate between connecting and separating, between being in contact with the current environment and withdrawal of attention from the environment. The contact boundary is lost in polar opposite ways in confluence and isolation. In //confluence// (fusion), the separation and distinction between self and other becomes so unclear that the boundary is lost. In //isolation//, the boundary becomes so impermeable that connectedness is lost, i.e., the importance of others for the self is lost from awareness. A personality disturbance or boundary disturbance manifests itself through projection, retroflection, introjection and confluence - see below.

An Ego Distrubance is another word for "boundary disturbance" and describes a problem with an individual's contact of their environment. When an individual is not aware of how they are impacting the field, or is unable to consciously choose how they impact their field, they are experiencing an Ego Disturbance. The main types of disturbances within the Gestalt framework are Introjection, Projection, Retroflection and Confluence. In each case, the flow of engaging and withdrawing within the field is interfered with, and the knowledge of the self within the field becomes rigid and inaccurate. Examples:


 * An individual may have an introject where they believe they must always be nice to people. They can't express dissatisfaction about their environment (everything must be pleasant), they don't recognize tension in a space, are unable to resolve conflict when it arises.
 * Believing they must always be nice to people, an individual lacks the motivation to change their environment when something bothers them (such as a person talking loudly in a library when they are working on a school assignment). They resist acting (Retroflect) and instead externally tolerate the environmment as is, while internally feeling uncomfortable, and fantasizing about stopping the distraction.
 * A frustrated individual who can't express their frustration (or tolerate being aware of their frustration) begins to imagine (Project) that a person talking loudly in the library is deliberately angry at them and deliberately attempting to distract them.
 * This same individual could also lack awareness of their own needs or wants for quiet. They remain where they are in the library, vaguely distracted, but accepting all that the environment is imposing on them (Confluent), without awareness that change is possible or that they can even act to change their environment.
 * An individual may have a belief that others are unreliable. When at work or in various team activities, they attempt to control all details of the activities, unable to receive input from others. They are unable to relax and delegate work out to others.

===<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">18. What is retroflection? Discuss retroflection as a defensive boundary disturbance, and as a primary boundary disturbance. <span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">(Marlo) === >> > <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Defensive boundary disturbance: > > <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Primary boundary disturbance:
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">What is retroflection?
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Literally means: “turn sharply back against”
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Doing to yourself what you want to do to others OR
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Doing to yourself what you want others (or your environment) to do for me.
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">One of four ways in which the organism resists of avoids contact (the others are introjection, projection and confluence)
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Example: comforting yourself by hugging, stroking or rocking yourself when you want comfort from another;
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Eating, smoking, chewing gum, fidgeting, journaling are all retroflective behaviour
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Divided self – one part acts on the other – eg “I push myself.” – as if the I and the self are different entities. (retroflectors can be recognised by their use of this language)
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">When one has learned that others (or the environment) cannot be relied upon, one turns to oneself to fill the need
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Developed in response to introjects – eg. I will be rejected so I need to soothe myself.
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Eg. Masturbating to fill sexual need instead of reaching out to your partner
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Punishing yourself for doing something you “shouldn’t” be doing – based on introjects:
 * eg. Sex is dirty; à I shouldn’t have sexual desires; à I feel guilty for wanting to have sex; à I masturbate to satisfy my desires; à I feel shame; à I don’t want to feel shame; à I eat chocolate because it gives me a moment of pleasure and numbs the shame à eating chocolate is bad and makes me fat; à I eat more chocolate because I’m mad at myself, etc.
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Primary fear is destruction (eg. If they knew, there would be trouble)
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Have a flat affect
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Withdraw into themselves
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Can’t get enough – always too little or too much
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 130%;">Can’t rely on anymore else

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">19. Discuss the layers of personality. (Jen)
1. The "Cliche" Layer -the most superficial layer -small-talk, casual -done solely for the purpose of making contact, but not going past shallow contact -not going "below the surface" e.g. weather, environment, clothing, etc.

2. The "Role" Layer -talking about our place in the world/who we are e.g. occupation, ethnicity

3. The "Phobic" Layer -bringing to the surface areas that we have avoided -defences (and resistances) begin to appear (confluence, introjection, retroflection, projection, egotism)

4. Impasse -where we are stuck (can lead to 2 results) -mobilization of energy

a. implosion -remains stuck

b. Explosion (into authenticity) -true emotion (anger, sadness, sex and joy)

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">21. Discuss the concept of resistance? What is another term for this? What are the resistances we address in Gestalt therapy? (Nazy answered in number 6)
Already answered in number 6 above by Nazy.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">22. What are some of the manifestations of avoided contact? Give examples. <span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">(Wayne)
In Gestalt, the principle of contact is relational. It is between the self and the environment; and it occurs in the present. The environment is holistic and encompasses any source of stimuli driven by others or nature. What is important in Gestalt, is the self’s ability to experience and respond to the stimuli presented by the environment in awareness; and any interference with the process of recognizing and reacting to the stimulus is contact avoidance.

We avoid using creative adjustment, learned in our past, through the use of language, gestures and behahaviours. These adjustments are rooted in avoidance patterns and becoming stuck within a particular polarity that prohibits contact.


 * //The Introjector/Rejector// either seeks permission to experience the environment from others or rejects stimulus. They use the language of, I shouldn’t, I should, I must, I can’t because…, I will try… **Example:** “I can’t deal with the stress in my life” as opposed to “I won’t deal with the stress in my life”


 * //The Projector/Owner// either disowns their reactions to the environment or takes responsibility for things in the environment that is not from theirs. They use the language of People should…, Society is…, They are…, If you want, then you…, **Example**:“Modern society is so overwhelming” as opposed to “I am overwhelmed”


 * //The Retroflector/Implusive// either turns their experience of the environment back on themselves or excludes others from being included in the environment. They use the language of I did to myself…**Example:** “I thought to myself why are we doing this?” as opposed to “I don’t know what I am doing”

In addition, avoidance can also be seen in behaviours…


 * //Retroflection// – holding back speech, swallowing rather than saying… Biting tongue… Chronic masturbation… stroking our selves
 * //Impulsiveness// – uncontrolled outbursts
 * //Deflection// – going off on a tangent to avoid the stimulus
 * //Reception// – the inability to ignore information and the need to pay attention to everything
 * //Introjection// – imitating postures and gestures
 * //Rejection// – Rolling eyes, smirking
 * //Projection// – imagining what might exist vs. what does exist in the present, daydreaming
 * //Egotism// – holding stiff and unmvoing

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">23. What is anxiety in Gestalt terms? How does it relate to body amouring? ** (Karen) **
In Gestalt, anxiety is seen as excitement without sufficient support. Without sufficient support, excitement (which can involve needs, urges, appetites, curiosities, pains, desires, wishes, requirements, circumstances, etc) is in focus, is the figure, but it is not acted upon or reacted to in a way that is satisfactory, which can bring on emotional distress.

It relates to body armouring because body armouring happens when, for example, the muscles are habitually tightened in response to excitement to prevent any action from being taken, and Wilhelm Reich, who came up with the idea of body armouring, believed that this kind of reaction in the body even goes as far as inhibiting life energy itself, which gives rise to any number of not only somatic, but psychological problems. Reactions to emotional distress should be short lived to deal with a present threat, but if they are reactions that become chronic, over time there is an actual change in the body structure which becomes fixed.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">24. What are screen expressions? What purpose do they serve? **<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">(Rory) **
Screen expressions are a way of communicating which conceals rather than reveals. It is a way of using general rather than specific langauge to express information. For example, when someone says they feel nervous, what does this actually mean? Are they anxious? Scared? Excited? Annoyed? It can mean all of these things. This is a method to avoid actual words which will come closer to the true images and feelings of experience within our experience. (Ego, Hunger and Agression pg.17)

===<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">25. Discuss the term "assimilation" and/or "integration". How does this relate to Fritz Perls' view of the handling of aggression and the fulfilling of needs? (Bonnie) === Assimilation or integration in Gestalt refers to the extent to which an individual truly digests experiences/ideas/feelings in his/her life. When the needed experiences/ideas/feelings has been assimilated, the Gestalt is closed, and a state of equilibrium is reached.

I n Gestalt therapy the client must "taste" his or her experience, and either accept or reject it, but not introject or "swallow whole". Hence, the emphasis is on avoiding interpretation, and instead encouraging discovery. This is the key point in the divergance of Gestalt therapy from traditional psychoanalysis — growth occurs through gradual assimilation of experience in a natural way, rather than by accepting the interpretations of the analyst; thus, the therapist should not interpret, but lead the client to discover for himself or herself.

When individuals feel conflicted about messages (ideas, beliefs from society or family), they must bring up (regurgitate) and evaluate (taste, bite, and chew) these messages, in order to judge what is beneficial or harmful in them for their authentic way of being. What is helpful is then taken in and assimilated as part of themselves, (swallowed and digested), and what is harmful is rejected, (vomited or spit out).

Perls saw aggression as the biological force or energy present in everything done by an individual to initiate contact with the environment, and is a healthy force in human life and growth. Creation and destruction are viewed as complementary aspects of healthy aggression.

===<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">26. How do we define "neurosis" in Gestalt therapy? Which concepts does this relate to? **<span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">(Simeon) **===