The technique of the empty chair, or "hot", as Fritz Perls, founder of the Psychotherapy of the Gestalt, is one of the intervention techniques that can be used within the relationship between psychotherapist and patient.
To facilitate contact between the many facets of experience and the colorful nuances of the emotional life of the person, it is possible to live within the therapeutic configuration, in the first person, the dialogue between characters or parts of Yes.
It is not just about talking about your own difficulties or emotions, but rather about talking about your own difficulties, identifying a interlocutor (a real-life person, an emotional aspect of oneself, a fantasy character or object) and expressing one's wishes, thoughts and what is wanted from the other: in other words, both actors in the dialogue declare their intentions without "cheating" and with the help of the therapist. In this Psychology-Online article we will go deeper into what is the empty chair technique and how to apply it.
Index
- What is the empty chair technique in psychology
- When to use the empty chair technique in therapy
- How to apply the empty chair technique step by step
What is the empty chair technique in psychology.
The empty chair is a technique of psychodramatic origin that comes from the psychotherapy of the Gestalt. According to this orientation, the empty chair is used when the patient has the need to communicate with "the absent other", but present and alive as fantasy or as internal representation. It is a symbolic space, where the patient's perceptions, projections, fears and desires are placed.
It is undoubtedly the most well-known Gestalt technique, and consists of performing a dialogue between the conflicting parties through an experiential condition in which the client speaks alternately from two chairs placed one in front of the other, where one part of itself defends the change, while the other defends it. attack.
When to use the empty chair technique in therapy.
What is the empty chair technique used for in psychology? Used in Gestalt therapy, its main objective is the integration of ambivalent tendencies, called "polarity". The integration of polarities it helps the patient to become what he is instead of identifying with her ideals.
A conflict between values, actions, thoughts and feelings is dealt with here by simultaneously expressing the two aspects of the problem. The idea is that when one aspect of the self is overvalued, the opposite polarity tends to emerge. As in a parental couple, in which when one parent is too rigid the other becomes too lenient, according to this hypothesis in the individual the development of an extreme trend also produces the accentuation of the opposite.
The integration of the opposite tendencies helps the individual to realize the connection of the vital energies, and this is the reason for the use of the empty chair technique in psychology. This technique is then indicated chen an individual is in conflict with two opposing tendencies.
Example of the empty chair technique in psychotherapy
Take the example of a woman who feels unable to act because of her gonna. In a dialogue between these two emotions, thanks to this technique, the incapable part will become aware of the energy contained in the feeling of anger: he did not dare to use it because he was afraid of its destructive aspect. Now you can do it, since you have overcome the apprehension. At the end of the session, the patient will be able to imagine a personal force that is not destructive.
The pairs of opposite tendencies (polarity) common in patients are:
- Having extreme dependency vs. tendency to be rejected and independent.
- have constantly fear of being disapproved vs. tendency to disregard the feelings of others at all.
- Being extremely trusting vs. be very suspicious.
- Being extremely emotional vs. be too rational.
- Being sexually abstinent vs. have an unbridled sexuality.
- Express what should be done vs. express what needs to be accomplished.
How to apply the empty chair technique step by step.
The different steps of the empty chair technique depend on the individual therapist and the person participating in the therapy, but some basic steps that can form the basis of most "empty chair" sessions can be summarized as follows:
- Identify the object: through discussion with the therapist or consultant, the patient identifies with whom or what he would like to talk, in an empty chair dialogue. For example, the therapist may recommend a conversation with a metaphorical "emotional wall" that appears at certain times; or you can suggest talking to someone who is dead.
- dialogue direction: With the help of the therapist, it is now possible to talk to the appearance of ourselves or to the person we imagine to be in the empty chair. If the object is an aspect, we could play that role and answer your questions. For example, in the case of the "emotional wall," the therapist might ask why it satisfies us and what would happen if we didn't.
- Change of location: Often switches places and plays the opposite role with the person or appearance we are talking to. How this manifests depends on the goals in therapy.
- Evaluation and discussion: After an empty chair session, the therapist may want to make a debrief: we can therefore be encouraged to discuss the conversation and how we feel.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to What is the empty chair technique and how to apply it, we recommend that you enter our category of cognitive psychology.
Bibliography
- Chambon, O., Cardine, M. m. (2002). The basis of eclectic and integrated psychotherapy. Rome: Sovereign.
- Gepp K, Lovering C. (2021). ANDmpty Chair Technique: What It Is and How It Helps. Recovered from: https://psychcentral.com/health/empty-chair-technique
