Re:

There are several key principles in the dialogical approach in Gestalt therapy as found in the literature... in particular five are worthy of mention -

Presence : where the therapist discriminately shares their own awareness and phenomenology, in the service of the client

Inclusion : where the therapist brackets their phenomenology and attempts to enter the world of the client as best they can... to walk in their shoes so to speak

Committment to dialogue : Where the therapist accepts that a true dialogical relationship and experience of I-Thou cannot be made to happen and so the therapist stays with what is without trying to force the meeting

Dilaogue is lived: where this is not a technique but a way of being in the world and the therapist authentically brings themselves to the meeting. Authentic is best describes as being spontaneous while also responsive to the other.

Non-exploitive : in that the therapist attends to their own intention in this process and avers from those intentions which will turn the person and relationship into a "result" and instead holds an intention of being of service to the healing through meeting

Richard Hycner in his excellent book "Between Person and Person" (Gestalt Therapy Press - see the links at the BOL title page) provides a number of other excellent aspects of the dialogical relationship which is well worth reading, such as genuine interest in the other, affirming and confirming the other etc.

The article on Gestalt therapy attached to this Forum also talks a little about this approach..

hope this helps

Brian

Replies:

Re:, by Philip Leon , 09/11/03 Re:, by Brian ONeill, 09/16/03 Re:, by Philip Brownell, 10/14/03 What's going on and coming along in current GT -, by , 10/16/03 Re:What's going on and coming along in current GT -, by Philip Brownell, 10/17/03

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