Method Acting and Gestalt Therapy with Couples

SUMMARY

Techniques taken from Method acting may be useful therapeutic tools and may lend themselves to adoption by Gestalt therapists. Similarities between the goals and procedures of Method acting and Gestalt therapy are described in some detail. The importance and effectiveness of enacted fantasy are discussed, and techniques of Method acting are described in terms of their relation to Gestalt theory. The importance and application of these techniques to Gestalt therapy with couples are discussed.

Key Words:

• Method acting
• Gestalt therapy
• character integrity
• communication
• awareness
• enacted fantasy
• concentration
• presentification