Gestalt in Counseling and Therapy Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gestalt in Counseling and Therapy - Article Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that officially originated by Max Wertheimer and his two students Wolfgang Kà ¶hler and Kurt Koffka, â€Å"gestalt is a German word, which means organized whole, form, shape and pattern. There is a basic premise that the organized whole is greater than the sum of its parts†. â€Å"†¦ It accentuates concepts like emergent properties, holism, and context† as applied in its several varied â€Å"organizing principles called gestalt laws†. The fundamental of which is the law of prà ¤gnanz that says: â€Å"we are innately driven to experience things in as good a gestalt as possible, [where] ‘good’ can mean many things†¦ such as, regular, orderly, simplicity, symmetry, and so on, which they refer to specific gestalt laws†. Most common of which is the law of proximity, where â€Å"†¦ elements tend to be grouped together depending on their closeness†; the law of similarity, where â€Å" elements will be grouped perceptually if they are similar to each other†; the law of symmetry, where â€Å"symmetrical areas tend to be seen as figures against asymmetrical backgrounds"; the law of closure, where â€Å"items are grouped together if they tend to complete a pattern†; and the law of continuation where â€Å"the eye is compelled to move through one object and continue to another object†. But, most of all, â€Å"gestalt theory is well known for its concept of insightful learning [as shown in] solving a problem by means of the recognition of a gestalt or organizing principles†.