As a practical clinician in psychology for many years, I have accompanied and supported numerous patients in their Gestalt therapy. Together we discovered that the significance they had given to occurrences in their lives kept them in many ways prisoners of judgment, guilt and shame and painful loneliness. This articles proposes to share the nine phases of a courageous journey from incomprehension and confusion, to acceptance of themselves as they are, enabling them to step out of their solitude. Initially, the patient discovers that their usual schemas do not allow them to cope with an unexpected or difficult experience or situation. They are confused, and running a loop in their mind. They reach out to find some understanding. They are not conscious of what is happening to them nor or they curious about it. They are in a place of suffering, vulnerability, loneliness, shame and guilt. They only know their desire to experience more joy and beauty. By creating space for an initial, internal movement I gently and firmly support the patient in the exploration of unresolved occurrences in their life, examining how these relate to current situations. They start to learn how to know themself and identify their core values, strengths and limitations. After this essential internal movement the next step is to restore life and movement: I create a relation based on listening, acceptance and sustenance that allows them to gain self-confidence as they examine the significance of their schemas. As they start to free themself from their feelings and choices, they can also start to take position. Next is a very lonely and difficult phase where the patient opens up to moving forward into new and unknown possibilities in life, whilst accepting that they can not undo the past. I bring special attention to understanding how they have constructed themself, how they have given meaning to their life. In this crucial stage for the patient I hold space with benevolence and respect, helping them to accept their vulnerability without judgement. They are identifying more clearly with their authentic self, able to recognise their legitimacy. Finally the patient is ready to confront reality, to test their new competencies and to integrate their new understandings. By giving new meaning to their life, they gain an astounding new sense of freedom and peace.
| Published in | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 10, Issue 4) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.pbs.20211004.13 |
| Page(s) | 139-144 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Gestalt, Existential, Clinical Practitioner, Philosophy, Anxiety, Limitations, Joy
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| [7] | Viktor E. FRANKL, Man’s Search for Meaning, an Introduction to Logotherapy, Découvrir un sens à sa vie avec la logothérapie, 1988, Actualisation/Les éditions de l’homme. |
| [8] | Allport GORDON, Herman FEIFEL, Abraham MASLOW, Rollo MAY, Carl R. ROGERS, Existential Psychotherapy, Psychologie existentielle, 1976, Epi. |
| [9] | Fabrice MIDAL, Risquer la liberté, vivre dans un monde sans repère, 2012, Seuil. |
| [10] | R. MISRAHI, La signification de l’éthique, Les empêcheurs de tourner en rond, 1995, Le Plessis-Robinson, Synthélabo. |
| [11] | Paul TILLICH, The Courage to Be, Le courage d’être, 1999, Cerf/Labor and Fides/Presses de l’université Laval. |
| [12] | Irvin YALOM, Existential Psychotherapy, Thérapie existentielle, 2008 Galaade éditions. |
| [13] | Noël K. SALATHE, Psychothérapie existentielle, une perspective gestaltiste, 1992, www.gestaltpsy.ch. |
| [14] | Noël K. SALATHE, Le chemin thérapeutique, Lille, France, 1994, revue de la Société française de Gestalt: regard gestaltiste sur le psychopathologie. |
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APA Style
Marie Noëlle Salathé-Granès. (2021). 9 Steps Towards Giving New Meaning to Life. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 10(4), 139-144. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20211004.13
ACS Style
Marie Noëlle Salathé-Granès. 9 Steps Towards Giving New Meaning to Life. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2021, 10(4), 139-144. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20211004.13
AMA Style
Marie Noëlle Salathé-Granès. 9 Steps Towards Giving New Meaning to Life. Psychol Behav Sci. 2021;10(4):139-144. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20211004.13
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Download@article{10.11648/j.pbs.20211004.13,
author = {Marie Noëlle Salathé-Granès},
title = {9 Steps Towards Giving New Meaning to Life},
journal = {Psychology and Behavioral Sciences},
volume = {10},
number = {4},
pages = {139-144},
doi = {10.11648/j.pbs.20211004.13},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20211004.13},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pbs.20211004.13},
abstract = {As a practical clinician in psychology for many years, I have accompanied and supported numerous patients in their Gestalt therapy. Together we discovered that the significance they had given to occurrences in their lives kept them in many ways prisoners of judgment, guilt and shame and painful loneliness. This articles proposes to share the nine phases of a courageous journey from incomprehension and confusion, to acceptance of themselves as they are, enabling them to step out of their solitude. Initially, the patient discovers that their usual schemas do not allow them to cope with an unexpected or difficult experience or situation. They are confused, and running a loop in their mind. They reach out to find some understanding. They are not conscious of what is happening to them nor or they curious about it. They are in a place of suffering, vulnerability, loneliness, shame and guilt. They only know their desire to experience more joy and beauty. By creating space for an initial, internal movement I gently and firmly support the patient in the exploration of unresolved occurrences in their life, examining how these relate to current situations. They start to learn how to know themself and identify their core values, strengths and limitations. After this essential internal movement the next step is to restore life and movement: I create a relation based on listening, acceptance and sustenance that allows them to gain self-confidence as they examine the significance of their schemas. As they start to free themself from their feelings and choices, they can also start to take position. Next is a very lonely and difficult phase where the patient opens up to moving forward into new and unknown possibilities in life, whilst accepting that they can not undo the past. I bring special attention to understanding how they have constructed themself, how they have given meaning to their life. In this crucial stage for the patient I hold space with benevolence and respect, helping them to accept their vulnerability without judgement. They are identifying more clearly with their authentic self, able to recognise their legitimacy. Finally the patient is ready to confront reality, to test their new competencies and to integrate their new understandings. By giving new meaning to their life, they gain an astounding new sense of freedom and peace.},
year = {2021}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - 9 Steps Towards Giving New Meaning to Life AU - Marie Noëlle Salathé-Granès Y1 - 2021/08/06 PY - 2021 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20211004.13 DO - 10.11648/j.pbs.20211004.13 T2 - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences JF - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences JO - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences SP - 139 EP - 144 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2328-7845 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20211004.13 AB - As a practical clinician in psychology for many years, I have accompanied and supported numerous patients in their Gestalt therapy. Together we discovered that the significance they had given to occurrences in their lives kept them in many ways prisoners of judgment, guilt and shame and painful loneliness. This articles proposes to share the nine phases of a courageous journey from incomprehension and confusion, to acceptance of themselves as they are, enabling them to step out of their solitude. Initially, the patient discovers that their usual schemas do not allow them to cope with an unexpected or difficult experience or situation. They are confused, and running a loop in their mind. They reach out to find some understanding. They are not conscious of what is happening to them nor or they curious about it. They are in a place of suffering, vulnerability, loneliness, shame and guilt. They only know their desire to experience more joy and beauty. By creating space for an initial, internal movement I gently and firmly support the patient in the exploration of unresolved occurrences in their life, examining how these relate to current situations. They start to learn how to know themself and identify their core values, strengths and limitations. After this essential internal movement the next step is to restore life and movement: I create a relation based on listening, acceptance and sustenance that allows them to gain self-confidence as they examine the significance of their schemas. As they start to free themself from their feelings and choices, they can also start to take position. Next is a very lonely and difficult phase where the patient opens up to moving forward into new and unknown possibilities in life, whilst accepting that they can not undo the past. I bring special attention to understanding how they have constructed themself, how they have given meaning to their life. In this crucial stage for the patient I hold space with benevolence and respect, helping them to accept their vulnerability without judgement. They are identifying more clearly with their authentic self, able to recognise their legitimacy. Finally the patient is ready to confront reality, to test their new competencies and to integrate their new understandings. By giving new meaning to their life, they gain an astounding new sense of freedom and peace. VL - 10 IS - 4 ER -
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