Completing the Gestalt

If you are not a student of Counseling Psychology, you might have no idea what on earth that means.  Gestalt means, in rough terms, CIRCLE in German.  Gestalt Therapy was developed by Fritz Perls in the 1960's and is noted for being far more confrontational than traditional therapy. "You are a phony" was one of Fritz's lines in those videos we got to see in class... let's just say he didn't make a lot of friends.

However, I happen to LOVE Gestalt therapy - I think you can really break down barriers quickly and so forth with it.  I also love the symbolism that is inherent in the model... you want to complete what has been started.  You don't have to be the person who starts it, but you have the power to complete it - coming full circle, so to speak.

One example I love - we had to pick a therapy style during my Master's program, and then watch a movie.  We would take a character from the movie, and, using our chosen philosophy, develop a treatment plan.  The movie I chose was "the war".  Kevin Costner and Elija Wood.  It was a beautiful little movie that failed miserably at the box office, but was SO utterly perfect for the Gestalt.  Costner plays a war vet who comes home to his family after allowing his friend to die alone out in the fields of Viet Nam.  It haunts him.  His family lives just above poverty level, and all he wants is to give his family a good life.  His son, Elija, has a nemesis... several, actually.  The Gestalt is completed when Elija actually saves the life of the nemesis - saving a life when his father has been haunted by the life he allowed to slip away.   See  -  a circle completed.

So, my Gestalt.  We bought this house June 16th, 2001.  Actually, we had a 45 day escrow so that was the day we closed.  It had been on the market almost a year when we bought it.  We have had it on the market for just about a year now... and we have sold it... and our closing date is... wait for it... June 16th, 2010.  How freaky is that??

Well, in all honesty, the closing date has now been moved to June 21st, however, the original closing date was 9 years TO THE DAY that we took ownership.  Full circle...