Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy

Gestalt therapy applied: A case study with an inpatient diagnosed with substance use and bipolar disorders

Valerie Dominitz
Gestalt psychotherapyResearchCase seriesEnglish
Journal Article - Paid access

Abstracts

The aim of the present paper is to open the discourse regarding the unmet needs of specific patients, especially those with substance use disorder and/or personality disorder where ‘multimorbidities’, and/or ‘overdiagnosis’ and/or ‘diagnosis overlap’ are frequent. An additional aim is to review the main therapeutic purpose and concepts of Gestalt therapy which might be appropriate in the treatment of these patients often characterized by their difficulties in being aware and in contact in the ‘here and now’. Methods I first start with an overview of Gestalt therapy concepts. Then, I illustrate Gestalt's ‘here and now’ and awareness concepts applied during 18 sessions with an inpatient diagnosed with substance use and bipolar disorders. In addition, the patient had to face an open criminal charge, was regarded as having an antisocial personality disorder and argued suffering from post‐traumatic stress disorder. Results After this two‐month therapy period, the patient entered for the first time a daily rehabilitation program in the community, where he was doing well (this after a few prior hospitalizations). The awareness development in the ‘here and now’ through which different contact styles and cycles of experiences are experienced is a process that allowed the patient to start experiencing contact with himself, his true needs and his environment. This contributed to his well‐being improvement, led and supported his rehabilitation and reinsertion within the society and decrease his relapses, either with drugs or criminal activities.

Keywords
Journal
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy
Author
Year of Publication
2017
Volume
24
Number of Pages
36-47,
ISSN Number
1099-0879(Electronic),1063-3995(Print)
DOI
10.1002/cpp.2016

APA citation

Dominitz, V. (2017). Gestalt therapy applied: A case study with an inpatient diagnosed with substance use and bipolar disorders. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 24, 36-47, . https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2016