Introduction to Gestalt Coaching

You’re a whole person, full of possibility

Gestalt is a German word which is hard to translate into English.  It means ‘pattern’ or ‘whole’ and in coaching, the emphasis is on the coach relating to you as a whole person, full of possibility.  As Gestalt coaches we adopt a holistic approach, recognising many aspects of the human condition: thoughts, feelings, behaviours, perceptions and spirit.

Developing your Awareness is Key!

The Gestalt coaches at Kinharvie invite you into a way of experiencing yourself more fully in the present moment.  Our primary goal is to facilitate awareness.  Once aware, you cannot become unaware.  With new awareness, you can identify more possibilities and make better-informed choices.

Facilitating you to Achieve the Change you Desire

Most other coaching approaches focus on achieving some desired future goal.  Gestalt coaching doesn’t ignore this but has more emphasis on focusing on what is now rather than what should be.  The Gestalt paradoxical theory of change states that, change occurs when you become what you are, not when you try to become what you’re not.  This is transformational because it supports you to become more of who you are.  It is in following this path that you gain access to your future potential.

Coaching is a Relationship

The transformational change achieved through awareness in Gestalt coaching is made possible through the unique relationship established between you and your coach.  As Gestalt coaches, we offer:

A quality, engaging relationship

• Openness, honesty, respect and trust – we won’t judge you!  
• Support to help you discover the courage and simplicity to become more of yourself
• An optimistic stance, believing you are doing the best you can with what you know and have at this moment in time
• Safe experiments and ‘homework’ to help you enter into new experiences of discovery

A typical Coaching Session Looks Like This:

The Beginning Stage  

• Co-creating the relationship 
• Exploring your agenda
• Contracting – agreeing the focus of the session and your desired outcomes

The Middle Stage

• Exploring your agenda in the here-and-now
• Facilitating learning through inquiry and experiments 
• Reflecting on learning and generating insights

The End Stage

• Summarising key insights and learning
• Moving to action - creating a plan to bring the new awareness to life
• Appreciating the new ‘what is’ 
• Closing

Learn Even More

To learn more, read our four-page article, where our very own Chris Partridge,  together with Juliann Spoth introduce the Gestalt approach to coaching in the April 2013 issue of Coaching Today.

*If you are interested in training as a coach, visit our training page.