How to Coach Yourself and Others Techniques For Coaching | Seite 401

3.42 EMPTY CHAIR TECHNIQUE
This is a technique widely recognized among gestalt therapists. The
term Gestalt refers to a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Gestalt therapy, formulated by Fritz Perls (1893-1970) is based on the
idea of a whole being as connected with their environment, loved ones
and memories. Therapy works toward creating full awareness of the
here and now, both within the client and between client and therapist.
The empty chair is one of many interactive techniques used to help
engage the client's feelings, thoughts and behaviors.
The empty chair has had quite a tongue-lashing over the years. Clients
have given a piece of their mind to innumerable spouses, bosses, best
friends and dead relatives thanks to this simple tool. But the chair is
none the worse for wear, and millions of people have a greater
understanding of feelings and communication as a result.
When to use the empty chair technique?
It is often effective at facilitating clients' integration of different aspects
or "disowned parts" of their personality in order to further
psychotherapeutic insight. It is one of a variety of interventions that
help people move from talking about something towards the fullness of
immediate, present experience - sensation, affect, cognition, movement.
The less people are "in touch," or "verbalizing," or abstractly thinking,
the more likely therapists are to use this as an expressive technique. It
is not used for clients whose emotionality is already dramatic and who
may be already subject to emotional "flooding."
What does it look like?
As First an empty chair faced the client. The client imagined someone
(or himself, herself, or parts of him or herself) in it, and spoke, gestured,
or otherwise communicated to the "empty chair," which was now not
so empty. The client then sat in the chair, continuing the conversation,
this time reversing roles.

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