or need, after which it senses and becomes aware of it. Energy is released and the figure starts to form. He orients himself in the environment; the figure of his interest becomes sharply defined. At the top of the energy level he takes action and establishes contact: the goal has been reached. Gradually he experiences integration and fulfilment, thus becoming ready for letting go or withdrawing. In the literature, this process is usually referred to as contact cycle or cycle of experience or contact-withdrawal cycle (Critchley & Casey 1989) as represented in Figure 1.
On the more complex level, the contact cycle can be seen as a model for the previously explained change process, incorporating the described notions and principles. For example, the client, engaged in coaching as part of his leadership development, comes to the session. He talks about his current job and his particular career plans, but somehow seems uninterested and distanced. The same continues during the second session. The coach observes the client’s low energy and engagement and shares this observation with the client. The client becomes aware that he has recently been feeling very tired. The coach invites the client to explore, imagine and describe this sensation inside his body. The client focuses on the pain sensation in his upper spine imagining it as a bag pack filed with different things. During the dialogue with the coach he realizes that these belongings are related to the high demands of the current project. In continuation, he discusses delegating strategies in order to free up more capacity for his personal development.
Figure 1: Contact-withdrawal cycle (Critchley & Casey 1989)
As we see in this example, sometimes it takes time for a figure to be formed. The client might be unwilling to open the subject or simply be not aware of what is going on with him. As already mentioned in previous chapters, it is very important to stay as long as it takes in this phase and to tolerate the anxiety that might rise due to confusion. As we see in this example, sometimes we need to change the »modus« and explore some body sensations or emotions that are being raised.
Figure formation – when the right topic has been revealed – is usually accompanied with an »Aha!«-Moment or Eureka effect, leading again to the client’s increased engagement in the process. Now the activity, whether dialogue or experiment (see an example with empty chair experiment), will lead to clarification and hopefully a natural closure of the issue being raised.
3. Applying the Basic Concepts of Gestalt Coaching
Unfinished Business
A person is not always able to meet a need. For example, we are feeling sleepy, but we have to finish an important project. When it comes to the social and emotional level, the process becomes even more complicated because our needs involve other people. When we are not able to meet a need, the Gestalt is incomplete and the work stays unfinished.
Unfinished business is a frequent theme in coaching. At the individual level, for example, the topic might be an unresolved conflict with a colleague regarding taking credit for excellent projects. At the collective level, a frequent theme in today’s organizations is workers’ perception of unjust distribution of the economic crisis’ consequences among workers and the ruling elite (managers, politicians, banks etc.). As this topic is usually not discussed, on the metaorganizational level it represents a major collective unfinished business.
Unfinished business is typical for dysfunctional teams and individuals in organizations. Two facts especially complicate the situation with unfinished business in organizational settings: the unfinished tasks can be related to the client’s previous work experiences, and it is often believed that opening unfinished business is dangerous and should be addressed in psychotherapy rather than coaching. However, experience shows that coaching can be effective in closing an unfinished business. Sometimes the coach is the first person that the client can recount the detailed story to, and experience that someone has listened to him (Bluckert, 2006).
Organizational Diagnosis
The previously described Gestalt concepts can be practically applied in the area of organizational diagnosis which usually takes place prior to, or at the very beginning of the coaching process. In contrasts to long and often tedious analyses, organizational diagnosis may be efficiently set using creative techniques. During the first session, a Gestalt oriented coach often invites the client to describe how she sees herself inside the organization (field approach) using creative techniques such as drawings or statuettes. The client forms a picture that represents an own unique Gestalt view of her current organizational situation, composed of her perceptions of different organizational elements (client, peers, structures etc.). After completing the picture, the client is asked to describe it. During this process the figure is typically formed in shape of a particular emotion, sensation or thought, leading to the client’s awareness of her current situation and, hopefully, the clarification of a particular coaching problem.
An example of this approach can be vividly seen in Figure 2. In the first session the client has been asked to draw a picture on the subject »Me and my organization«. Squares on the left side represent members of the management team inside the organization. The client is represented by one of them. There is no interaction or contact among elements. The circles on the right side represent the work force inside the company. The river in-between the two sides represents the gap between the management and the workforce. Two issues are brought up: 1. The client’s feeling of isolation inside the organization, 2. His feeling of personal as well as management inferiority. The question of the client’s further development inside his organization is defined as the main coaching theme.
Figure 2: Example of a drawing on the subject »Me and my organisation«
Example of an »Empty Chair« Experiment
Experimenting in coaching is often a great way to try out a new behaviour in a »safe space«. An experiment often enables full contact with the coaching problem. Here is one example of a very common experiment in Gestalt, called the empty chair experiment.
A client is engaged in the coaching process in order to develop his managerial skills. During the process a new issue arises: there is confusion in the client’s perception of the organizational structure because a peer colleague is acting as his informal boss. The coach invites the client to engage in an »empty chair« experiment, giving voice to his boss and engaging in a dialogue with him in order to stimulate an understanding and a feeling of the situation. The client is directed towards talking to his boss whom he imagines seated in an empty chair across of himself, shifting back and forth between chairs.
Client: »You have asked me to work on my managerial skills, but it seems to me that we have another problem here. Martin is constantly interrupting me and my team with his demands, and it seems to me that you approve of this behavior.«
Boss: »I trust Martin. He has achieved great results in sales and the management respects this. I am positive that he is acting in the best interest of the company.«
Client: »It is very hard for me to work like this. When Martin interrupts me with his demands I feel obliged to follow him as if he were my boss. Sometimes I have a feeling as if he actually was my boss and that confuses me. It makes me feel bad about myself.«
Boss: »I see that this situation really upsets you. I don’t want you to be upset and to feel bad. I am sure that there must be another way around. What would you like me to do about it?«
Client: »I would like you to support me in talking this through with Martin.
