The Empty Chair: a Gestalt therapeutic technique

The Empty Chair technique is one of the tools of the Gestalt therapy that are more striking and, in some way, spectacular: people who sit in front of an empty chair and address it as if a being relevant to them was sitting there; a being who, in some way, has been involved in an event that changed their lives.

Of course, in reality there is no one sitting in front of you (for a reason it is called the technique of Empty chair) Imagination and suggestion are the elements that are intertwined in this therapeutic approach, not esotericism. But… What does it really consist of?

Sitting in the empty chair

“Ania lost her father at the age of nine due to a car accident. That night her father was leaving work at high speed because the little girl was ill when a drunk driver hit the vehicle. Now sixteen years old, Ania still remembers the night of the accident as if it were yesterday. She feels a certain guilt because if it had not been for her condition, her father would not have run so much to get home, and she also notices an intense feeling of anger against the man who caused the accident. "

Stories like this happen relatively frequently in real life. Many of those who suffer a loss of this type suffer from great situations of emotional blockage or extreme affective lability, sudden aggressive reactions or feelings of guilt that drag on for long years unless sought treatment. It is even possible the appearance of pathologies such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The Empty Chair technique is one of the possible techniques that are often used to help overcome this type of experiences based on past experiences.

What is the Empty Chair technique?

The Empty Chair technique is one of the best known techniques of the Gestalt therapy. It was created by the psychologist Fritz perls with the purpose of developing a method that would allow unresolved phenomena or issues to be reintegrated into the lives of patients. The technique in question tries to reproduce an encounter with a situation or person in order to dialogue with them and contact emotionally with the event, being able to accept the situation and give it a conclusion.

The name of the Empty Chair technique comes from the use of a real chair, in which the patient will "sit" imaginatively to the person, situation or facet that causes the emotional block to later establish the dialogue before mentioned.

Using the Empty Chair

Its use is very frequent in cases similar to the one shown in the example, as a way of coping with traumatic losses, or in the process of preparing the duel. However, its application is not limited only to this area, but rather It is also used as an element to allow the acceptance of facets of one's own personality or thinking that are not considered acceptable by the patient, as well as to work on the perception of limitations and disabilities (loss of faculties, amputations, etc.).

Likewise, it is a valid technique to face traumatic situations, which may or may not lead to PTSD and / or dissociative disorderssuch as rape, divorce, or survivor syndrome. The characteristics of this technique also allow it to be applied also in the world of education or even at the level of organizations, in phenomena such as burnout or harassment.

In all cases, they act under the belief that "the patient only needs an experience, not an explanation" to finish closing the unfinished process and accepting her situation.

At the therapy level, as well as as an element for the client to explore her own vision and contact her emotions, it is an element that provides a lot of information both to the individual himself as well as the professional about the way in which the patient processes the situation and how it has affected their quality of life, favoring the application of other actions that improve the treatment of problems analyzed.

Technique operation

Let's see below how the use of the Empty Chair works. First, in a preparatory phase, the patient is physically confronted with the empty chair. That is, the empty chair is positioned in front of the individual (although sometimes it is positioned diagonally so that there is no opposition to the imagined person or situation).

The patient is then instructed to imagine the person, situation or feeling or part of the personality with which the dialogue is going to take place on the chair.

In a third phase, the patient is invited to describe the projection made, in order to strengthen the imaginary image that has been represented. Both the positive and the negative must be mentioned, both about the person and the situation or its effects.

In the event of a death or separation, It is useful to recall the relationship that existed before the event and what happened before, while in feelings, trauma or unacceptable facets of the self it is useful to look for the moment when it appeared or when it became a problem. It is likely that in this context the revelation of what was pending or the sensations produced by the situations in question will emerge, making blocked elements conscious.

Starting the dialogue

Later, in the verbal expression phase, the patient starts the dialogue out loud with the projection, trying to be sincere and showing those details that the patient does not dare or has not been able to reveal in his life daily life or before the person in question, how the patient has lived the situation and why it has been So. The therapist must monitor the dialogue and redirect it so that there are no deviations that worsen the situation, without restricting the flow of thought of the individual.

Although in some variants of the technique it is not applied, it is useful to have the patient exchange their chair with the projection chair, putting himself in the place of the other in a way that facilitates expression emotional. This exchange will occur as many times as is considered necessary as long as the transition is necessary and consistent with the problem to be addressed.

By last, the patient is pointed out and helped to reflect on the sensations that he is showing, so that the subject is able to identify and realize his emotional reactions, how the event has affected him and how it affects his life.

To finish the technique, the therapist instructs the patient to close their eyes and imagine the projection entering again within him, to later be eliminating all the images created while paying attention only to the real context in the consultation.

Difficulties in using the Empty Chair

Although this technique has shown its usefulness for emotional unblocking, self-acceptance and the resolution of grief processes, its application may be hampered by a series of resistances.

To begin with, this type of technique requires the ability to imagine and project the image of a person, whether a being is not present or a part of the person. That is, someone who does not have the ability to accurately imagine the person or facet of personality in question will not be able to get the intended level of benefit from the technique. The patient can be guided in the technique through questions to facilitate projection.

A second difficulty is that the patient himself refuses to use it because he considers it ridiculous, or because of fear or difficulty in expressing his own thoughts aloud.

A third and final problem can come from the ability to detect the blocked element, so that the patient is not able to find another perspective of the situation experienced, which must be worked. Sometimes the item causing discomfort is difficult to identify.

Final thoughts

It's important to put attention on This technique should only be used under the supervision of a therapist who can direct the situation..

Also, although it has many possible uses, the Empty Chair is used intermittently, only when it is relevant to facilitate emotional contact with a part of the body. self of the patient or to explore the problem situation.

Bibliographic references:

• Castanedo, C. (1981) Gestalt Therapy applied to adolescent dreams. Rev. Cost. Science. Med.; 2 (1), pp. 25 - 28.

• Fromm - Reichmann, F. (1960). Principles of Intensive Psychotherapy. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

• PerIs, F. (1976) Gestalt Approach and Eye Witness to Therapy. Bantam Books, New York.

• PerIs, F, Hefferline R., Goodman, P. (1951). Gestalt Therapy. Doll Publishing Inc., New York.

• Martin. TO. (2013). Gestalt Psychotherapy Practical Manual. 11th edition. Desclée de Brouwner, pp. 159 - 161.

• Greenberg, L.S. and others (1996). Facilitating emotional change. The therapeutic process point by point. Barcelona: Paidós.