we still found the possibility unsettling and felt a sense of responsibility for our clients. The facilitator assured us that as we proceeded we would be able to handle such a situation. Initially I thought I would have difficulty remembering the structure and rules of Gestalt therapy, but it was utilizing the various techniques to elicit the clients feelings that I had trouble with. I found it particularly difficult to determine which technique was appropriate to use in each stage, especially in stage 1. As the therapist in the third class session, I was tempted to use fantasy work very early on, but the facilitator reminded me that it should be used as a last resort. Instead she instructed me to explore the clients physical and emotional awareness and link it to a situation and person that is significant to the client. I also found it difficult to transition from state to stage, particularly from stage 2 to 3. I explained the transition from external to internal polarities in textbook terms rather than in plain English. With a little coaching I was able to guide my client through the three stages pretty well. By this time I had proven to be skillful at moving the client between chairs and picking up on verbal and non-verbal expressions. After this session I decided to view the tapes at the library again so I could observe how to properly transition between stages. I also had a practice session with a classmate where we coached each other through the three stages. This practice session was a great learning experience because our strengths were in different areas. She was better at transitioning between stages and I was better at guiding the client when in the stages. However, we both struggled with the first stage and focused a lot of our attention there until we felt fairly comfortable with our technique. Here I learned not to take the easy out and rush into fantasy work but to take my time with the client’s p...
