Papers by Adrian Xuereb Archer
EAPTI-GPTIM, 2022
The purpose of this paper is to explore how organizational ethics influences Gestalt Therapist's ... more The purpose of this paper is to explore how organizational ethics influences Gestalt Therapist's personal ethical attitudes. The findings hope to support better protection towards the client from power struggles. The paper discusses a case based on the authors experience based on Gestalt Therapy literature on ethics. The area of organizational ethics in relation to therapist ethics is barely explored and this paper aims to create a discussion on this topic. Ethics is seen from an individualistic perspective. As in Gestalt Therapy we look at co-creation, this paper looks at how the therapist and the organisaiton co-create ethical behaviour. Without having ethical therapeutic organisations, rather than simply ethical therapists, there is a chance that organizational self will override the therapists ethical attitude leaving the client, therapist, and organisation in potential danger of mistreatment, misdiagnoses and harmful approaches. To protect therapist and client the organisation needs to see its employees as humans, managing from I-Thou rather than I-It.
EAPTI-GPTIM, 2022
The aim of this assignment is to examine how the therapist’s self impacts the quality of the aest... more The aim of this assignment is to examine how the therapist’s self impacts the quality of the aesthetic diagnosis. It is a synthesis of Gestalt Therapy literature on diagnosis and presents a checklist based on Zinker's (1977) contact cycle. Its premise is that aesthetic diagnoses cannot be done correctly unless the therapist has gained diagnostic ability, has healthy state of mind, fluid body creative adjustment and attuned presence. Without assessing the therapists self aesthetic diagnosis may be
incorrect or based on judgements rather than a spontaneous act emerging from the field. Therapist’s body, mind, self, awareness, and presence are the instruments for being able to diagnose. Thus the quality of these instruments impact the quality of diagnosis and hence the effectiveness of the therapeutic experience and quality of therapeutic relationship.
Gestalt Psychotherapy Training Institute Malta, 2021
Purpose – To explore how an organism shapes the environment and the role of a therapist in develo... more Purpose – To explore how an organism shapes the environment and the role of a therapist in developing healthy leaders.
Methodology – an argumentative academic essay with a blend of literature review and historical references on Hitler and Gandhi.
Findings – By developing resilience an organism can respond better to their environment. A lack of healthy personality function and ground experience can make the difference between a person becoming violent or an active agent in society.
Research Implications – A therapist in their work can become part of the client’s resilience factors thus contributing to healthy people within society. It also indicates that if the therapist contributes to trauma, it can have the opposite effect.
Practical Implications – The paper proposes eight aspects to focus on in therapy that include healthy figure ground, personality function and interaction with social fields.
Originality/Value – Rather than focusing on how the environment impacts the organism, this paper looks at the reverse and uses this as the foundation for addressing how a therapist may help develop healthy leaders in society.
Gestalt Psychotherapy Training Institute Malta, 2021
Purpose – To explore what a Gestalt Therapist can do when faced with a client who claims they had... more Purpose – To explore what a Gestalt Therapist can do when faced with a client who claims they had past live memories dealing with unfinished situations.
Methodology – review of a case of Gestalt Therapy session the author had as the basis for a discussion and reflection upon Gestalt Therapy literature.
Findings – When using dreamwork techniques a therapist does not judge or talk about the truth or symbology of the dream. Likewise, a past life memory can be addressed in the here and now and dealt in terms of its unfinished business.
Research Implications – Since the validity of past life memories cannot be scientifically proven or disproven, there is no way to validate its truth or a falsehood. As it is a prerogative of a therapist to not judge a client based on beliefs, it is useful to have a tool to address this
issue.
Practical Implications – If a therapist rejects a past life memory because of their beliefs, their client may feel rejected. Offering a technique that can work for sceptics and believers alike, allows work to focus on the unfinished situation rather than what the client remembers.
Originality/Value – Past life memories have not been dealt with extensively in the Gestalt Therapy literature. The aim of this paper is to contribute to this as well as elicit discussion on the topic of past life unfinished business.
Gestalt Psychotherapy Training Institute Malta, 2021
Purpose – To explore the link between Gestalt Psychology and Gestalt Therapy.
Methodology – an ar... more Purpose – To explore the link between Gestalt Psychology and Gestalt Therapy.
Methodology – an argumentative academic essay with a blend of literature that is linked to an experiment to apply it in the context of the Maltese language.
Findings – Perls, inspired by the German word Gestalt which means configuration, created a therapy that helped a person to find wholeness. Some concepts in Gestalt Therapy were borrowed from Gestalt Psychology but the link between the two is dubious.
Research Implications – At the root of Gestalt Psychology is the fact that we tend to organise our reality not on what is present but on our interpretation. Gestalt Therapy helps a person to have a whole awareness of reality rather than a disjointed interpretation.
Practical Implications – Gestalt Therapy helps the client to be aware of how they are organising their ‘gestalt’ and let go of unhealthy distortions.
Originality/Value – The argument of the paper leads to the author suggesting that since Gestalt Psychology is the science of how we distort reality and Gestalt Therapy is a practice of integrating awareness of reality, finding ways to integrate the two could lead to better facilitation of therapy.
Conference Presentations by Adrian Xuereb Archer
Gestalt Psychotherapy Training Institute Malta, 2021
Purpose – To explore field theory, a pillar in Gestalt Psychotherapy, and the way a therapist can... more Purpose – To explore field theory, a pillar in Gestalt Psychotherapy, and the way a therapist can use it to bring a client to be whole.
Methodology – an argumentative academic essay with a blend of literature review and storytelling through using ‘The Force’ from Star Wars as a metaphor to the field.
Findings – Perls used Field Theory for reification. Goodman saw it as the flux of life. Lewin saw Field as a set of forces acting against each other. Robine saw it as the ‘situation’.
Research Implications – Findings in Quantum Physics shows that ‘the observer affects reality.’ Should that be incorporated into Gestalt, Field can have a more profound effect.
Practical Implications – Through Yontef’s (2011) statement ‘there is no I without the field’ the author shows the implications of field on self, individuation and integrative process of having a healthy creative adjustment.
Originality/Value – Is the field a metaphor? Is it a situation? Or is it an energy that is aware in a way that directs the transformation of client, therapist and situation?
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Papers by Adrian Xuereb Archer
incorrect or based on judgements rather than a spontaneous act emerging from the field. Therapist’s body, mind, self, awareness, and presence are the instruments for being able to diagnose. Thus the quality of these instruments impact the quality of diagnosis and hence the effectiveness of the therapeutic experience and quality of therapeutic relationship.
Methodology – an argumentative academic essay with a blend of literature review and historical references on Hitler and Gandhi.
Findings – By developing resilience an organism can respond better to their environment. A lack of healthy personality function and ground experience can make the difference between a person becoming violent or an active agent in society.
Research Implications – A therapist in their work can become part of the client’s resilience factors thus contributing to healthy people within society. It also indicates that if the therapist contributes to trauma, it can have the opposite effect.
Practical Implications – The paper proposes eight aspects to focus on in therapy that include healthy figure ground, personality function and interaction with social fields.
Originality/Value – Rather than focusing on how the environment impacts the organism, this paper looks at the reverse and uses this as the foundation for addressing how a therapist may help develop healthy leaders in society.
Methodology – review of a case of Gestalt Therapy session the author had as the basis for a discussion and reflection upon Gestalt Therapy literature.
Findings – When using dreamwork techniques a therapist does not judge or talk about the truth or symbology of the dream. Likewise, a past life memory can be addressed in the here and now and dealt in terms of its unfinished business.
Research Implications – Since the validity of past life memories cannot be scientifically proven or disproven, there is no way to validate its truth or a falsehood. As it is a prerogative of a therapist to not judge a client based on beliefs, it is useful to have a tool to address this
issue.
Practical Implications – If a therapist rejects a past life memory because of their beliefs, their client may feel rejected. Offering a technique that can work for sceptics and believers alike, allows work to focus on the unfinished situation rather than what the client remembers.
Originality/Value – Past life memories have not been dealt with extensively in the Gestalt Therapy literature. The aim of this paper is to contribute to this as well as elicit discussion on the topic of past life unfinished business.
Methodology – an argumentative academic essay with a blend of literature that is linked to an experiment to apply it in the context of the Maltese language.
Findings – Perls, inspired by the German word Gestalt which means configuration, created a therapy that helped a person to find wholeness. Some concepts in Gestalt Therapy were borrowed from Gestalt Psychology but the link between the two is dubious.
Research Implications – At the root of Gestalt Psychology is the fact that we tend to organise our reality not on what is present but on our interpretation. Gestalt Therapy helps a person to have a whole awareness of reality rather than a disjointed interpretation.
Practical Implications – Gestalt Therapy helps the client to be aware of how they are organising their ‘gestalt’ and let go of unhealthy distortions.
Originality/Value – The argument of the paper leads to the author suggesting that since Gestalt Psychology is the science of how we distort reality and Gestalt Therapy is a practice of integrating awareness of reality, finding ways to integrate the two could lead to better facilitation of therapy.
Conference Presentations by Adrian Xuereb Archer
Methodology – an argumentative academic essay with a blend of literature review and storytelling through using ‘The Force’ from Star Wars as a metaphor to the field.
Findings – Perls used Field Theory for reification. Goodman saw it as the flux of life. Lewin saw Field as a set of forces acting against each other. Robine saw it as the ‘situation’.
Research Implications – Findings in Quantum Physics shows that ‘the observer affects reality.’ Should that be incorporated into Gestalt, Field can have a more profound effect.
Practical Implications – Through Yontef’s (2011) statement ‘there is no I without the field’ the author shows the implications of field on self, individuation and integrative process of having a healthy creative adjustment.
Originality/Value – Is the field a metaphor? Is it a situation? Or is it an energy that is aware in a way that directs the transformation of client, therapist and situation?
incorrect or based on judgements rather than a spontaneous act emerging from the field. Therapist’s body, mind, self, awareness, and presence are the instruments for being able to diagnose. Thus the quality of these instruments impact the quality of diagnosis and hence the effectiveness of the therapeutic experience and quality of therapeutic relationship.
Methodology – an argumentative academic essay with a blend of literature review and historical references on Hitler and Gandhi.
Findings – By developing resilience an organism can respond better to their environment. A lack of healthy personality function and ground experience can make the difference between a person becoming violent or an active agent in society.
Research Implications – A therapist in their work can become part of the client’s resilience factors thus contributing to healthy people within society. It also indicates that if the therapist contributes to trauma, it can have the opposite effect.
Practical Implications – The paper proposes eight aspects to focus on in therapy that include healthy figure ground, personality function and interaction with social fields.
Originality/Value – Rather than focusing on how the environment impacts the organism, this paper looks at the reverse and uses this as the foundation for addressing how a therapist may help develop healthy leaders in society.
Methodology – review of a case of Gestalt Therapy session the author had as the basis for a discussion and reflection upon Gestalt Therapy literature.
Findings – When using dreamwork techniques a therapist does not judge or talk about the truth or symbology of the dream. Likewise, a past life memory can be addressed in the here and now and dealt in terms of its unfinished business.
Research Implications – Since the validity of past life memories cannot be scientifically proven or disproven, there is no way to validate its truth or a falsehood. As it is a prerogative of a therapist to not judge a client based on beliefs, it is useful to have a tool to address this
issue.
Practical Implications – If a therapist rejects a past life memory because of their beliefs, their client may feel rejected. Offering a technique that can work for sceptics and believers alike, allows work to focus on the unfinished situation rather than what the client remembers.
Originality/Value – Past life memories have not been dealt with extensively in the Gestalt Therapy literature. The aim of this paper is to contribute to this as well as elicit discussion on the topic of past life unfinished business.
Methodology – an argumentative academic essay with a blend of literature that is linked to an experiment to apply it in the context of the Maltese language.
Findings – Perls, inspired by the German word Gestalt which means configuration, created a therapy that helped a person to find wholeness. Some concepts in Gestalt Therapy were borrowed from Gestalt Psychology but the link between the two is dubious.
Research Implications – At the root of Gestalt Psychology is the fact that we tend to organise our reality not on what is present but on our interpretation. Gestalt Therapy helps a person to have a whole awareness of reality rather than a disjointed interpretation.
Practical Implications – Gestalt Therapy helps the client to be aware of how they are organising their ‘gestalt’ and let go of unhealthy distortions.
Originality/Value – The argument of the paper leads to the author suggesting that since Gestalt Psychology is the science of how we distort reality and Gestalt Therapy is a practice of integrating awareness of reality, finding ways to integrate the two could lead to better facilitation of therapy.
Methodology – an argumentative academic essay with a blend of literature review and storytelling through using ‘The Force’ from Star Wars as a metaphor to the field.
Findings – Perls used Field Theory for reification. Goodman saw it as the flux of life. Lewin saw Field as a set of forces acting against each other. Robine saw it as the ‘situation’.
Research Implications – Findings in Quantum Physics shows that ‘the observer affects reality.’ Should that be incorporated into Gestalt, Field can have a more profound effect.
Practical Implications – Through Yontef’s (2011) statement ‘there is no I without the field’ the author shows the implications of field on self, individuation and integrative process of having a healthy creative adjustment.
Originality/Value – Is the field a metaphor? Is it a situation? Or is it an energy that is aware in a way that directs the transformation of client, therapist and situation?