A clínica gestáltica na contemporaneidade: vivências, desafios e reflexões de gestalt-terapeutas

Abstract

This study investigated the challenges faced by Gestalt therapists in clinical practice in light of the demands of contemporary society, aiming to understand these professionals’ experiences and the impact of such experiences on the therapeutic relationship. A qualitative exploratory approach was adopted, using semi-structured interviews with 11 therapists and Braun and Clarke’s Thematic Analysis to identify emerging patterns and meanings within their narratives. The results indicated that challenges begin during training and intensify in clinical practice, given the pressures for immediacy, productivity, and standardization—hallmarks of contemporary life. Despite these demands, therapists strive to maintain a commitment to the client’s uniqueness, the co-construction of meaning, and authenticity in the therapeutic encounter, thereby upholding the core principles of Gestalt therapy. The study also highlighted ethical and technical resources that strengthen the therapist’s presence and creative adjustment, such as a phenomenological stance, openness to “not knowing,” and patience as an essential element of the clinical process. This qualitative research offers significant contributions to the enhancement of professional training and clinical practice, while also indicating the need for future studies to deepen the understanding of these phenomena across different contexts and among professionals with varying levels of experience. These findings encourage reflections that can guide more dialogical, ethical, and contemporary-aligned formative and clinical practices, without compromising the principles that sustain the Gestalt approach.