Gestalt is a German word used today around the world to denote wholeness – whether it be an image, action, or event. Since there are no exact equivalents for this term in other languages, it is pronounced as "Gestalt" and written with a capital letter, following the German rule for nouns.

The verb “gestalten” means “to give form, to shape, or to create a meaningful structure.”

For example, when we look at a human face, we can scrutinize each individual part of it, but only the perception of the whole face allows us to create in our mind the image of a specific person – their uniqueness and individuality. The face cannot be reduced to the sum of its perceived parts because the whole is something different from the simple sum of its components. Similarly, water is something more than just a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen.

So, what is Gestalt therapy?

In the modern world, the word “therapy” is often used in a narrow sense, associated with the treatment of diseases. However, the World Health Organization explicitly states in the preamble to its Declaration, ‘Health is not merely the absence of disease or physical defect, but a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.’

One more meaning of the word ‘therapy’ refers to support in a wide variety of contexts. Gestalt therapy is always about accompanying the client on their journey of growth and change. In this perspective, the goal of therapy becomes the maintenance and strengthening of overall harmony and well-being in the broadest sense of the term, rather than simply “curing” or “fixing” any disorders.