The Gestalt approach is grounded in the “here and now” principle. According to existential psychotherapy, the past, present, and future are interconnected and perceived as parts of a unified whole. Gestalt therapy emphasizes that understanding human behavior requires awareness of present-moment experience.
A key similarity between Gestalt Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is their focus on the present. Clients are encouraged to pay attention not only to their thoughts but also to their emotions, gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice.
Carl Rogers, a representative of the humanistic approach, emphasized living in the present moment. Similarly, Paul Ekman demonstrated that emotions are universally expressed through facial expressions.
Comparison In Understanding Human Nature
Thomas Hobbes argued that humans are inherently selfish and aggressive. Sigmund Freud similarly proposed that human beings are born with instinctual drives, including aggression. In contrast, Abraham Maslow suggested that human nature is fundamentally good and oriented toward growth. Erik Erikson also believed that human nature is constructive and capable of development from birth.
These contrasting perspectives reflect broader differences between deterministic views of human motivation and growth-oriented models within humanistic psychology.
Time Frame Of Personal Development
Freud and Adler emphasized the importance of childhood in personality development. Erikson, however, argued that development continues throughout the lifespan.
Freud’s psychosexual stages begin with the oral stage (0–18 months), while Erikson’s first psychosocial stage (Trust vs. Mistrust, 0–1.5 years) focuses on developing basic trust.
In Erikson’s fourth stage (Industry vs. Inferiority, ages 7–11), children who fail to develop competence may experience feelings of inferiority. Adler similarly argued that feelings of inferiority can occur throughout life. Adler introduced the concept of the inferiority complex, suggesting that individuals strive for superiority to compensate for perceived weaknesses.
Karen Horney introduced the concept of “basic anxiety,” which develops when children lack security and belonging. To cope with this anxiety, individuals develop behavioral strategies that gradually become part of their personality structure.
Erikson And Maslow
Erikson’s final stage (Integrity vs. Despair, 60+) suggests that individuals who achieve a sense of integrity experience fulfillment and acceptance of their life narrative. This idea parallels Maslow’s concept of self-actualization, the highest level in his hierarchy of needs.
Both theorists emphasized lifelong development and the human capacity for meaning, growth, and psychological integration.
Freud And Jung
Both Freud and Jung believed that dreams, slips of the tongue, and seemingly accidental behaviors carry psychological meaning. However, they differed significantly in their interpretation of libido.
Freud defined libido primarily as sexual energy and emphasized childhood sexuality and the Oedipus complex as central to development. Jung, in contrast, conceptualized libido as a generalized life energy, not limited to sexuality.
Jung rejected Freud’s interpretation of early attachment to the mother as inherently sexual. He argued that early attachment is based on dependency and care rather than sexuality. According to Jung, sexuality becomes prominent after puberty and represents only one aspect of broader psychic energy.
Freud And Adler
Both theorists believed psychological problems originate in childhood. However, Freud focused on internal conflicts and unconscious drives, while Adler emphasized social interest and the individual’s relationship with their environment.
Freud’s theory centers on intrapsychic conflict, whereas Adler highlighted goal orientation, lifestyle, and compensation for perceived inferiority.
Gestalt Therapy And Resistance
In Gestalt therapy, resistance is understood not as pathology but as a protective mechanism. It reflects an individual’s attempt to maintain psychological balance.
Psychological health, from a Gestalt perspective, depends on self-awareness and self-realization—recognizing one’s abilities, needs, and potential in order to produce meaningful and authentic solutions. Awareness in the “here and now” is considered the central pathway toward integration and growth.