Gestalt Coaching
“A horse can teach you a lot about yourself. They can sense your emotions and respond to them accordingly.” – Mark Rashid
Let’s look at the big picture…
…we use this sentence when we want to emphasize that the total is more than a sum of its individual pieces. In a simplified way, this summarizes the nature of Gestalt. Following the definition of the American Psychological Association, “Gestalt psychology holds […] that experience is an organized whole of which the pieces are an integral part.” The word Gestalt is German. While there isn’t a literal translation for it in the English language, its meaning can best be described as a ‘congruent and wholesome form.’ Gestalt is based on the humanistic school of psychology, and embraces that an individual should be recognized and treated as the unique being they are.
Gestalt focuses on the present moment, and works with the terms of foreground and background. To get the complete picture, both modalities are needed. One is meaningless without the other.
Imagine a person’s essence ̶ their character ̶ as a dynamic conglomerate of thousands of traits. One or multiple traits may manifest themselves in a reaction to a situation. Let’s say, for example, to ‘being put on the spot’. Every individual will perceive this situation based on their personal history. The exact same question will result in different interpretations, depending on their focus and their beliefs, as well as on their previous experiences. If we truly care to understand an individual’s reaction, we cannot gain insight without looking at these contributing factors. The reaction to a situation would be considered as the foreground, the experiences and beliefs behind it as the background; both together comprise the complete picture.
By understanding the background, we can question whether the applied judgement pattern appears to be outdated and/or no longer beneficial. This awareness creates openness to replace the ‘old’, habitual approach with a new one.
“A horse doesn’t care how much you know until he knows how much you care. Put your hand on your horse and your heart in your hand.”
– Pat Parelli
Coaching
I would like to invite you to the safe and sacred space of Gestalt Coaching – an experiential journey allowing you to listen to your own words, to the emotions they evoke within you, and also to explore where they are stored in your body.
You are guided by me, and (if you wish) the equine coach, to access the knowledge and wisdom to take you to the next step in your quest to feel complete and authentic, at peace with yourself in the present moment, and excited about the possibilities the future holds for you. This is a judgement-free zone where you are seen as the wholesome human that you are.
The answers to the questions are within you. As a trauma-informed coach, I will not provide you with a diagnosis or a prescription. Instead, we will uncover what lies between your current state and your desired outcome, and together we will create your path to completeness.
The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method®
The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® was developed by Melisa Pearce, a core founder since 1989, of the horse-human healing movement. The experiential nature of the method involves the horse as an active partner with the coach in the client’s exploratory process. The integrative approach of the equine’s interaction combined with positive coaching, somatic awareness guidance and Gestalt methodology, assists the client in examining their life and choices made with a focus on designing a positive future.
