12 An Overview of the Theory and Practice of Gestalt Group Process MARY ANN HUCKABAY, Ph.D. V V rpesrnsan ust oF oROUP psychotherapy began during World Wat hm ancipedient aplication of idvdea!pyehotherapy aimed a redoing dhe length und ost of therapy while inreasing savy to the growing eae people who nected trestment. Over the last 40 years, the Bur ‘eoing etd of small-group theory ad practic bas come fly ft is own severe steams of toasts and practitioners have explored the unique gis s well asthe problems and cierwnas herent the use of Pal! groupe for individual leering and change. There are applications to pastlony not dreamt of tthe end of World Wa I to organizational and eaerhistative setings, 10 educational and spiritual endeavors, to pros admin ning programs (aw, mediine, psychology); to political forums ing wih the explosive issues of profound human dferenes, 0 indvidn- {ds seeking growth rater than cur. ‘Bek Irs no news that groups ae beter utd to accomplishing some ssponpe-changiag” objectives than is individual work. Groups provide their sresgbtrs with a community of ees, whose experince and understanding a vcisstades and wisdom of one's own ile, Groups provide a safe Pater for exploring essential if issues, and one’s mete presence in a sare cnfvonts on wth ife's prea choices when o join and when (0 eo yen to Right and when to fee, and when and how to love VGintovell, 1970). The mlipiciy of lationship and pnts view allows 303304 Overview of Gestalt Group Process for consensual validation and reality testing both antidotes to what Sulivan calls the “paratinie distortions" of human interaction, Jourard makes the ase that meatal health requires self-disclosure and that tt in groups that people can best pratce and bear witness to the human ned to "come out” 55 who they tmly ae. And Gestalt groups uniquely provide more latitude forexperimeatation and liveliness in tho present, tus marshaling the group's ‘esouroes for increaved creativity inthe service of human development. ‘Our purpose hee js to locate within the broad spectrum of group work 8 purticuar conibution made by one branch of the Gestalt traiion. Out sm isto deseribe the kind of group work that is taught snd paciced athe Gestalt Taste of Cleveland (GIC)" This approach to groupe, refered to 18s “Gestalt group process” (Kepner 198), is set of intrvendonsteies hat are based ona synthesis of theoretical contributions from te different but intrested fields: general systems theory, group dynamics literate, and clasicl Gestalt theory. While most Gestalt practitioners draw on 2 ‘variety of theory bases for group work, it has Been the GIC that has most explicitly tended to an integration of these tree fields in developing std Aimcminating is woup intervention theory and practice ‘We will look first st these three fields separately, presenting those ele- ‘ments ofeach theoretical framework that have contributed most significantly ‘o our understanding ofthe behavior of small groups, The premise ofthis chapter is that togetier these three frameworks provide the wy, the what, and the how of effective work with small groups. General systoms theory lends the why, the explanatory undergrdings othe work the group dynamics field provides the what, the foal elements to be observed and monitored snd classical Gestalt psychology contributes the how ofthe work, 4 way © focus awareness on what is occurring in groups. In the following section, we explore a st of intervention strategies and choices premised o thes theoretical assumptions. We assume tha the reader fs familiar with three fundamental concepts of Gestalt therapy the theory of resistances (Peis, 1969, Epo, Hunger and Aggression, the conse of ‘experiment (Poster & Polser, 1973, Gestalt Therapy Integrated), andthe ‘orzanismicseregulation process of sensation, awareness, mobilization of energy, contact, withirawal, and assimilation Pel, Heetine, & Cool man, 1951, Gestalt Therap).