Research Project

Abstract

As I began planning my research project as part of my Gestalt psychotherapy training at WPP, my initial interest centred around the question of ‘what works in therapy?’ I started my literature review by looking into rupture and repair, challenge and support, and what facilitates change in therapy. Much of the ex- isting research is from the perspective of the therapist, and I wanted to redress this balance by exploring the client’s experience. What eventually emerged was the need for more research into the ways that clients make use of therapy to overcome obstacles to change, and the ways in which they make mean- ing of significant events in therapy. In my own experience of therapy, difficult moments have been key to deepening my understanding of myself in relationship, so I decided to narrow the focus of my project to a difficult moment in the therapeutic process, from the perspective of the client.