In Gestalt psychotherapy, which technique involves clients engaging in a dialogue with conflicting parts of themselves?

In Gestalt psychotherapy, the empty chair technique is a powerful method that allows clients to engage in a dialogue with conflicting parts of themselves. This technique involves the client imagining that a person or a part of themselves is sitting in an empty chair across from them. The client then speaks to this imagined presence, expressing thoughts, feelings, and conflicts. This dialogical process helps to externalize internal conflicts, making it easier for clients to explore their emotions and gain new insights about themselves.

By physically engaging with the empty chair, clients can safely express different aspects of their personality or unresolved issues. This can lead to greater self-awareness and the opportunity to reconcile feelings of conflict or ambivalence. The empty chair technique embodies the Gestalt focus on the present moment and helps clients to integrate fragmented parts of their experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of their emotional states and motivations.