Humour in Gestalt Therapy — Curative Force and Catalyst for Change: A Case Study

Abstract

I report on the findings of a study into the use of humour in therapy, which forms part of ongoing attempts to identify new ways in which to enhance therapy towards a positive experience for both client and therapist. In contrast to the many clinical papers that deal with the patient's inability to cry and mourn, few discuss the inability to laugh or use wit and humour. Most research points to this behaviour as a maladaptive response and uses humour for developmental assessment. In contrast, this exploratory article describes a single case, where the client revealed a habitually resisted contact through deflection and where she moved from a denial state to full awareness to emotional wellness through the use of humour techniques. Furthermore, it is argued that humour can be taught and used constructively as a coping mechanism in potentially harmful situations. In addition, humour can create awareness with the client, therapist and other users to improve humour capabilities.

Keywords

awareness contact boundary Gestalt humour psychotherapy resistance therapy

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Birner

(1994). Humor and the joke of psychoanalysis. In Strean

(Ed.), The use of humour in psychotherapy (pp. 55–62). London: Jason Aronson Inc.

Cattanach

(2003). Introduction to play therapy. Sussex: Routledge.

Clance

P.R

Thompson

M.B

Simerly

D. E.

(1994). The effects of the Gestalt approach on body image. Gestalt Journal, 17, 95–114.

Clarkson

(2004). Gestalt counselling in action. London: Sage.

Dunn

(2004). The development of a board game as preventative measure against the sexual abuse of grade 4 children in South Africa. Unpublished D DIAC thesis, University of South Africa.

Freeman

Epston

Lobovits

(1997). Playful approaches to serious problems. USA: Norton Company.

Flyvbjerg

(2006). Five misunderstandings about case study research. Qualitative Inquiry, 12, 219–245.

Harman

R. L.

(1996). Gestalt therapy techniques: working with groups, couples and sexually dysfunctional men. USA: Jason Aronson Inc.

Harris

(2007). Renegotiation of life space. Gestalt Therapy, 13, 15–18.

10.

Hofstee

(2006). Constructing a good dissertation: a practical guide to finishing a Master's, MBA or PhD on schedule. South Africa: Sandton: EPE Publishers.

11.

Joyce

Sills

(2001). Skills in Gestalt Counselling and Psychotherapy. London: Sage.

12.

Kaduson

H. G.

Cangelosi

Schaefer

(Eds). (2004). The playing cure: individualized play therapy for specific childhood problems. New York: Aronson.

13.

Kekae-Moletsane

(2008). Masekitlana: South African traditional play as therapeutic tool in child psychotherapy. South African Journal of Psychology, 38, 367–375.

14.

Kottman

(2001). Play therapy: basics and beyond. USA: American Counselling Association.

15.

McGhee

P. E.

Chapman

A. J.

(1980). Children's humor. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

16.

Mouton

(2004). How to succeed in your master's & doctoral studies: A South African guide and resource book. Pretoria: Van Schaik.

17.

Neuman

W. L.

(2006). Social research methods. USA: Pearson.

18.

Olson

H. A.

(1994). The use of psychotherapy. In Strean

(Ed.), The use of humour in psychotherapy (pp. 79–89). London: Jason Aronson Inc.

19.

Pierce

R. A.

(1994). Use and abuse of laughter in psychotherapy. In Strean

(Ed.), The use of humour in psychotherapy (pp. 42–53). London: Jason Aronson Inc.

20.

Steyn

Mynhardt

(2008). Factors that influence the forming of self-evaluation and self efficacy perceptions. South African Journal of Psychology, 38, 563–573.

21.

Strean

(1994). The use of humour in psychotherapy. London: Jason Aronson Inc.

22.

Van Eeden

(2006). HaHaHaHaha … In: Beeld, 20 April. South Africa: Media 24.

23.

Yin

(2006). Handbook of complementary methods in education research. London: Routledge.

24.

Yontef

G. M.

(1989). Gestalt therapy: an introduction. Current psychotherapies. Illinois: Peacock Publishing House.

25.

Zinker

J. C.

(1994). In search of good form: Gestalt therapy with couples and families. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.