Have you heard the word Gestalt before but you are not sure exactly what it means? Do you remember learning about Gestalt in one of your undergraduate introduction to psychology classes, but you can’t remember anything about the technique? Do you vaquely remember an image that alternatively looks like a vase sometimes and faces at others and know that this change in perception has something to do with Gestalt? Do you find yourself asking, what the heck is Gestalt anyway?
As a psychotherapist and Master Coach, Melisa Pearce has been teaching Gestalt methodologies for over 30 years. As she saw her students wrestling to learn and apply the concepts of Gestalt, she came to realize that there was a gap in terms of a thorough, but user friendly, book available about Gestalt.
It is not simple to define Gestalt, which is a German word. It is most often loosely translated as wholeness. And the therapeutic uses of Gestalt are most often addressed in somewhat dense and unreadable textbooks. Melisa has found Gestalt to be not only one of the most effective modalities for helping her clients through deep and positive personal changes, it is also a way of life. Akin to mindfulness, the full embodiment of Gestalt into a daily practice and view of the world can have an almost spiritual quality.
In this book, Melisa dives into the key concepts, most of which can be immediately applied to your own experience of the world. While the world of therapy adopted some Gestalt techniques into the mainstream, it is the full embodiment of Gestalt as a way of life that she explores in this book. The journey of Gestalt is the journey to wholeness.
Praise for “What the Heck Is Gestalt?” and the Work of Melisa Pearce
In What the Heck Is Gestalt? Melisa Pearce takes a complex topic and makes it understandable and accessible to everyone by holding the reader’s attention with the nitty-gritty of Gestalt philosophy and methodology. This is a comprehensive and thoughtful exploration of Gestalt theory and practice written by a recognized expert and master practitioner. Pearce’s work is reminiscent of Fritz Perls and his book Gestalt Therapy Verbatim. This candid examination of Gestalt seems to fulfill the author’s wish to take the “now” into the “next.” We are greatly inspired by this book and believe you will be too.
Jaclyn S. Manzione, MS, EGCM Cert.
and G. Thomas Manzione, PhD, PPC
Written with a deep sense of compassion and wisdom, Melisa Pearce has captured the essence of the dynamic and effectiveworld of Gestalt in What the Heck Is Gestalt? Gleaning valuable insight from her years of Gestalt training and personal
exploration, she experiences Gestalt as a way of life. This is an essential text for every practitioner, from the novice to the expert, who is ready to open the treasure within Gestalt.
Dr. Myra Heckenlaible-Gotto, EdD,
Gestalt Coach/Trainer/Consultant,
Founder, Crossing Life’s Bridges, LLC
Melisa Pearce’s ability to see people with all their fractured pieces and help them see that they are infinitely more thanthe sum of those pieces makes her a rare gift. Melisa has the ability to make wholeness and peace with one’s self seem obviously necessary but also cooperatively attainable. But how does she do that? The framework for her approach, which combines Gestalt with her own embellishments, can be found in What the Heck Is Gestalt? This book provides essential tools for anyone working to help people step into their authentic selves.
Heath Kull, The Ranches
Melisa Pearce has truly embodied Gestalt and is a walking billboard for the work. What the Heck Is Gestalt? explains Gestalt in a way that is understandable and heartfelt. Her work and writing are both creative and powerfully direct, and
her language draws you into the Gestalt perspective.
Andrea M. Hall, Whithers Whisper, LLC,
EGCM Certified Practitioner, Attorney at Law
Melisa Pearce’s Equine Gestalt Coaching Program taught me more about being a therapist than two years of master’s level social work courses. Her wealth of knowledge, talent as a therapist, and creative teaching methods make Melisa a true expert in the field. As a fellow psychotherapist, I have witnessed Melisa facilitate lasting and profound change in the lives of her clients within a matter of minutes. Her in-depth understanding of human psychology and the experiential methods of Gestalt come from years of theoretical and applied experience that she is generous in sharing with her students and the world. In her book What the Heck Is Gestalt? Melisa offers a current perspective on the practice of Gestalt and its relevance for today’s clients. The importance of creative and effective interventions for therapy cannot be overstated, and this book gives readers the tools they need to discover this power
modality.
Emma Cruse Rogers, EGC, LCSW-C,
Argo Counseling and Wellness
Wow! Melisa was able to take complex subject matter, Gestalt methodology, and turn it into a well-written, informative, and compelling read that I would recommend to anyone wishing to make positive changes in their life. Many times, I’ve wondered why I’ve made a particular decision or responded in a way that felt out of character for me. This book explains why it is important to look at our experiences using Gestalt methodologies to uncover our authentic selves quickly.
Carolyn P. Fitzpatrick, coauthor of Equusology,
Founder of The Horse Connection, LLC,
and Equine Gestalt Practitioner
As a therapist and Gestalt practitioner, I have often been asked, “What the heck is Gestalt?” Through personal and professional examples, Melisa Pearce has written a book that brings life to the abstract concepts of Gestalt. With her curiosity, presence, willingness to take risks, and ever-evolving being, Melisa embodies Gestalt. Her students are inspired to look at their lives in ways that bring awareness and wholeness and allow them to move forward into more authentic and rich lives. Her readers will be similarly inspired.
Heather H. Kirby, Therapist, Author of Wild at Heart:
Adolescents, Horses & Other Kindred Spirits
Also by Melisa Pearce
Books:
Equusology (Coauthored with Carolyn Fitzpatrick)
Eponalisa, The Fall Ride
Touched by a Horse Equine Coaching Stories,volumes 1, 2, and 3 (Melisa Pearce, Editor)
Inspiration Cards:
Whispers from a Horse’s Heart (with art by Jan Taylor)
Recordings:
Wisdom’s Journey to Abundance
Wisdom’s Journey to the Chakras
Wisdom’s Journey to Your Personal Future