Gestalt-Antecedent Influence or Historical Accident

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Gestalt Therapy and Gestalt Psychology
GESTALT-ANTECEDENT INFLUENCE OR HISTORICAL ACCIDENT
Allen R. Barlow
Editor 's Note: This article originally appeared in Volume IV, Number 2, (Fall, 1981) issue of The Gestalt Journal. It remains the most definitive article on the relationship between
Gestalt therapy and Gestalt psychology.
Joe Wysong
Editor
The Gestalt Journal
There has been relatively little appraisal of the antecedent influence of Gestalt psychology on Gestalt therapy. This paper attempts to expand on the work of previous academic writers on the theoretical precursors of Gestalt therapy. Most of the relevant articles, monographs, or books which mention Gestalt psychology still refer to Wallen (1957), whilst Perls in his books referred to the influence of Gestalt psychology, but gave little indication of the extent of that influence. Yontef (1979,
p.27) highlighted the need for this type of exploration:
Neither Gestalt psychology nor the connection with Gestalt therapy is adequately understood, even by most Gestalt therapists, and has not been adequately discussed in the Gestalt therapy literature. Unfortunately this very important subject must be reserved for a more technical paper (see
Perls, 1973).
The aim of this paper is to discuss the areas of commonality between Gestalt therapy and Gestalt psychology.
Two Gestalt Psychologists ' Attitudes
Henle (1978) in an article titled "The relations between Gestalt psychology and
Gestalt therapy" was critical of Perls ' use of the word "Gestalt." She quotes a number of Perls ' statements out of context, or slants meanings in favor of her
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particular argument. The final conclusion that she drew was that “. . . the two approaches have nothing in common" (Henle, 1978, p.23).
One Gestalt psychologist apart from Henle who has mentioned the relationship between the two approaches was Arnheim (1974). The one paragraph letter to
Contemporary Psychology was not sufficient to allow

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