Saturday, October 6, 2012
What Clint Eastwood Should Know About "Empty Chairs"
Though quite some time has passed since Clint Eastwood's "empty chair" talk, it's still the butt of many a joke. Too bad. Eastwood made talking to an empty chair seem like a whacko thing to do when it's actually a very effective psychotherapeutic technique, popularized by Fritz Perls, the founder of Gestalt therapy. The "empty chair" technique helps people move from just talking about their conflicts to actually experiencing them in the moment. And what a difference that makes! Something like the difference between talking about sex and having it. Imagine setting up an empty chair and saying everything you ever wanted to say to a family member (alive or dead) without having to worry about hurting their feelings, mincing your words or regretting what you say. Great release! But this method is not designed to be simply cathartic. It's designed to help people resolve their unfinished business. Empty chair work is also a beneficial tool for those who are at war with themselves and for those who wish to understand the meaning of their dreams.
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