Introduction
Mike is an Asian American teenager who lives in Virginia with his parents and two sisters. Despite a close relationship with his sisters and mother, the boy has difficulty communicating with his father. The father pressures the child and insists on choosing a profession Mike does not like, and their relationship is strained. It leads to the aggravation of the problem of withdrawal, which is already inherent in the teenager. Mike is not talkative, hardly has any friends, his school performance is declining, and the teenager feels responsible for the tense environment at home.
Hypothesis
Based on the case conditions and the client’s characteristics, the hypothesis is formulated as Mike recognizes and works through his unresolved feelings, identifies his needs, and lives his life to the fullest.
Treatment Goals
The Gestalt method focuses on the client’s desires, interests, unique behavior, thinking, and perception features. Not all of these characteristics are of interest, but only those that do not satisfy their significant needs (Haley et al., 2022). The main objective is for Mike to learn how to treat himself, his aspirations, and his interests. It will contribute to his confidence, increased academic performance, and socialization. Moreover, due to Gestalt therapy, the patient learns to interact, and the treatment goal is to teach the boy to communicate with his father and peers.
Gestalt Theory
Empty Chair Technique
The theory’s most appropriate aspects must be applied to achieve the goals. One technique is the empty chair, which allows one to imagine a significant other and address the message as if the person were in the room (Haley et al., 2022). This intervention corresponds to the case because Mike can imagine his father and prepare and tune in to talk about his future.
Two Chairs Technique
The Two Chairs technique is designed to organize a dialogue between the conflicting inner parts since achieving inner wholeness is one of Gestalt therapy’s goals. The intervention of the two chairs is chosen because Mike does not feel confident and needs to understand himself to realize himself.
Expected Outcome
The therapy should result in improved communication with the family and increased confidence. The foremost outcome is that the teenager gets to know himself and does not try to be someone else.
Reference
Haley, M., Riley, P.G, & Greenan, G. (2022). Gestalt theory. In D. Capuzzi & M.D.Staffer (Eds.), Counseling and psychotherapy: Theories and interventions (pp.195-226). American Counseling Association.