CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE USE OF EXPERIMENT IN COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY AND GESTALT THERAPY

Abstract

At the current stage of reforming the system of mental health in Ukraine, many questions arise about discussing optimal and effective methods of influencing the human psyche. In this context, the search for modern effective forms of mental health care is becoming more and more relevant. These topics also apply to the use of an experiment in psychotherapeutic practice. In this article the peculiarities of the experiment as psychotherapeutic inter-vention are explored and the strategy of its realization from the standpoint of cogni-tive-behavioral therapy and Gestalt therapy is illustrated. There are practically no studies that would cover the topic of comparing the peculiarities of the experiment in cognitive-behavioral therapy and Gestalt therapy in the scientific literature. An example of using the experiment is given in the article and a registration form for a behavioral experiment in the plane of the cognitive-behavioral paradigm is provided. The stages of the experiment implementation in Gestalt therapy are presented. If in the cognitive-behavioral therapy the purpose of the experiment is to test the validity of the clientʼs conviction (cognitive strategy), then in Gestalt therapy, this goal is to realize their own ways of building relationships, gaining new experi-ence, creative adaptation. The main slogan of using an experiment in Gestalt thera-py is «not knowing why, but experimenting how». The article also describes the significant differences associated with the role of the therapeutic relationship and the process of conducting the experiment. However, in the process of comparison, the common aspects that combine experiments in cognitive-behavioral therapy and Gestalt therapy are also singled out – this is the return of contact with reality, the opportunity to achieve changes by experience and master the information at the «inner level» easier, improve the quality of life of the client.