Covid-19: our response as Gestalt psychotherapists

Abstract

Abstract: With the sudden realities brought about by Covid-19, we are struggling to find ourselves in new ground. This reflective paper brings several questions that emerge from this situation. What impact is the pandemic having on us, personally and as a community of Gestalt psychotherapists? What do we need to let go of? What ground are we working from? How can Gestalt psychotherapists respond to the emerging needs of society and clients? This article tackles issues around social responsibility, online therapy, available resources and ethics. It puts forward the idea that our present challenge as Gestalt therapists is to embrace fully our philosophical underpinnings, values, theory and methodology, and to use this as a solid ground from which to find direction and inspiration to continue our work. Keywords: Covid-19, pandemic, Gestalt therapist response, social responsibility, online therapy, ethics.