Gestalt work / GST-A08-2
Approach and Withdrawal — Practice worksheet
Draw two routes toward and away from a low-stakes interaction, noting their functions and costs.
15 minutes · Worksheet · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Rae wants to join a discussion and also wants time to think.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. Moving closer and stepping back can both serve contact.
1. Choose a workable example
Use the fictional example below or an ordinary situation of your choosing. Keep identifying details out of shared copies.
2. Try the practice
Draw two routes toward and away from a low-stakes interaction, noting their functions and costs.
3. Compare possibilities
Generate at least two interpretations or options. Mark what you know, what you are guessing, and what remains outside your control.
4. Decide together
What amount of contact would fit this moment? Choose one small action, a support request, or no action. Review the fit with your clinician when relevant.
Prompts for this resource
- My chosen or fictional situation, and what I know about it:
- My response to the practice task above:
- What amount of contact would fit this moment?
- An optional next step, support, adaptation, or reason to stop:
Conceptual background
Gestalt Therapy: An Introduction — Gary Yontef
Background on the approach only. Original exercises and wording are by More Than Therapy with AI assistance; the source does not validate or endorse these materials.