View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Unisa Institutional Repository THE USE OF GESTALT THERAPY TO RE-WRITE LIFE SCRIPT by Erika Hitge Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF DIACONIOLOGY (DIRECTION: PLAY THERAPY) at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: MRS. C. van WYK November 2006 i STATEMENT of AUTHENTICITY I, Erika Hitge, declare that THE USE OF GESTALT THERAPY TO RE- WRITE LIFE SCRIPT is my own work. All sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. ___________________ _____________________ Signature Date (MRS E HITGE) Student number: 841-568-4 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to use the opportunity to state that all the honour belongs to God regarding the embarking on and completion of this spiritual journey. As much as this is true, God provided people to serve in the interest of completing this study. I would like to honour every one of them: • My husband, for sponsoring my studies and being a constant motivator. Jos, you are the person who brought about my understanding of availing myself and my talents to the community without receiving financial reward. You showed me how to receive grace. You also showed me how to re-write my own life script. I am richer than a queen for having you in my life. • My children, Nina and Mimi: you made me ripe for work with children. • Thank you to my parents – I would not have been here to do this work, had it not been for you. Thank you for your love. • Thank you, Carlien, for being the person that you are and sharing of both your professional experience and your life with me in your capacity as supervisor of this study. • Thank you, Hannie, for being an inspiration personally and professionally. • Thank you to my dearest friend, Herman, for involving me and creating my interest in Play Therapy. Thank you for your continued support. • To my client who offered to participate in this study: lovely child, I honour you and am grateful for your accomplishments in therapy. I thank you for exposing yourself to this process. iii • I have precious friends who supported, motivated, showed interest and believed that my studies could come to fruition. In this respect I would specifically like to thank Roela, Flip, Norah, Karina, Mia and Karin. I am honoured to have you as friends. • Marietjie Yssel supervised the practical component of my study. Thank you, Marietjie, for opening the doors of opportunity and learning with me. The journey with you made my hands and heart strong. • Eileen Langley, my supervisor and mentor for the past three years: Eileen, if I could box a phenomenal woman, person, therapist, being – it would be you. I have never met your equal in the field and I truly appreciate you. • Dora-Marie van Vuuren, who edited this dissertation, but who is also so available to contact and relationship. Your friendliness and professionalism is highly appreciated. iv SUMMARY The aim of this research was to determine how Gestalt Therapy could be utilised to re- write life script. Transactional Analysis terminology was translated into Gestalt Therapy, especially the terms life script, life position and re-writing in the literature study. Gestalt Therapy concepts of importance for the research were also discussed in the literature study. An empirical study was conducted, involving one respondent, for whom Gestalt Therapy sessions were provided with the aim of determining how life script could be re- written through such intervention. Gestalt Therapy concepts and life script concepts were identified during the therapy process. A re-written life script was formulated by the researcher corresponding with the level of functioning of the respondent during therapy and in relation to the respondent’s life position. The researcher deducts from the entire study, but especially from the empirical study that life script can be re-written by means of utilising Gestalt Therapy. v KEY TERMS Re-writing Life script Life position Gestalt Therapy Contact Boundary Disturbances Awareness Theory of Change The I-Thou Relation Sense of Self and Self-Concept Self-Regulation vi INDEX PAGE CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO AND EXPLANATION OF THE STUDY 1.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 1.2 Rationale for Study and Problem Formulation ...................................... 3 1.2.1 Research Goal ........................................................................................... 8 1.2.2 Research Objectives .................................................................................. 8 1.2.3 Research Question ..................................................................................... 9 1.3 Research Approach ................................................................................. 9 1.3.1 Type of Research ..................................................................................... 10 1.3.2 Research Strategy .................................................................................... 11 1.4 Research Methodology .......................................................................... 11 1.4.1 Universe, Population and Sampling ......................................................... 13 1.5 Ethical Aspects ....................................................................................... 14 1.6 Definition of Key Concepts .................................................................... 15 1.6.1 Life Script ................................................................................................. 15 1.6.2 Re-Writing ................................................................................................ 16 1.6.3 Gestalt Therapy ........................................................................................ 16 1.6.4 Life Position .............................................................................................. 17 1.7 Layout of the Research Report ............................................................. 18 1.8 Summary ................................................................................................. 18 vii CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL UNDERPINNING OF LIFE SCRIPT 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................ 19 2.2 Transactional Analysis .......................................................................... 20 2.2.1 Life Script ................................................................................................. 21 2.2.2 Life Positions ............................................................................................ 22 2.2.3 Life Script Analysis ................................................................................... 23 2.2.4 Origins of Life Script ................................................................................. 24 2.2.5 Re-Writing ................................................................................................ 24 2.3 Gestalt Therapy ...................................................................................... 26 2.3.1 Boundary Regulation ................................................................................ 27 2.3.2 Contact Boundary Disturbances ............................................................... 28 2.3.3 Introjection .................................................................................................30 2.3.4 Confluence ................................................................................................31 2.3.5 Retroflection ..............................................................................................31 2.3.6 Projection ..................................................................................................32 2.3.7 Egotism .....................................................................................................32 2.3.8 Organismic Self-Regulation .......................................................................33 2.3.9 Awareness .................................................................................................33 2.3.10 Responsibility ............................................................................................34 2.3.11 Theory of Change ......................................................................................35 2.3.12 Polarities ....................................................................................................35 2.3.13 The I-Thou Relation ...................................................................................35 2.3.14 Sense of Self and Self-Concept ................................................................36 2.3.15 Result of Therapy ......................................................................................37 2.3.16 Life Script ..................................................................................................37 2.3.17 Shame and Development of Undesirable Life Script .................................39 2.3.18 Re-Writing Life Script ................................................................................40 2.3.18.1 Methods of Re-Writing Life Script ..............................................................41 2.4 Life Script from a Child Development Perspective ..............................42 2.5 Re-Writing Life Script: Views of the Researcher ..................................44 2.6 Conclusion ...............................................................................................45