The relationship between the child and parents in Gestalt therapy

(This image is taken from the site: http://www.istitutocreativita.eu/Pages/pagina_base.aspx?ID=43284b15-519e-4cb8-a94d-65f05d049c73).

The child lives the relationship with his parents following a model of relational or phenomenological field (M. Spagnuolo Lobb, The now for the next in psychotherapy - Gestalt therapy told in post-modern society, Franco Angeli, 2011).

The plot of relationships experienced by the child represents the relational field.

When the child enters into a relationship with the parents he establishes contact with the environment. His perception is oriented to the border of contact with his father and mother. The border of contact is the place where he meets with the parents. The child is oriented not only towards the border of contact between him and his parents. He is also oriented towards the border of contact between the father and the mother. He is therefore able to understand what happens at the border of contact between them (M. Spagnuolo Lobb, 2011)

The relationship experienced by the child is the emergence of a figure from the background, which means the phenomenological field (M. Spagnuolo Lobb, 2011).

The relationship between the parents, which is part of the background, is able to influence the relationship that the child is experiencing at the moment (the figure).

The structuring of the field is therefore useful to understand the relational schema of the child. In fact, he will use the field to deploy its intentionality of contact. The intentionality of contact is the energy that leads him to seek contact with another individual.

The goal is to foster spontaneity and integrity of the child within the border of contact.