1 Negative Energy in Gestalt Psychology Kade Smith Department of Psychology, University of West Florida PPE-4403: Theories of Personality Dr. Wiggins-Jackson February 25, 2024 2 Negative Energy in Gestalt Psychology Every individual has experiences, memories, or aspects of their past selves that they dislike. Our past is what creates the individual we are in the present day. Whether they are actively aware of these issues or not, these issues can actively impact one’s current and future state of self. The idea of past issues negatively impacting someone’s present self is a key concept in the approach of gestalt psychology. Gestalt psychology believes that one’s unfinished business and unaddressed feelings inhibit them from growth. Throughout this paper, we’ll discuss how unfinished business is presented in one’s current state, how it’s expressed through one’s energy, and it’s relation to one’s maladaptive behaviors. Unfinished business is viewed in gestalt psychology as things from the past that have been left unresolved (Corey, 2017). Whenever we do not come to terms with or find closure for past events or feelings, these issues linger and fester into larger issues in our present selves. Gestalt psychology views these issues as being presented in one’s current self through negative emotions or negative energy being expressed through behaviors. Similarly to how an internal physical illness shows external signs of struggle, internal emotional issues show external signs of distress as well. When an individual has not made peace with and resolved past issues, they inhibit themselves from fully moving forward and growing as a person. This in turn leads into presenting maladaptive behaviors. Gestalt psychology believes energy blocks resulted from unfinished business can be demonstrated by various physical signs, such as poor posture, stiff/tight muscles, restricted speech, and various others (Corey, 2017). Not only does unfinished business create a mental block, but it creates a physical one as well. When an individual is constantly unknowingly devoting energy to these kinds of behaviors, it restricts a persons expendable energy for growth. 3 This can be similar to a concept I’ve previously learned called the spoon theory. Say spoons represent an individual’s energy for the day. Everyone starts the day with 25 spoons. For a mentally well person, 1 spoon is used per activity (for example, 1 spoon for making breakfast, 1 for getting ready for work, etc.). However, for someone with a mental illness, they may view these daily routines as taking more steps, thus using more spoons/energy (for example, making breakfast entails 1 spoon for going into the kitchen, 1 spoon for getting out the bowl and oatmeal, etc.). When someone is constantly devoting more energy throughout the day, it wears on a persons overall energy, attitude, and ability to strive for a better future. Regardless of what behaviors express unfinished business, and whether or not a person is aware of said behaviors, these actions prevent a person from being present and moving towards a more positive path. Unfinished business can be incredibly difficult to process, but it is necessary in order for an individual to become self-aware and strive for overall improvement. Gestalt psychology focuses on identifying one’s unfinished business, the energy blocks it causes, and becoming self-aware in order to resolve these issues and move forward. Similarly to how it is easier to run a mile in tennis shoes rather than stiletto heels, it is easier to grow and evolve with positive energy and behavior rather than negative. 4 References Corey, G. (2017). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. 10th Edition. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.