Application of Gestalt psychotherapy principles is supporting individuals with mental health difficulties

Život pojedinca u modernom društvu svakim je danom sve izazovniji. Upravo zbog rasnovrsnih stresora i sve teže svakodnevne prilagodbe na brojne pritiske i očekivanja okoline povećava se i broj osoba s poteškoćama mentalnog zdravlja. Kako bi se lakše nosili s poteškoćama i životnim izazovima, sve više pojedinaca odlučuje se potražiti pomoć stručnjaka iz područja mentalnog zdravlja, često psihoterapeuta. Geštalt psihoterapija je jedna od grana psihoterapije koja holistički pristupa pojedincu i naglašava važnost razumijevanja pojedinca u kontekstu s njegovom okolinom. Ona potiče razvijanje svjesnosti pojedinca i preuzimanje odgovornosti za vlastiti život. Ovaj rad ima za cilj istražiti i objasniti primjenu načela Geštalt psihoterapije u podršci osobama s poteškoćama mentalnog zdravlja te usporediti i povezati ih s temeljnim načelima socijalnog rada u području mentalnog zdravlja. Socijalni rad je profesija koja ima značajnu ulogu u radu s osobama s narušenim mentalnim zdravljem, posebno u području osnaživanja i socijalnog uključivanja, što između ostalog podrazumijeva i povezivanje pojedinaca s drugim profesionalnim pomagačima kao što su i psihoterapeuti. Socijalni rad, kao i Geštalt psihoterapijski pristup, naglašava važnost korisnikovog samoodređenja, odnosno samosvijesti i cjelovitosti u pristupu te pružanja kontinuirane podrške svojim korisnicima.The life of an individual in modern society becomes increasingly challenging with each passing day. Because of various stressors and the growing difficulties in adapting to numerous pressures and expectations of societi, the number of people with mental health difficulties is also on the rise. To cope with these challenges and impaired mental health, more individuals are choosing to seek help from various professionals, primarily psychotherapists. Gestalt psychotherapy is one branch of psychotherapy that takes a holistic approach to the individual, emphasizing the importance of understanding the person in the context of their environment. It encourages the development of self-awareness and taking responsibility for one's own life. This paper aims to explore and explain the application of Gestalt psychotherapy principles in supporting individuals with mental health difficulties and to compare and connect them with the fundamental principles of social work in the mental health field. Social work is a profession that plays a significant role in working with individuals with impaired mental health, particularly in the areas of empowerment and social inclusion, which includes connecting individuals with other professional helpers such as psychotherapists. Both social work and the Gestalt psychotherapeutic approach emphasize the importance of client self-determination, self-awareness, and wholeness in their approach, as well as providing continuous support to their client