Gestalt therapy

is an experiential form of psychotherapy that emphasises personal responsibility. The therapist's approach is to help children to increase or deepen their awareness of themselves and aspects of themselves and their relationships with others by attending to and engaging with them to explore their experiences and to describe what is.

The techniques used within the therapeutic relationship include the empty-chair technique, drawings, making things, puppet shows and storytelling, and are designed to help children to work through and move beyond painful emotional blocks. This is an ongoing process that allows them to explore new behaviour – initially in the context of the therapeutic relationship and later, as and when appropriate, in the outside world.