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Transformational Chairwork: Using Psychotherapeutic Dialogues in Clinical Practice
Transformational Using Psychotherapeutic Dialogues in Clinical Practice is an exposition of the art and science of Chairwork. It is also a practical handbook for using the Chairwork method effectively with a wide range of clinical problems. Originally created by Dr. Jacob Moreno in the 1950s and then further developed by Dr. Fritz Perls in the 1960s, Chairwork has been embraced and re-envisioned by therapists from cognitive, behavioral, existential, Jungian, experiential, psychodynamic, and integrative perspectives. Transformational Chairwork builds on this rich and creative legacy and provides a model that is both integrative and trans-theoretical.
The book familiarizes clinicians with essential dialogue strategies and empowers them to create therapeutic encounters and re-enactments. Chairwork interventions can be broadly organized along the lines of external and internal dialogues. The external dialogues can be used to help patients work though grief and loss, heal from interpersonal abuse and trauma, manage difficult relationships, and develop and strengthen their assertive voice. The internal dialogues in turn focus on resolving inner conflicts, combatting the negative impact of the inner critic and the experience of self-hatred, working with dreams and nightmares, and expanding the self through polarity work.
Using both internal and external strategies, this book explores how Chairwork dialogues can be a powerful intervention when working with addictions, social oppression, medical issues, and psychosis. This is done through the use of compelling clinical examples and scripts that can be read, studied, and enacted. Chairwork’s central emphasis is helping patients express each of their voices as distinctly and as forcefully as possible. The book concludes with a review of the deepening technique—the strategies that therapists can use to help facilitate clarity and existential ownership.
The book familiarizes clinicians with essential dialogue strategies and empowers them to create therapeutic encounters and re-enactments. Chairwork interventions can be broadly organized along the lines of external and internal dialogues. The external dialogues can be used to help patients work though grief and loss, heal from interpersonal abuse and trauma, manage difficult relationships, and develop and strengthen their assertive voice. The internal dialogues in turn focus on resolving inner conflicts, combatting the negative impact of the inner critic and the experience of self-hatred, working with dreams and nightmares, and expanding the self through polarity work.
Using both internal and external strategies, this book explores how Chairwork dialogues can be a powerful intervention when working with addictions, social oppression, medical issues, and psychosis. This is done through the use of compelling clinical examples and scripts that can be read, studied, and enacted. Chairwork’s central emphasis is helping patients express each of their voices as distinctly and as forcefully as possible. The book concludes with a review of the deepening technique—the strategies that therapists can use to help facilitate clarity and existential ownership.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 18, 2022
An excellent guide to chairwork. Kellog begins the book with an historical introduction to chairwork, spending considerable time discussing the life and contributions of Fritz Perls. He then describes in detail the different types of chair dialogues — how to use empty chair dialogues to help clients with grief/loss, trauma, difficult relationships, and assertiveness training, and how to use two chair dialogues to help with decision-making, parts work, and self-compassion. A practical, inspirational how-to guide. How inspirational, you ask? So inspirational that I just ran to Big Lots to buy two very nice-looking black folding chairs. Very excited to get started!
April 28, 2020
Fantastic cross-theoretical overview of the possibilities of chairwork, including its history via Gestalt and psychodrama, to its use in behavioral assertiveness trainings and schema therapy... and many other uses. Includes specific structured pieces as well as case transcripts.
August 8, 2021
Very useful practical book.
December 11, 2025
I want to share a quick story! I had a lovely conversation with scott on the subway. I could immediately tell that he’s passionate and committed. This is some damn good work!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews