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Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy pp 902–904Cite as

Empty Chair Technique in Couple and Family Therapy

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Name of the Strategy or Intervention

Empty Chair Technique in Couple and Family Therapy.

Synonyms

Two-chair technique

Introduction

The empty chair technique – also known as the two-chair technique – originated from the gestalt approach to therapy. Similar to other interventions that were developed from gestalt therapy, this technique was created to help resolve conflict in the present moment through increasing awareness (Fagan et al. 1974, Mann 2010). In this technique, awareness is increased by helping clients discover new aspects of their experience which they may have been avoiding (Greenberg and Rice 1997; Wagner-Moore 2004).

Theoretical Framework

The empty chair technique was originally developed as part of gestalt therapy (Perls et al. 1951), which focuses on the present experience to assist clients in understanding what and how they perceive the situation (Mann 2010). This approach is based on what are known as the pillars of gestalt: field theory, phenomenology, and dialogue...

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References

  • Fagan, J., Lauver, D., Smith, S., Deloach, S., Katz, M., & Wood, E. (1974). Critical incidents in the empty chair. The Counseling Psychologist, 4, 33–42.

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  • Greenberg, L. S. (1979). Resolving splits: Use of the two chair technique. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 16, 316–324.

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  • Greenberg, L. S., & Rice, L. N. (1997). Humanistic approaches to psychotherapy. In P. L. Watchel & S. B. Messer (Eds.), Theories of psychotherapy: Origins and evolution (pp. 97–129). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

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  • Mann, D. (2010). Gestalt therapy: 100 key points and techniques. New York: Routledge.

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  • Perls, F., Hefferline, R. F., & Goodman, P. (1951). Gestalt therapy: Excitement and growth in the human personality. New York: Gestalt Journal Press.

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  • Wagner-Moore, L. E. (2004). Gestalt therapy: Past, present, theory, and research. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 41, 180–189.

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  • Yontef, G. (1999). Awareness, dialogue and process: Preface to the 1998 German edition. The Gestalt Journal, 22, 9–20.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marriage and Family Therapy/Applied Developmental Science Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    Amy D. Smith

  2. Marriage and Family Therapy Program, Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    Kelley Quirk

Authors
  1. Amy D. Smith
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  2. Kelley Quirk
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amy D. Smith .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Center for Applied Psychological and Family Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Jay L. Lebow

  2. The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Center for Applied Psychological and Family Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Anthony L. Chambers

  3. The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Center for Applied Psychological and Family Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Douglas C. Breunlin

Section Editor information

  1. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    Kelley Quirk Ph.D.

  2. The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Adam R. Fisher Ph.D.

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Cite this entry

Smith, A.D., Quirk, K. (2019). Empty Chair Technique in Couple and Family Therapy. In: Lebow, J.L., Chambers, A.L., Breunlin, D.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49425-8_187

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