September 1, 2012

"Empty-chair technique or chairwork is typically used in Gestalt therapy to explore patients' relationships with themselves or other people in their lives."

"The technique involves the client addressing the empty chair as if another person was in it, such as President Obama. They may also move between chairs and act out two or more sides of a discussion, typically involving the patient and persons significant to them. A form of role-playing, the technique focuses on exploration of self and is utilized by therapists to help patients self-adjust."

A passage on the Wikipedia entry for Gestalt Therapy, linked to by kentuckyliz in the comments on the previous post. She says:
It was therapy.

I like how "such as President Obama" was added to the wikipedia entry.

LOL!

Since we were all watching, it was group therapy. A primal scream.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Already every-one is talking about Eastwood master-piece of using empty chair as a brutal metaphor for Obama.

http://blogs.ajc.com/kyle-wingfield/2012/08/31/eastwoods-empty-chair-and-mitts-mormon-moment/

At the Chicago HQ, every-one is going nuts. Axe just threw a chair at the telly.

I am nervous. What is happening?

Why is everyone nervous taking 48-hours after the Eastwood speech?

edutcher said...

Just imagine if he'd used an empty suit.

vet66 said...

Excellent point. WIth all the viral videos going around portraying Clint Eastwood as some doddering old has-been escaped from the nearest old folks home, Old Clint Eastwood can still finesse the youngsters who think they are clever and cute. He is true to the characters he portrays. John Wayne would be proud.

Chase said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alex said...

The only thing I care about is the RCP Electoral College projections. Obama is still +30 right now.

Chase said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alex said...

Dead cat bounce for GOP?

Anonymous said...

You know, I am re-reading the e-book (only $2.99 via Amazon) titled, Obama's Last Stand by Politico.com.

The hatred Obama has towards Romney, at the first read, was humorous.

Now, I am sad. What I worry is that here I am busting my tail in Chicago HQ for him, and he is only focused on anger. The empty chair is an apt metaphor. Plus, "someone who does not do the job, you have to let him go."

I encourage you to read the e-book, it will take about 30-minutes.

Jon said...

SurveyUSA poll of Florida voters out this morning, finds reaction to Eastwood speech was positive by 2-1.

YoungHegelian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chase said...

`
Question:

If Eastwood's routine was not effective against Obama, why are the Democrats, liberals and the lap dog media so workedup about it - and still talking about it?


Answer:

You know why.

`

Alex said...

Obama, empty chair, empty suit, empty President. What has he brought us except for misery? $5 trillion in debt, alienated our allies, divided us at home on class & race, is running the most negative campaign in history. Why does Obama deserve 4 more years?

YoungHegelian said...

Hilarious empty chair technique a la 30 Rock.

You gotta have sterling liberal credentials before you can get away with these sort of racial stereotypes on network TV.

cubanbob said...

Empty suit, teleprompter, empty chair. Spot on.

Funny how the lefties yammer about a Eastwood being a tired old man, perhaps a bit addled, yet they are going to vote yet again for a senile, stupid buffoon for vice-president.

kentuckyliz said...

OK, now I qualify to buy the "I was frontpaged on Althouse" T shirt!

Woo hoo!

cubanbob said...

Alex the question really is who would vote for four more years of this shit?

kentuckyliz said...

There's a kentuckyliz tag on Althouse now! Woo hoo! OK, I'm done with my "What do I gotta do for a tag on Althouse?" T shirt if anyone wants mine.

Ann Althouse said...

@kentuckyliz You've been "front-paged" before. Click the tag.

Beyond front-paging, this is the new post with your quote in the headline, so... you've been front-page headlined.

Alex said...

I was front-paged yesterday too!

Alex said...

cubanbob - oh the typical Democrat interest groups will all vote for 4 more years of this shit.

kentuckyliz said...

Actually, I have been a tag/frontpage already, with four posts to my credit. That ought to up my Klout score.

Including the brilliant Pelosi Medusa teabagging animated art.

And the Obama Mona Lisa art.

I ask for art, but don't have the skills to deliver.

Alex said...

liz - I bow down to you.

Chip S. said...

Eastwood was not directing his comments at the empty chair. He was speaking to the audience about the guy "in" the empty chair, who squealed on a couple of occasions at the barbs being tossed out.

It wasn't therapy, it was a "roast".

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

I'm going to take this opportunity to share that I love your comments, kentuckyliz. Althouse women are the best. You, synova, freeman hunt, wyo sis, dust bunny queen, and several others whom I am forgetting are consistently witty, articulate, good-humored and extremely insightful.

(Not that there aren't top-notch gentlemen around here too. It's just that often comboxes are dominated by men and I'm always glad to find a commentariat that has its share of smart and vocal women.)

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

We were talking blindness a few days ago.

Found it.

You've heard of willful blindness, where someone doesn't see what they don't want to see. Something is happening that you approve of, and you don't want to have to do something about it, so you keep yourself in a state of unseeing to avoid responsibility.

Except in the Eastwooding meme, the Obama supporters want to do something about something they themselves disapproved of... (Eastwood trashing Obama)
So in order to do this they see/focus on something else (shift gears) to avoid seeing what was clearly there.. if that makes any sense.

Its like they put on blinders.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I was surprised when I clicked my tag Kliz.

Lots of times what happened was I would walk away, get fronted and later when I came back, I didn't bother checking back to the time I walked away.

So I dont do that anymore.

sakredkow said...

Wasn't that what John Lennon was into when he did The Plastic Ono Band album? Mother, My Mummie's Dead, I don't believe in Beatles.

Talking to an empty chair, huh? I'd never heard of it. It sounds like a great idea.

Freeman Hunt said...

Althouse women are the best. You, synova, freeman hunt, wyo sis, dust bunny queen, and several others whom I am forgetting are consistently witty, articulate, good-humored and extremely insightful.

Back at you, Erika. This place is refreshing.

Anonymous said...

Re: (empty) chair. It struck me as the type of prop a (method) actor would use to get into the proper frame of mind. In this case, Mr. O, a poorly performing, arrogant and sullen employee is about to get a dressing down from his boss, we-the-people. Which is going to end with “you’re fired, get out of my sight.”

Mr. E even asks him to step aside to let Mr. R begin cleaning up the mess he’s created. Which reminds me, anyone else remember the clamor in the MSM in 2008 asking that Mr. B remove himself in November so Mr. O could begin to save the earth and earn his Nobel immediately? Certainly seems more deserved in this case.

Well done. I hope am half as able when I’m 80. I suspect the leftists have yet to appreciate how Mr. E's skit has exposed the emperor, and is slowly, inexorably destroying the facades of their entire Potemkin village.

edutcher said...

Alex said...

Dead cat bounce for GOP?

+6, according to Al Reuters.

Nice try, though.

kentuckyliz said...

Actually, I have been a tag/frontpage already, with four posts to my credit.

Got me beat by 2.

Couldn't happen to a better person.

Ann Althouse said...

"Althouse women are the best. You, synova, freeman hunt, wyo sis, dust bunny queen, and several others whom I am forgetting are consistently witty, articulate, good-humored and extremely insightful."

I agree! Thanks for saying it.

Chip S. said...

Are there plans for a calendar?

kentuckyliz said...

Aw, thanks Erika for the compliment, and Ann for +1'ing it, and for Freeman frosting the cake. I agree. I really love the contrarian, cantankerous, generally independent and unpluggable lot here.

Chicks of Althouse calendar.
Me likey.

For it to sell, that's going to require some photoshopping on my page. I put dibs on July, my birth month. Let's paint my nekkid body with the union jack, the maple leaf, and the Murkan flag. Then use Photoshop Liquify to give me appealing dimensions. Fireworks behind me. Love Murkan Style. Hot Fun in the Summertime.

Chip S. said...

Everything sounds great except Love Murkan Style.

No merkins, please. Au naturel, s'il vous plait.

wyo sis said...

All the Althouse ladies
I'll add my thanks and second the love for others.
Group hug.
It's a pretty high bar and I'm glad to be included.

eam said...

The "empty chair" technique is a therapy used to understand the psychological pathologies of the speaker. It is an insight into his or her mind - from which the therapist learns absolutely nothing regarding the person imagined to be seated in the chair.