Exploring the relationships between interoceptive awareness and Gestalt resistance processes among counselors-in-training

Abstract

Gestalt therapy is a humanistic approach that emphasizes awareness of one's inner experiences and recognition of resistance processes. However, research exploring the relationship between interoceptive awareness—awareness of internal bodily sensations—and Gestalt resistance processes remains limited. Addressing this gap, our study used a cross-sectional design to examine how interoceptive awareness correlates with resistance processes among 112 counseling students. Our analysis revealed that higher interoceptive awareness is associated with lower resistance processes such as confluence, introjection, projection, retroflection, deflection, and egotism, with no significant association found with desensitization. The results suggest that improved body awareness could potentially impact resistance levels. This highlights the need to include interoceptive training in counseling programs to enhance therapeutic presence and self-regulation among trainees. This study offers evidence supporting the influence of interoceptive awareness on resistance processes and suggests that future research should explore ways to integrate these findings into training programs and broader Gestalt therapy practices.