Depression is not merely a lack of energy or vitality but often represents a silent struggle with repressed emotions, such as unexpressed anger. In Gestalt therapy, using a phenomenological-existential approach, depression is understood as an interruption in contact with the world and oneself. A central mechanism contributing to this dynamic is retroflection, where individuals turn impulses or emotions inward instead of expressing them outwardly.
Retroflection and Anger: A Division of the Self
As described by authors like Jean-Marie Robine and Mariano Pizzimenti, retroflection is a defense mechanism in which the self divides into two parts: one that acts and one that suffers. This process occurs unconsciously and often serves as a way to avoid conflict or rejection. For instance, a natural impulse of anger, which could help assert one’s needs, is instead directed inward. This creates an internal conflict that manifests as depression.
According to Paolo Quattrini, depression often results from systematically denying one’s aggression. Quattrini emphasizes that aggression, understood as a force that allows us to orient ourselves in the world, is essential for a sense of authenticity. When this energy is repressed, it leads to an “existential paralysis” that manifests as feelings of emptiness and helplessness.
Existential Dimension of Depression
Claudio Naranjo, a Gestalt psychotherapist and philosopher, addresses depression as an existential issue, linking it to the loss of contact with one’s authentic being. According to Naranjo, depression stems from over-adaptation to social or familial expectations, leading to the abandonment of one’s deepest desires. In this view, unexpressed anger is a symptom of a stifled self, unable to live fully.
Naranjo sees depression not just as a disorder but as an opportunity to recognize one’s alienation and rediscover the meaning of life. For him, therapy is a transformative journey where clients are guided to contact repressed emotions and integrate them into their experiential cycle.
Aggression: Misunderstood Vital Force
For Fritz Perls, the founder of Gestalt therapy, aggression is not something to fear or repress but a vital force that drives contact and growth. The word itself derives from the Latin “ad-gredior,” meaning “to move toward.” Anger, therefore, is a form of energy that, when mismanaged through retroflection, becomes self-destructive. Jean-Marie Robine points out that aggression, when integrated into the contact cycle, becomes a resource for change and transformation.
The Phenomenological-Existential Approach to Depression
Gestalt therapy, with its phenomenological-existential approach, invites clients to explore their experience in the “here and now,” recognizing the ways they interrupt contact with themselves and the world. Depression is not merely a problem to solve but an existential message inviting transformation.
Through experiential techniques such as internal dialogue, the empty chair, or dramatizations, the therapist helps clients reconnect with their anger and reframe it as a signal of unmet needs. Mariano Pizzimenti highlights that this process allows clients to reintegrate the split parts of themselves, restoring authenticity and agency.
Paolo Quattrini adds that the therapist’s role is to create a safe space where clients can observe and experience their emotions without judgment but with curiosity and acceptance.
Depression as an Opportunity for Growth
Gianfranco Cecchin reminds us that every crisis, including depression, can be seen as an opportunity to reflect on one’s way of being in the world. Gestalt therapy does not aim to “fix” the client but to accompany them in a process of discovery and awareness, restoring meaning to their experiences.
A Call to Action
If you feel that unexpressed anger and a sense of isolation are limiting your life, Gestalt therapy can offer a path of exploration and healing. Through an approach that values authentic contact and awareness, it is possible to transform depression into a pathway to greater vitality and authenticity.
Schedule a psychological consultation today to explore how our work together can help you reconnect with yourself and the world around you.