Generally, they are not invented in the moment as an integral part of the client’s process or the group environment.
In contrast,experiments are phenomenologically based; that is, they evolve out of what
is occurring within a member or members in the present moment, and the outcome is unknown.
Frew (2008) defi nes the experiment as “a method that shifts the focus of counseling from talking about a topic to an activity that will heighten the client’s awareness and understanding through experience”
(p. 253). In Gestalt group experiments, members are invited to try out some new behavior and to pay attention to what they experience.
Experiments grow out of the therapeutic relationship and provide a safe context for members
to increase their awareness and try out new ways of thinking and behaving.
The purpose of an experiment is to assist a member in active self-exploration
(Melnick & Nevis, 2005).
A Gestalt-oriented group leader is encouraged to be creative in designing and implementing a wide range of interventions, always using as a guide the participant’s most pressing need or interest.