Coaching at the Point of Contact: A Gestalt Approach

During the Gestalt coach and client relationship, indelible moments may occur—moments in which vulnerability and presence, if they are balanced, can lead to insight or intimacy. However, these same moments can lead to embarrassment, humiliation, or shame in either the client or the coach, or in both, when vulnerability and presence are not balanced. To understand better how this dynamic works, it is necessary to examine the Gestalt concepts of presence and contact prior to discussing how humiliation and shame can become critical components within the coaching relationship.