What is the primary aim of the Gestalt Therapy 'Making the Rounds' exercise?

• A. To teach relaxation techniques.
• B. To enhance cognitive restructuring.
• C. To learn confrontation skills, take risks, and engage in self-disclosure.
• D. To practice dream interpretation.

Answer: (C)

In Gestalt therapy, the focus is on what’s happening in the here and now and how people contact one another. The Making the rounds exercise is designed to push group members to openly share what they are experiencing in the moment, speak about their own feelings and needs, and invite feedback from others. It encourages taking risks, expressing themselves honestly, and sometimes confronting or challenging others in a constructive way. This process strengthens authentic contact, self-awareness, and personal responsibility in relationships.

Relaxation techniques, cognitive restructuring, and dream interpretation aren’t the primary aim of this exercise. Relaxation targets reducing arousal, cognitive restructuring is a CBT tactic for changing thought patterns, and dream interpretation is more associated with other therapeutic approaches. The essence here is learning to disclose, confront, and connect in the present through direct, experiential interaction.