The phrase “now and how”, coined by Perls, explains the essence of Gestalt therapy better than the traditional “here and now”, which by now is used in many approaches.

There are many methods oriented towards being present “here and now”: the Rogerian approach, group psychotherapy, and even psychoanalysis, which works with transference — that is, with the transfer of childhood experiences into the present.

But the notion of “now and how” puts more emphasis on how we experience events than on why they happened.

Gestalt therapy is more interested in how a person feels and responds to what is happening right now than in the causes of it.

Husserl, for instance, said that it is important to return to the things themselves, as they actually are, rather than as we imagine or explain them.

This means that we have to pay attention to what is happening right now, including bodily sensations, thoughts and emotions — everything that is unique to each person.

The notion of “how” covers the way a person stands, breathes and moves, how the tone of their voice changes and what gestures they use.

Often these unconscious manifestations can say more than what a person consciously puts into words.

This is why Perls, and later Lacan, stressed that what matters is not only what a person says, but also how they say it.

Naturally, working in the “now” mode does not stop a person from recalling past events, fears or plans, if those memories arise naturally and spontaneously.

They live in our awareness and influence our sensations in the present moment.

But these memories are always coloured by what is happening now, and so they cannot be fixed once and for all as “historical truths”.

Some Gestalt therapists may try to hold the client in the present moment only, but this is not always right.

What sets Gestalt therapy apart from other approaches is that the therapist does not force the client to dig around in the past.

Perls even compared this to “archaeological excavations”.

It is better to focus first on putting your “today” in order, and only then return to the past, if a need for that arises.

You can picture it like this: first it is worth tidying up your house before taking on the job of clearing old things out of the basement. And it can be done gradually, when there is the strength and the need for it.