In Gestalt terminology, what is 'aboutism'?

• A. Speaking about the incident in the present
• B. Focusing on future goals
• C. Analyzing dreams to resolve issues
• D. Speaking of an incident in the past rather than in the present

Answer: (D)

Aboutism in Gestalt therapy is a pattern where a person keeps talking about something that happened in the past instead of staying with what is happening in the present. This keeps you out of contact with current feelings or needs and blocks the here-and-now experience. For example, instead of naming what you’re feeling right now, you keep recounting a past incident as if it’s still active. The aim in Gestalt work is to bring attention to present experience and finish unfinished business in the moment, so talking about a past incident rather than the present best demonstrates aboutism. The other patterns involve present-focused talk, future goals, or dream analysis, which do not reflect this tendency.