Perls describes five layers of neurosis. Which of the following is NOT one of these layers?

• A. Phony layer
• B. Defensive layer
• C. Impasse layer
• D. Implosive layer

Answer: (B)

In Gestalt therapy, Perls describes five layers of neurosis as a progression of blocks to authentic contact, using the onion metaphor. The layers are the phony layer, the phobic layer, the impasse layer, the implosive layer, and the explosive layer. Each layer represents a pattern a person uses to keep genuine experience at a distance: the phony layer involves masking true feelings with roles, the phobic layer involves avoidance due to fear, the impasse layer is a feeling of being stuck with blocked contact, the implosive layer is turning inward to face and dissolve defenses, and the explosive layer is the eruption of authentic feelings and clarity after that tension is released. The option that does not fit is the defensive layer. While defense mechanisms underpin how people operate, Perls did not name a separate defensive layer among the five; the term “defensive” describes general protective processes rather than a distinct stage in this model.