Exaggeration Technique

Another stage of "chair work," states Norman Friedman is to use an Exaggeration Technique to "encourage both the two sides to confront one another and to intensify the conflict. Much like the Empty Chair Technique, the Exaggeration Technique uses encourages the patient to In other words, it aims to produce the "reenactment" of "unfinished business" which, according to Perls' theory, is essential to experiencing and assimilating unacknowledged feelings.

PT: I am feeling angry.

TH: You don't appear to be angry.

PT: It makes me really mad (smiles and makes slight movement of arm and and limp fist).

TH: Can you show me with your fist how angry you are?

PT: (makes fist)

TH: And if you exaggerate that impulse what does your fist do?

PT: (softly bangs arm of chair)

TH: And if you allow yourself to feel the full experience of that anger what is it like?

PT: Shows more force in movement.

TH: And what does that impulse feel like?

PT: Like a volcano wants to explode in my chest!

Friedman wrote about empty chair work and has the following dialogue:

PT: My father never liked anything I did.

TH: What does that feel like?

PT: It feels like shit. I feel like shit.

TH: Could you tell him that now?

PT: "Dad, you're always criticizing me, always making me feel like I can't do anything right."

TH: (Pauses to see if she's with what she's seeing, then suggests): Switch over.

PT: (As dad): "Well, you know, honey, it's only because I love you so much that I want to see you shine."

TH: Switch back.

PT: "That's bullshit! If you love me so much, why are you always showing me my mistakes?"

PT: (As dad): "Well, someone has got to do it. How else will you learn to shape up?"

TH: What do you feel as dad?

PT: That she is a piece of shit.

TH: Could you tell that to her some more? Do it openly.