From the Perspective of Our Psychotherapists

The column “From the Perspective of Our Psychotherapists” is designed to help you get to know our psychotherapists better through questions from the fields of psychotherapy and mental health.

MEDINA KLJAKO: A therapist does not “give strength,” but provides a framework in which the client can notice the moments in which they already react, make decisions and find creative ways to express

1. You often emphasize the importance of a safe space in therapy – how does that sense of safety help people who are facing anxiety and panic attacks?

People who suffer from panic attacks often live in a constant state of inner threat. Their nervous system is on standby, and the body reacts as if danger is always present.

When a sense of safety is established in the therapeutic relationship, the autonomic nervous system calms down. The client gradually gains the experience of being able to stay with their fear, bodily sensations and intense emotions without needing to avoid or control them. This experience is key, because anxiety and panic attacks persist precisely through avoidance and fear of the symptom itself.

From the perspective of Gestalt therapy, a safe space allows for contact without being overwhelmed. Through stability, presence and clarity, the therapist provides a so-called background of safety, within which the client can explore their experience of “here and now.” In such a space, symptoms stop being an enemy and become a source of information about unmet needs and inner conflicts.

Also, a safe therapeutic relationship often represents a corrective emotional experience. Many clients with panic attacks have a history of emotional neglect or insecure relationships. In therapy, they experience for the first time that they can be seen, accepted and regulated in contact with another person, which over time strengthens their capacity for self-regulation.

In this sense, safety in therapy is not a passive state, but an active foundation from which the client learns how to cope with anxiety, regain trust in their own body and gradually build a sense of inner stability.

2. You work with the body and bodily processes – how can the body “speak” about stress and emotions that we find hard to express in words?

We do not experience stress and strong emotions only mentally; they are first registered in the body, through muscle tension, rapid breathing, tightness in the chest, a lump in the throat or a feeling of restlessness. Contemporary research in psychology and neuroscience shows that the body has its own way of remembering and responding. When emotions such as fear, sadness or anger have no space to be recognized and expressed, the body holds them and expresses them through physical symptoms. This does not mean that “something is wrong with the body,” but that it is trying to protect and warn us. In people who face anxiety and panic attacks, the body often reacts as if danger is always present, even though there is no real threat. The nervous system remains in a state of heightened readiness, and the body sends signals through a racing heart, difficulty breathing or a sense of losing control. That is exactly why many people say:
“I know it is not dangerous, but my body behaves as if it is.” Working with the body in therapy helps us learn to listen to these signals with more curiosity and less fear. When we begin to notice where and how stress appears in the body, we open space for regulation and relief. The body then stops being a source of threat and becomes an ally in understanding our emotional needs.

In this sense, physical symptoms are not weakness but a message, a way in which our organism speaks about overload, boundaries and emotions that want to be seen and acknowledged.

3. How does Gestalt psychotherapy help people who feel a standstill in important life changes or feel “stuck”?

Gestalt psychotherapy helps people who feel “stuck” not by focusing only on what is not changing in their lives, but on how the person currently experiences that standstill. Rather than forcing change, the Gestalt approach first helps the person become aware of where they are now, what they feel, what they want and what is holding them in place at that moment. The feeling of standstill is often not a sign of weakness, but a signal that there is an inner conflict in the person, between the need for change and the need for safety. Through work in the “here and now,” Gestalt therapy helps this conflict become clearly seen and experienced, rather than remaining in the background and blocking movement.

In the therapeutic process, the person gradually develops greater awareness of their emotions, bodily reactions and patterns of behavior. When what holds us back becomes conscious, the sense of choice and responsibility returns. Change then does not come as pressure, but as a natural movement that arises from clearer contact with oneself and one’s own needs. In this way, Gestalt psychotherapy does not “push” the person through change, but helps them find support within themselves and move forward at a pace that is sustainable and authentic for them.

4. Professional burnout is becoming increasingly common – what are the first signals of burnout that people often ignore, and when is it important to seek help?

Professional burnout often begins quietly and gradually. At first, people easily fail to notice it, because the symptoms may seem like “ordinary tiredness” or temporary stress. Some of the first signs include:

• a constant sense of tiredness and exhaustion, even after rest

• loss of motivation and satisfaction in work or everyday tasks

• increased irritability and impatience with oneself and others

• difficulties with concentration and decision-making

• physical reactions such as tension in the body, sleep or digestive problems

These signs are often ignored, but they can be a signal that the body and psyche can no longer respond optimally to demands. When symptoms become persistent and affect everyday life, relationships and health, it is important to seek support. Early response is key. Psychological support or therapy helps identify what creates a sense of “stalling” and how to gradually restore balance between obligations, inner needs and personal well-being. Subtle, continuous work on self-help and mindfulness can prevent burnout from deepening and allow a sense of greater inner support.

5. You say that every person already has inner resources – how can therapy help us recognize them again and begin to use them in everyday life?

Every person already possesses inner resources: the ability to cope with challenges, to connect with emotions and to make decisions. We sometimes fail to notice them, however, because they are overshadowed by fear, stress or habits that “freeze” us in certain situations.

Gestalt therapy helps us rediscover them through the experience of “here and now”. Through conscious contact with one's feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations in a safe and supportive space, a person becomes aware of their own abilities and inner strength. The therapist does not “give strength”, but provides a framework in which the client can notice moments in which they already react, make decisions and find creative ways to express themselves. This process is often gradual and experiential: the person learns to recognize small but significant resources, such as breathing that calms, a body that signals boundaries, and thoughts that open up perspective, and begins to use them in everyday life. In this way inner potential becomes accessible, and the sense of control, self-trust and possibility of choice is naturally restored. The essence of the Gestalt approach is that development and growth already exist within the person, and therapy helps these potentials become conscious and integrated into everyday experience, step by step.