David Forrest
Gestaltuk
Author
Arnold Beisser
Author of "Paradoxical Theory of Change"
Although brief, the "Paradoxical Theory of Change" is, outside of the works of Frederick Perls, the most frequently referenced article in the body of Gestalt therapy literature. Written in 1970, it originally appeared in Fagan and Shepherd's Gestalt Therapy Now, a publication of The Gestalt Journal Press.
Arnold Beisser - His Place Within Gestalt Therapy
Arnold Beisser is remembered within Gestalt therapy primarily for one extraordinarily influential paper:
“The Paradoxical Theory of Change” (1970).
Although Beisser did not produce the same volume of publications as figures such as Fritz Perls, Joseph Zinker, or Erving Polster, his contribution became foundational because it articulated something central to Gestalt philosophy in remarkably concise and clinically powerful language.
Within Gestalt circles, Beisser is often spoken about with a certain reverence because his theory captured the essence of Gestalt psychotherapy’s attitude toward change, selfhood, and human development.
1. The Paradoxical Theory of Change
Beisser’s most famous statement is:
“Change occurs when one becomes what he is, not when he tries to become what he is not.”
This sentence became one of the defining formulations within Gestalt therapy.
The core argument of the paper is that genuine change does not happen through force, self-improvement pressure, role performance, or attempts to imitate an idealised self. Instead, change emerges through fuller awareness and acceptance of present experience.
In Gestalt terms:
awareness precedes change
contact precedes integration
becoming oneself is transformative
forced self-manipulation often produces further fragmentation
The paper was published in:Beisser, A. (1970) ‘The paradoxical theory of change’, in Fagan, J. and Shepherd, I. (eds.) Gestalt Therapy Now. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books.
2. Why the Theory Became So Influential
The theory resonated because it challenged dominant assumptions about psychotherapy and self-development.
Many therapeutic and cultural systems operate on the assumption:
identify deficits
correct deficits
construct a better self
Beisser argued something much subtler:that trying to become an imagined version of oneself can actually increase alienation from lived experience.
The Gestalt position he articulated suggests:
change is emergent rather than imposed
authenticity matters more than performance
integration occurs through awareness
disowned aspects of self require contact rather than suppression
This became deeply influential not only in Gestalt therapy but across:
humanistic psychotherapy
encounter group culture
existential therapy
later relational approaches
3. His Personal History Deeply Shaped His Thinking
Biographical reflections on Beisser often refer to the profound impact of his experience with polio.
Arnold Beisser had been an athlete and medical doctor before contracting polio as a young adult, leaving him significantly physically disabled and dependent on an iron lung for periods of his life. (Wikipedia)
Many commentators believe this experience fundamentally shaped his understanding of acceptance, identity, limitation, adaptation, and authenticity.
His writing carries a quality that many readers experience as existentially grounded rather than merely theoretical.
There is often a sense that his understanding of “becoming what one is” emerged not as abstract philosophy, but from lived confrontation with loss, bodily limitation, and altered identity.
4. How He Is Spoken About Within Gestalt Therapy
Within Gestalt literature and training, Beisser is commonly described as:
thoughtful
deeply humane
philosophically elegant
existentially grounded
clinically wise
Unlike some early Gestalt figures who became associated with confrontation or dramatic interventions, Beisser’s work is usually experienced as quieter and more contemplative.
His theory is often used to counter:
self-improvement culture
performative therapy
therapist-driven agendas
idealised notions of mental health
Many contemporary relational practitioners still use Beisser’s paradoxical theory implicitly, even when working in trauma-informed or attachment-oriented frameworks.
5. Contemporary Interpretations
Modern therapists frequently reinterpret Beisser relationally.
A contemporary relational reading might suggest:
People often attempt to become what was required for attachment, safety, or survival.
Therapy therefore becomes less about constructing a new self and more about:
recovering disowned experience
relinquishing imposed identities
tolerating contact with vulnerability
allowing organismic self-regulation to re-emerge
This is one reason Beisser’s paper continues to feel contemporary despite its age.
6. Critiques and Limitations
Some contemporary critiques suggest that the paradoxical theory can be oversimplified or romanticised.
Potential critiques include:
underestimating structural oppression and social conditions
insufficient attention to trauma physiology
risk of passivity if misunderstood
possibility of minimising deliberate behavioural change
However, most critiques are directed less at Beisser himself and more at simplistic uses of the theory.
In practice, most contemporary Gestalt therapists understand the paradoxical theory as:not passive resignation,but deepening awareness and contact as the condition for meaningful transformation.
7. His Continuing Legacy
Arnold Beisser’s influence far exceeds the size of his published output.
His paradoxical theory remains:
one of the most quoted ideas in Gestalt therapy
central to Gestalt teaching worldwide
influential in relational psychotherapy
philosophically aligned with phenomenology and existentialism
Many therapists continue to find the theory clinically stabilising because it offers an alternative to:
coercive change
performative wellness
therapeutic perfectionism
ideal-self psychology
Overall Impression
Area | Common View |
Major contribution | The Paradoxical Theory of Change |
Clinical emphasis | Awareness before imposed change |
Tone | Humane, existential, thoughtful |
Historical importance | Foundational Gestalt thinker |
Personal influence | Polio experience shaped his philosophy |
Contemporary relevance | Still highly influential relationally |
Limitation | Sometimes oversimplified in modern use |
Arnold Beisser is often remembered less as a prolific theorist and more as someone who articulated one of the deepest philosophical truths within Gestalt psychotherapy:
that genuine transformation often emerges not through striving to become someone else, but through fuller contact with who and how one already is.
Useful Links
Arnold Beisser biography:Wikipedia biography of Arnold Beisser
Overview of the paradoxical theory of change:Gestalt Therapy Networker article on the paradoxical theory of change
Discussion of Beisser’s theory in Gestalt practice:British Gestalt Journal related resources
References (Harvard Style)
Beisser, A. (1970) ‘The paradoxical theory of change’, in Fagan, J. and Shepherd, I. (eds.) Gestalt Therapy Now. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books.
Clarkson, P. and Mackewn, J. (1993) Fritz Perls. London: Sage.
Mackewn, J. (1997) Developing Gestalt Counselling. London: Sage.
‘Arnold Beisser’ (2026) Wikipedia. Available at:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Beisser
Yontef, G. and Jacobs, L. (2014) Gestalt Therapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
