They formed a rationale for isolation. Regretably, that creative adjustment prevented active contact and participation in a widely contemporary, mainstream therapeutic society, which is supported by research, networking, and dialogue among significant thinkers from a variety of clinical persuasions. Although Gestalt therapy developed a vibrant grassroots infrastructure worldwide, it has existed largely in anonymity, cloaked by a veil of cloistered inbreeding. Rather than focus on what failed about that situation, and the political ground from which developed the co-regency of cognitive and psychodynamic approaches, others outside of Germany would do well to consider the ascension of these modalities as an alert. By way of response, Gestalt therapists ought to organize a campaign of advocacy in behalf of Gestalt therapy.
Advocacy is promotion, patronage, recommendation, and defence.
To advocate is to speak in favor of, to actively support. The defence of Gestalt therapy requires not only persuasive philosophical argument, but also solid research. Furthermore, this research needs to be made known, which means that Gestalt researchers and writers need to bridge from reporting in Gestalt journals to writing up their results in the broader field. Gestaltists need to publish in mainstream professional journals. Furthermore, since graduate students utilize the internet for research, Gestalt writers need to find online outlets in which to feature their work.