A client sits in a quiet room across from an empty chair. Their therapist gently invites them to imagine a specific person, it might be a parent, partner, or even their inner critic, sitting there. At first, there is silence, but then, words start spilling out: unresolved anger, grief, or self-criticism that’s been locked away.
This is the Empty Chair Technique, a powerful tool in Gestalt therapy and other therapeutic approaches.
It creates space for emotional expression, helps clients gain insight into their inner world, and offers a path toward emotional healing.
In this guide, we’ll explore what the technique is, its origins, how it works, who it helps, and what therapists need to know before introducing it in sessions.
What Is the Empty Chair Technique?
The Empty Chair Technique, sometimes called the two-chair technique, chair therapy, or empty chair method, is a form of talk therapy that uses role playing and role reversal. In this method, clients speak directly to an imagined person or an aspect of themselves as though they were sitting across from them.
Core elements of the chair exercise:
- Dialogue: Clients create an empty chair dialogue with a significant person or inner part.
- Two chairs: Clients often move between two chairs, embodying both perspectives.
- Exploring emotions: The process allows for expressing thoughts and feelings that were never voiced.
- Unfinished business: Helps surface unresolved emotions and unresolved issues that keep clients stuck.
The chair technique offers clients a safe way to express challenging emotions and confront unfinished business without the actual person sitting in the room.
Origins of the Empty Chair Method
The chair technique has a long history in psychotherapy:
- 1921 – Jacob Levy Moreno first developed it in group therapy as part of psychodrama. He preferred active engagement over passive reflection.
- 1940s–50s – Gestalt therapists like Fritz Perls adapted it into one-on-one sessions, emphasizing the present moment and personal responsibility.
- Over time, the empty chair method became widely used in mental health practices, from schema therapy to compassion-focused interventions.
By focusing on the here and now, Gestalt therapy helps clients gain insight into how past experiences influence current behavior and relationships.
Therapist’s Note: What Does “Here and Now” Mean?
In Gestalt therapy, the here and now means focusing on what clients are experiencing in the present moment, their current emotions, body sensations, and thoughts, rather than only analyzing past stories or future worries. By doing this, therapists help clients see how past experiences are replayed in the present and use techniques like the empty chair to resolve that “unfinished business.
Who Is the Empty Chair Technique Best Suited For?
The empty chair technique can help a wide range of clients, though it’s not appropriate for everyone.
According to the British Psychological Society and multiple studies, the method may benefit individuals with:
- Depression and negative self-talk
- Anxiety disorders
- Grief and bereavement
- Personality disorders
- Socially induced trauma
- Unresolved feelings of guilt, shame, or anger
- Inner conflict or internal conflict (e.g., self-criticism vs. self-compassion)
Some Research highlights:
- A 2020 study found that chairwork in compassion-focused therapy helped clients reduce self criticism and build self compassion.
- A 2014 study with Bosnian women in group therapy found that empty chair sessions improved mental health conditions related to grief and trauma.
Uses and Clinical Applications
Therapists use the empty chair method across many challenging situations:
- Grief and loss: Saying goodbye or expressing unfinished business with someone who has died.
- Conflict resolution: Practicing difficult conversations with a significant person before real-life confrontation.
- Self-dialogue: Confronting the inner critic and moving toward self acceptance and personal growth.
- Trauma recovery: Processing unresolved issues in a safe environment.
- Couples/family therapy: Using chair dialogue when direct confrontation feels unsafe.
- Decision-making: Exploring competing values or choices through role playing.
Variations of the Chair Technique
The empty chair therapy approach is flexible and can be adapted to the client:
- Standard two-chair technique: Client and imagined person switch roles to gain a new perspective.
- Multi-chair setups: Different chairs represent negative thoughts, self-parts, or unfinished business.
- Group therapy / psychodrama: Clients act out chair sessions with others present, amplifying insight and self awareness.
Possible Effects & Outcomes
Positive outcomes:
- Emotional release and catharsis
- Greater self awareness and self understanding
- Improved communication skills
- More personal responsibility in relationships
- Increased self compassion and self acceptance
Challenges and risks:
- Can trigger overwhelming emotional experiences
- May create ripple effects in family dynamics
- Not effective for every client; some may feel awkward “talking to a chair”
How to Do the Empty Chair Technique (Step-by-Step)
- Identify the focus. Therapist and client decide who or what the chair represents.
- Start the dialogue. Client sits and begins expressing thoughts and feelings toward the person sitting in the chair.
- Switch roles. Client moves to the other chair in a form of role reversal, speaking as the imagined person.
- Explore perspectives. The therapist guides with prompts, allowing clients to uncover new insights.
- Reflect and process. Therapist helps client return to the present moment, integrate learning, and regulate emotions.
The Therapist’s Role
The therapist’s guide to chairwork emphasizes:
- Creating a safe environment where clients feel supported
- Offering gentle prompts instead of leading the chair dialogue
- Ensuring clients stay connected to the present moment
- Closing the session with grounding and reflection to prevent distress
By helping clients explore their inner world, therapists provide a path to new insights, greater self awareness, and emotional healing.
Next Steps for Clients
If a client is interested in trying the empty chair session, they should:
- Work with a trained therapist experienced in Gestalt therapy or chair method interventions.
- Prepare for challenging emotions and intense experiences.
- Ask about how the therapist facilitates and debriefs chair sessions.
FAQs
Q. Is the Empty Chair Technique only used in Gestalt therapy?
A. No. While rooted in Gestalt, many therapeutic approaches including schema therapy, CBT, and trauma work, use it.
Q. Does it work for grief?
A. Yes. It’s widely used in empty chair therapy for clients to express unresolved emotions toward a loved one.
Q. What if a client feels silly?
A. Many do at first. Therapists normalize it as a chair exercise for personal growth, not a literal belief.
Q. Is it safe for trauma survivors?
A. Yes, when facilitated by a trained therapist in a supportive environment.
Q. Can it be done online?
A. Absolutely. Clients can place two chairs at home or visualize them. The chair dialogue still works in virtual chair sessions.
Q. How does it build self compassion?
A. By confronting the inner critic, clients learn self acceptance and kinder self-talk.
Document Empty Chair sessions in seconds
Supanote makes emotional sessions easy to capture
Try for Free