Empty Chair Therapy: Heal Your Past, Improve Your Future

FURTHER READING

“One of the simplest and most useful exercises that psychotherapy has gifted to us is known as the Empty Chair Technique. A client who has been wrestling with their feelings towards someone is gently requested to stop discussing them in the third person and is instead invited to face a chair and start talking to this bit of furniture as if there were on it – to all intents – the specific troubling person in their life, perhaps a long dead absent father, a neglectful mother or a traitorous so-called friend…”

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CREDITS

Produced in collaboration with:

Hannah O'brien

Title animation produced in collaboration with

Graeme Probert

[youssefmedhat]

I will definitely talk to all the table chairs today!

[brunofuchs]

Anger is not poison. Suppression is poison.

[mubba]

I had an aunt who suffered a lot throughout her life. She eventually 'lost her mind' and used to talk to all these people who had wronged her, when they were not physically present around her. Better do that when you're still in control, I guess.

[teyang]

Been doing this since I was young. It was a natural way for me to cope as an emotional and sensitive kid. I thought I was just crazy. Turns out, my mind just knows how to help itself.

[mhmd]

I've done this before without knowing
I feel proud of me
And striving for more amazing videos

[Niniefanofall]

I do it to all things in my house, mirrors, showers, looking outside the window, doing the dishes. Much better than vomiting my thoughts onto an undeserving friend while waiting for therapy sessions. This helped me process an immense amount of stuff over the years

[Morale_Booster]

This is one of my favorite techniques, I also use it to converse with parts of myself. Great strat for people who don't connect with journaling

[vanessasalamon]

I did this once or twice, the idea came to me naturally. It was so therapeutic and it helped me significantly.

[cezarycesary]

I had to do this during my cognitive behavioural therapy a few years ago. I hated it, I always felt like an idiot when I spoke to an empty chair while my therapist watched. In the end, though, it always made me bring up a very important issue (and cry my eyes out)

[pfrydog]

I did something similar to this to quit alcohol. I confronted my feelings about alcohol onto writing.

[beatriceladouce]

I don't know how you knew I NEEDED this, but thank you. I've been having flashbacks my unfair and painful childhood and so much hate and disgust have come back up the past few days... I'll try this 🙏🏽

[fridayschild]

‘Anger is a poison’. Says it all. I’ve been trying to detox from my anger for years.

[antikoerper]

Ever since my mom... I dont want to use "passed away" but fell asleep 2-3 weeks ago so unbelievably fast here at home, despite that she was getting better (some say it may have been embolism) Ive been practicing this, without even knowing its therapy. To me she's here, just in a higher plane. When one knows one's own relatives or people or friends or acquaintances well enough, those who should be sitting or are sitting in that chair, one could be labelled ""crazy" for conversing with an empty chair and yet the answers and the dialogue per se is there... It may be a monologue to most but it is in fact a dialogue to us, who know well the person who should be sitting there. More importantly it does work, it does help and it has an incredible coping and transcendental effect. Thanks for shedding a light on this and informing more people about it. It DOES help.

[PrimaDewi]

Thank you The School of Life 🙌 I have been practicing what the school of life teaches me. An empty chair is creative idea of letting the rage and grief towards someone we can't even talk to.

[xXnazmanXx]

This is so interesting, i dont talk to a chair but i start speaking out my issues with that person until itfeels like im talking to them. Its somehow eases my mind after it feels like i said what I have to say

[CloClosimodo]

My father purchased two chairs once on my recommendation and with this kinda therapy in mind.

Can't afford privacy or space for the chairs but I've noticed this approach works well even for the homeless on park benches

[craigmerkey]

Amazing! I made an agreement with myself when I was in elementary school. I state my position and feelings to people in my family regarding their unflattering and inappropriate behavior! I am not talking about little disagreements! I am referring to major (<insert bad word) stuff. If they are unreceptive I can say I tried and move on! I already knew who was going to be unreceptive and angry! There are plenty of people in my life who have self awareness and take responsibility for their behavior.

[gK-ihct]

This is one of the best channels on YouTube!

[Leo-mrqz]

I use a 100lb punching bag downstairs in my garage to exert the anger. Sometimes, I say it out loud, and sometimes I say it internally. Both methods are healing. 💪 ❤

[TakeMeToYourLida]

Thank you. I’m going to try this. Wishing everyone healing ❤