Empty Chair Technique

In this technique, two chairs are placed facing each other: one represents the patient or one aspect of the patient’s personality, and the other represents another person or the opposing part of the personality.

Narrator

He loved her.

She loved him.

More than anything in this world. She felt that he was her man and he was irreplaceable and priceless. Slowly he started pacing out steps to end the relation. She was distraught with anguish. She was so inconsolable and here she is…..

Counselor- What has brought you here, my dear?

Gal (Stammering)- I… I…. I am heartbroken, crestfallen with grief. He, who I thought was the light of my life, left me.

C- I know it is hard to cope up. Did you try to speak with him?

Gal- No. I can’t face him. I’ll feel like burning into cinders.

C- I think you should talk to him. What did he tell as the reason for the break-up?

Narrator

She thought she was his bonnie may. Until she started getting hints of him being unfaithful. He was seeing another girl who worked in the same office as he was. His phone calling intensity had dropped down. Whenever she messages him, she gets delayed responses. He would take ages to reply messages on Whatsapp despite being shown online. Jealousy had sparked upon her.

It felt it would go smooth until that fateful Facebook status update came. The war was waged and they broke up. The more the lovers become involved in a romantic relationship, the more attached they are and the stronger feeling of sharing fate between them. At times, it becomes difficult for them to detach from each other.

C- How are you feeling right now? (Counselee fidgeting with fingers)

Gal- I am feeling bad. Frustrated at the moment (Looking down, eyes were moist)

C- What is the frustration like… for you?

Gal- Its just.. I can’t explain. It has been pricking my heart for a long. I can’t just come out of him.

C- Can you just tell me where the epicentre of the feeling is?

Gal: I just feel like a weight being carried on my chest, day in and out and it is burrowing in into my heart with agony.

C- Dear, Let me initiate a mechanism where I am going to make you introspect on your past life. I want you to focus on that empty chair and visualize seeing him here. I want you to talk to him. Tell him that you want to throw him out of your life.

Gal- With you out of my life, I feel lost. You just did not know how much I loved you. You took me for granted and took me out of your life. I must tell you that I am throwing you out of my life.

C- Now I want you to take his place and then have a conversation with the girl. The responses that you actually got from him.

Gal-(shifting to the opposite chair and composing her into a manly demeanour) 

I must say that you have been nagging me all along. You have been interfering too much in my life. Expecting me to call and message you all day without having my personal space. I need some air in my life. I cannot be with you, a person so intrusive into another person’s life.

C- This is an opportunity. (pause) You can vent all of your anger on him

Gal- (With a glitter in the eye)   With you out of my life, I feel lost. You just did not know how much I loved you. You took me for granted and took me out of your life. I must tell you that…..(pause) I AM THROWING YOU OUT OF MY LIFE.

C- How are you feeling?

Gal- I am feeling better.

C- Can you explain the feeling of ‘being better’?

Gal- I feel like I have heaved off some burden off my chest. I think I will be at peace now.