In gestalt practice, if a client is angry at his wife for leaving him and makes a suicide attempt, this is best described as retroflection.

In gestalt practice, if a client is angry at his wife for leaving him and makes a suicide attempt, this is best described as retroflection.

• A. Retroflection
• B. Projection
• C. Introjection
• D. Deflection

Answer: (A)

Retroflection happens when the energy of an emotion or impulse that would normally be directed toward another person is turned back onto oneself. In this scenario, the anger toward his wife for leaving would typically be expressed toward her, but he instead acts it out on himself through a suicide attempt. The outward-directed aggression is redirected inward, which is the hallmark of retroflection. This isn’t about blaming the other person (projection), nor about internalizing someone else’s beliefs (introjection), nor simply avoiding the feeling (deflection).

Retroflection happens when the energy of an emotion or impulse that would normally be directed toward another person is turned back onto oneself. In this scenario, the anger toward his wife for leaving would typically be expressed toward her, but he instead acts it out on himself through a suicide attempt. The outward-directed aggression is redirected inward, which is the hallmark of retroflection. This isn’t about blaming the other person (projection), nor about internalizing someone else’s beliefs (introjection), nor simply avoiding the feeling (deflection).