Using Gestalt therapeutic techniques, issues of contact, avoidance, anxiety, self-support, and responsibility are experienced by drug addicts in the present and thus become more immediate and intense. Gestalt therapy is more than simple a collection of techniques; it represents a unified way of approaching the therapeutic process. This process starts with the patient-therapist relationship, a nonauthoritarian approach that employs trust instead of power as the basic motivating factor. Gestalt therapy also focuses on process rather than content; by exploring how individuals interact with their therapists, it is possible to gain a better understanding of how they deal with other relationships and situations. The use of Gestalt therapy with individuals and groups in drug treatment is described, with examples of patient encounters noted. 5 references