Perls suggested ________ which must be peeled away to reach emotional stability.

• A. Five Layers of Neurosis
• B. Four Stages of Denial
• C. Seven Aspects of Anxiety
• D. Three Modes of Defense

Answer: (A)

In Gestalt therapy, emotional stability comes from uncovering what you truly feel in the here and now by peeling away layers that hide that authentic experience. Fritz Perls described five layers of neurosis that a person develops to protect themselves from feeling fully alive: the phony layer (a social mask or false self), the phobic layer (avoidance of contact and feeling), the impasse (stuck between awareness and action), the implosive layer (intense confrontation with vulnerable feelings), and the explosive layer (outbursts as a release of accumulated energy). As each layer is gradually peeled back, a person moves toward genuine awareness and more balanced emotional responses, which leads to emotional stability. That’s why the statement points to five layers of neurosis as the best fit. Other options reference concepts from different theories and don’t align with Perls’ layered-neurosis idea.