 The Polsters wanted their book to serve as an extensive overview of Gestalt theory and therapeutic techniques, a textbook on the practices of Gestalt.In addition, Erving wanted to include personal interpretations of wider Gestalt theory and incorporated his own theories, including contact-boundary.Polster did not contribute a large part of her own theories and interpretations, but she aided Erving by discussing concepts in his theories with him that had been developed through his teachings and workshops at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland.