Comparing Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy with Other Approaches

 

Comparing Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy with Other Approaches

Grande, T. (2019, January 9). Theories of counseling – Existential therapy [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvAvc2aWup0

YOUTUBE LINK:

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:

00:06

hello this is dr. Gandhi welcome to my

00:09

video on the theory of existential

00:12

therapy the term existential therapy

00:15

actually refers to a group of several

00:19

therapies however generally under this

00:24

theory counselors focus on human

00:29

experiences as opposed to behavioral

00:33

rules or dividing the mind into

00:37

different areas as we see in

00:40

psychoanalytic and analytic therapy so

00:43

we’ll start with the theory of

00:46

personality and in existential therapy

00:50

an important part of the theory of

00:54

personality is the idea that there is an

00:57

inner struggle between the concepts of

01:00

freedom and responsibility and that

01:04

individuals move toward resolving the

01:07

struggle there’s also a search for

01:11

meaning and purpose in life as well as a

01:15

search to identify and establish values

01:19

individuals are thought of as self-aware

01:22

and the self-awareness plays a part in

01:25

human development the formation of

01:29

identity is a key component of

01:32

development as is building productive

01:36

and meaningful relationships in

01:39

existential therapy people work to self

01:43

actualize to become fully authentic to

01:47

become a fully authentic person in the

01:49

world and generally how a person relates

01:52

to the world is a key area of emphasis

01:57

when looking at existential therapy

02:01

under this theory there are several

02:04

fears that clients will have at

02:08

different points in their lives

02:10

including the fear of isolation

02:13

meaninglessness the fear of death

02:17

the fear of lacking any meaningful

02:19

relationships the fear of having and

02:24

experiencing guilt and also the fear of

02:28

feeling empty the fear of emptiness so

02:33

as you can see from this theory of

02:34

personality existential therapy really

02:38

focuses on what it means to exist in the

02:42

world and how individuals sometimes

02:47

struggle to make sense of that existence

02:49

and to find purpose in that existence

02:52

continuing with the theory of

02:54

personality the ways of being in the

02:58

world in the theory of existential

03:01

therapy are divided into four parts and

03:05

it’s important to understand that

03:08

existential counselors believe that

03:10

individuals exist in all four of these

03:14

parts all four of these worlds

03:17

simultaneously the first world here is

03:21

the eigen welt and that’s one’s own

03:25

world

03:26

it’s an individual’s subjective inner

03:30

experience of the world next we have the

03:35

MIT welt and the MIT welt

03:37

represents relationships that only human

03:40

beings can have then we have the ohm

03:44

welt and the ohm welt is the physical

03:47

world and the objects in the physical

03:50

world so it’s the environment around an

03:54

individual including all living beings

03:56

and last we have the uber welt and the

04:02

uber welt represents spiritual beliefs

04:03

about the individual’s ideal world the

04:09

next item when looking at the theory of

04:10

personality is the concept of

04:13

existential anxiety and this is

04:16

different than what existential

04:18

counselors refer to as neurotic anxiety

04:21

and I’ll talk about those differences in

04:25

a moment

04:26

existential anxiety is considered normal

04:30

it’s to be expected and it’s also

04:33

considered in many ways to be positive

04:35

because it can lead to living a full and

04:39

authentic life individuals require

04:43

courage in order to overcome existential

04:46

anxiety but when Exxon’s existential

04:50

anxiety can be accepted by an individual

04:53

therapeutic change is possible

04:57

existential anxiety can also be avoided

05:00

at least for a short time when an

05:04

individual believes there is safety and

05:06

security and life existential counselors

05:10

do not believe in safety and security

05:14

but rather they have a view of the world

05:17

where uncertainty is a major factor that

05:22

must be accepted and acknowledged moving

05:26

on to the cause of symptoms and you can

05:30

see here under causes symptoms I have

05:33

existential anxiety that’s a cause of

05:37

clients symptoms under this theory and

05:41

neurotic anxiety and it’s important to

05:44

understand the difference between these

05:46

two types of anxiety existential

05:49

counsellors recognize both of these

05:52

types of anxiety exist but feel they

05:56

have very different characteristics so

06:00

taking a look at existential anxiety in

06:03

this theory existential anxiety is not

06:06

pathological it’s a normal part of the

06:09

human condition it’s appropriate to

06:12

situations individuals do not typically

06:17

repress existential anxiety and it cut

06:21

it can facilitate the confrontation of

06:25

what existential counselors refer to as

06:28

existential dilemmas

06:31

neurotic anxiety on the other hand is

06:35

inappropriate based on situation its

06:39

disproportional in severity as compared

06:43

to the situation it may be caused by

06:47

repressed fears and sometimes

06:52

existential issues can cause or

06:55

contribute to the development and

06:59

maintenance of neurotic anxiety so there

07:01

is a link between existential issues and

07:06

neurotic anxiety in some cases moving on

07:11

to techniques existential counselors do

07:16

not typically use traditional techniques

07:19

rather there is an emphasis on building

07:23

a genuine and empathetic relationship

07:26

with the client and in this relationship

07:30

the subjective experience about the

07:33

counselor and the client is realized

07:36

embraced and appreciated the counselor

07:40

works throughout the course of the

07:43

therapy to understand the client

07:47

experiences existential therapy is

07:51

mostly non directive and typically does

07:55

not make direct attempts to cause change

07:58

in a client existential counselors do

08:03

use self disclosure as a therapeutic

08:06

technique they model authentic behavior

08:09

and this is an important point to look

08:12

at the modeling of authentic behavior

08:15

because this necessitates that an

08:18

existential counselor has explored

08:22

existential issues including accepting

08:26

existential anxiety and moving toward

08:30

self-actualization so counselors in

08:34

existential therapy need to have

08:38

heightened self-awareness particularly

08:40

around existential issues

08:45

existential counselors note other ways

08:47

of being which is a little bit directive

08:53

but it’s not considered a direct attempt

08:55

to cause change and this pointing out to

09:00

the client that there are other ways of

09:01

being available to the client is

09:05

different than suggesting other ways of

09:08

behaving feeling or thinking

09:12

interestingly existential counselors do

09:15

recognize transference and when they

09:20

experience transference they pointed out

09:23

and make it a topic of discussion

09:28

existential counselors believe in the

09:30

concept of resistance and they believe

09:33

the resistance comes about when clients

09:37

do not take responsibility when clients

09:40

are not aware of feelings when they are

09:43

not authentic and existential counselors

09:47

will often address indirectly resistance

09:52

when they experience it in a counseling

09:56

session now let’s take a look at the

09:59

goals in existential therapy and not

10:03

surprisingly one of the goals is

10:05

authenticity and specifically a high

10:10

level of authenticity consistent with

10:13

self-actualization another goal is for

10:18

the client to find purpose and meaning

10:20

in life counselors hope to increase

10:25

awareness about the choices available to

10:28

an individual and the freedom to make

10:32

those choices there is a hope that

10:36

through the counseling process a better

10:39

understanding of the client by

10:43

themselves is achieved and also a better

10:46

understanding of client values

10:50

another goal is that clients will

10:55

develop improved communication skills

10:58

which would allow more authentic genuine

11:02

and productive relationships with other

11:04

people existential counselors help

11:08

clients to take responsibility for

11:10

decisions and help them to exhibit

11:16

greater honesty with themselves in their

11:20

own lives in their own experience moving

11:23

on to my opinion regarding existential

11:28

therapy and how we can integrate

11:31

elements of this theory into our own

11:34

counseling style before getting into

11:38

these items and discussing these items

11:40

it’s important to recognize that unlike

11:44

many of the other theories that can be

11:47

traced back to one individual one

11:52

developer of the theory there are a

11:55

number of individuals that contribute to

11:58

existential therapy and there are a

12:01

number of existential therapies there

12:04

are many versions of this theory of

12:07

existential therapy all of the items I

12:11

have pointed out here as items that can

12:14

potentially be integrated into a

12:16

counseling style are found in most if

12:21

not all of the existential therapy

12:24

versions however some might emphasize

12:28

different items more than others the

12:31

first item here is the emphasis on

12:34

finding meaning and purpose in life and

12:36

I particularly like this feature this

12:40

component of existential therapy

12:43

oftentimes clients come into counseling

12:46

sessions and to some extent or another

12:50

finding meaning and purpose in life is

12:53

something that will be discussed and

12:56

existential therapy tackles this issue

12:59

in an authentic way and it tackles it

13:02

head-on it makes it a foe

13:04

because of the therapy and this is

13:08

similar to my second item the

13:10

willingness to address profound issues

13:12

so in general not just the meaning and

13:16

purpose of life but also other profound

13:18

issues existential therapy is willing to

13:23

directly discuss these issues it does

13:26

not try to avoid profound existential

13:30

issues rather it moves directly toward

13:34

them in the counseling process the third

13:39

item I have here is authenticity and

13:42

this is a component of many theories of

13:46

counseling and in those theories of

13:49

counseling oftentimes and definitely in

13:52

the case of existential therapy the

13:55

existential counsellor is expected to be

14:01

authentic by having good self awareness

14:04

and by having directly addressed

14:08

existential issues themselves I find

14:12

this to be an important point next we

14:14

have the therapeutic alliance the

14:17

therapeutic alliance and existential

14:19

therapy is similar to the therapeutic

14:22

alliance we see in person-centered

14:24

therapy and for that matter and many of

14:27

the theories of counseling the next item

14:31

is the focus on the present but a

14:34

willingness to explore the past and

14:36

discuss the future so some theories of

14:41

counseling focus on the present really

14:45

to the exclusion of the past and the

14:47

future

14:48

they really just try to stay in the

14:50

moment in the counseling session and not

14:53

deviate and talk about the past or what

14:56

could happen the future and that can be

14:59

useful but that can also be restrictive

15:03

so I really like the way existential

15:05

therapy is willing to stay in the

15:07

present but also willing to look at how

15:11

past experiences affect the client and

15:13

the direction the client may want to

15:16

take in the future

15:17

and concerns they may have about the

15:19

future the next item here is the

15:23

appreciation and existential counseling

15:26

that’s some anxiety what they refer to

15:29

as existential anxiety is normal and

15:32

expected existential therapy does not

15:37

pathologize existential anxiety and it

15:43

allows a counselor to work with a client

15:46

with this understanding that some

15:49

anxiety will be present and that that’s

15:51

okay and the last item I have in terms

15:57

of items I like about existential

15:58

therapy is this focus on improving

16:02

communication this isn’t necessarily a

16:06

large part of many of the existential

16:08

therapies but it is a part of many and

16:12

considering how important relationships

16:14

are for many clients improving

16:18

communication has potential positive

16:22

impact in a wide variety of areas career

16:28

family friendships all these benefit

16:34

from improving communication skills and

16:37

improving the ability to authentically

16:40

communicate in terms of some of the

16:44

criticisms I have of existential therapy

16:47

and some of the areas of and items of

16:51

this theory that I do not think are

16:53

particularly useful or at least not easy

16:56

to integrate into a counseling style are

16:59

always productive to integrate into a

17:01

counseling style I think a major

17:04

criticism is really the absence of

17:07

concrete techniques there is an emphasis

17:11

on the therapeutic alliance I mentioned

17:13

that I think that’s good

17:16

however this theory is mostly non

17:20

directive and I believe that many times

17:26

non directive is productive and useful

17:30

but just as in person-centered therapy

17:34

being non-directive can also be

17:38

restrictive and sometimes frustrating

17:41

for the client existential therapy is

17:45

not as non-directive as person-centered

17:47

therapy but the idea of being

17:49

non-directive is still an important

17:52

theoretical construct in this theory so

17:59

to summarize the utility or my opinion

18:02

of the utility of existential therapy

18:05

this therapy is willing to take on

18:08

serious issues it has an emphasis on the

18:11

therapeutic alliance and authenticity

18:14

it’s willing to discuss what the client

18:16

wants to discuss it normalizes

18:21

experiences of anxiety and improves

18:24

communication but it does not have a

18:27

large number of well-developed

18:29

techniques and is mostly non directive I

18:34

hope you found this video on the theory

18:37

of existential therapy to be useful as

18:39

always if you have any questions or

18:41

concerns feel free to contact me I’ll be

18:44

happy to assist you

YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/Zl8tVTjdocI

PsychotherapyNet. (2009, June 29). James Bugental live case consultation psychotherapy video [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl8tVTjdocI

Video Transcript

Transcript

00:06

you

00:16

he came in really his main issue that he

00:21

speaks about is he just doesn’t feel

00:23

very alive in his lung and he’s been in

00:28

therapy before I think the last time was

00:32

about two years ago and he got in touch

00:35

with some anger but the sense of kind of

00:41

he he doesn’t quite get a feeling about

00:46

what he’s feeling he has a difficult

00:48

time with that and he feels constricted

00:54

he feels constricted in his life I hear

01:00

that same constriction doesn’t almost

01:08

yeah your hand gestures are very

01:11

constricted yeah yeah that’s kind of how

01:13

he presents I think yeah that’s that’s

01:16

kind of how he presents himself

01:21

maybe if I if sort of I play him a

01:23

little bit there’s my name make good

01:26

point Joe

01:35

but we weren’t gonna always often we’d

01:39

get a call six weeks a couple months

01:42

later and what what’s happening and

01:46

they’d say there’s there’s a crack in my

01:48

driveway so we’d have to go back and see

01:51

what I was cooking there and sure enough

01:56

fielder the cracks and if you look down

01:58

in them very often you’d see a little

02:00

green flag waving a little green flag

02:04

that represented life life that had gone

02:09

through the compacted earth the salt the

02:14

hot asphalt the tremendous pressure of

02:17

the roller coming up breaking through

02:23

many years later now did some programs

02:26

up in just north of just Jasper National

02:29

Park in Alberta Canada and driving back

02:33

down the Icefields highway there’s a

02:36

place where you pass a wall of sheared

02:38

granite it’s messy massive it just gives

02:44

you such an impression of society its

02:46

Olympian strength and if you stop and

02:50

you get out there’s a deflation get a

02:52

drink of water there and take pictures

02:54

and so on and then you go look close and

02:58

in that massive granite face a crack and

03:04

in the crack that same rule green flag

03:08

waving to buy it that’s life that’s the

03:14

life force seeking searching out a way

03:18

to get to the Sun and when a client

03:23

comes into our office and we begin to

03:27

work that client is searching – just

03:30

like that that life force that we saw in

03:33

the cracks and the asphalt is granite

03:36

all life is expressed through the life

03:39

force is a life force searching is the

03:46

life force in action

03:49

and when that client who comes into your

03:52

office begins to say I hurt too much or

03:56

I once and I can’t seem to get what I

03:59

really want I don’t feel I feel unhappy

04:02

or incomplete or frustrated that’s that

04:07

little leaf trying to find its way to

04:11

the Sun to fulfillment

04:20

you

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Name: NRNP_6645_Week7_Assignment_Rubric

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Develop a 2- to 3-page paper comparing humanistic-existential therapy to another psychotherapeutic approach of your choice. Be sure to address the following: · Briefly describe humanistic-existential psychotherapy and the second approach you selected.–

Excellent

90%–100% 23 (23%) – 25 (25%)

Good

80%–89% 20 (20%) – 22 (22%)

Fair

70%–79% 18 (18%) – 19 (19%)

Poor

0%–69% 0 (0%) – 17 (17%)

· Explain at least three differences between humanistic-existential psychotherapy and the approach you selected. · Include how these differences might impact your practice as a PMHNP.–

Excellent
90%–100% 23 (23%) – 25 (25%)
Good
80%–89% 20 (20%) – 22 (22%)
Fair
70%–79% 18 (18%) – 19 (19%)
Poor
0%–69% 0 (0%) – 17 (17%)

· Explain why humanistic-existential psychotherapy was utilized with the client in the video and why it was the treatment of choice. · Describe the expected potential outcome if the second approach had been used with the client. · Support your response with at least three peer-reviewed, evidence-based sources from the literature. PDFs are attached.–

Excellent

90%–100% 32 (32%) – 35 (35%)

Good

80%–89% 28 (28%) – 31 (31%)

Fair

70%–79% 24 (24%) – 27 (27%)

Poor

0%–69% 0 (0%) – 23 (23%)

Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided which delineates all required criteria.–

Excellent

90%–100% 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)

Good

80%–89% 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)

Fair

70%–79% 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)

Poor

0%–69% 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)

Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation–

Excellent
90%–100% 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Good
80%–89% 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Fair
70%–79% 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Poor
0%–69% 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)

Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list.–

Excellent
90%–100% 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Good
80%–89% 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Fair
70%–79% 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Poor
0%–69% 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)

In a 2- to 3-page paper, address the following:

Briefly describe humanistic-existential psychotherapy and the second approach you selected.

Explain at least three differences between these therapies. Include how these differences might impact your practice as a PMHNP.

Focusing on one video you viewed, explain why humanistic-existential psychotherapy was utilized with the patient in the video and why it was the treatment of choice. Describe the expected potential outcome if the second approach had been used with the patient.

Support your response with specific examples from this week’s media and at least three peer-reviewed, evidence-based sources. Explain why each of your supporting sources is considered scholarly. Attach the PDFs of your sources.