COMPARING HUMANISTIC-EXISTENTIAL PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH OTHER APPROACHES
To prepare:
Review the humanistic-existential psychotherapy videos in this week’s Learning Resources. { PsychotherapyNet. (2009, June 29). James Bugental live case consultation psychotherapy videoLinks to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl8tVTjdocI}
Reflect on humanistic-existential psychotherapeutic approaches.
Then, select another psychotherapeutic approach to compare with humanistic-existential psychotherapy. The approach you choose may be one you previously explored in the course or one you are familiar with and especially interested in.
THE ASSIGNMENT
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.
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Comparing Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy with Other Approaches
Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy
Humanistic-existential psychotherapy is an effective evidence-based approach that has been applied to psychology and psychiatry to promote the mental well-being of patients across various healthcare settings. Humanistic-existential psychotherapy is a type of therapy that focuses on one’s freedom to make their own choices and take responsibility for the consequences of their choices and actions (Gordon et al., 2020). This therapy combines elements from humanistic psychology and existential philosophy. This therapy is founded on the basis that people have the capacity to make their own decisions and are responsible for their own lives. Humanistic-existential therapy helps individuals learn more about themselves and the world around them, comprehend how their choices affect the world around them, be able to make better and more meaningful choices for themselves and become better at identifying their interests and sources of fulfillment. Humanistic-existential therapy is based on four concepts including freedom, isolation, meaning, and death (Gordon et al., 2020).
These key concepts of humanistic-existential therapy are based on human experience and are designed to help individuals minimize fear and anxiety toward these pillars (Gordon et al., 2020). Freedom and responsibility are concepts that give individuals the freedom to make authentic and meaningful choices make choices that define their own destinies and also take ownership of the outcomes of their choices. Death which is inevitable and is associated with feelings of fear, anxiety, and despair is another concept of humanistic-existential psychotherapy. This concept helps individuals to acknowledge and explore their fears concerning death and also promotes a sense of acceptance and peace with the inevitability of death. Additionally, the concept of meaning helps individuals gain a deeper understanding of themselves and what ultimately makes them feel fulfilled. Further, isolation is another concept that helps individuals understand that they alone are in control of their future.
Humanistic-existential psychotherapy has successfully been applied to patients to relieve their anxiety symptoms. Findings from various studies indicate that humanistic-existential psychotherapy has significantly helped individuals understand the meaning of life and death, and their position in the world, and accept and cope with the fears and anxieties that come with the inevitable in life. The findings of a study by Alizadeh et al. (2021) show that humanistic-existential psychotherapy increased the meaning of life and decreased death anxiety among patients who recovered from COVID-19. Similarly, the results of a study by Daei Jafari et al. (2020) reveal that love attitude, understanding the meaning in life, and searching for meaning significantly improved among couples who underwent humanistic-existential psychotherapy. Overall, these findings give clear evidence that humanistic-existential psychotherapy is significantly effective in helping people understand their existence and overcome fears and anxiety in their lifetime.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of therapy that employs various techniques that aim at modifying dysfunctional thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Cognitive behavioral therapy is founded on the idea that thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and actions are interconnected and that these thoughts and perceptions influence behavior. Cognitive behavioral therapy works by helping individuals identify and change destructive thought patterns that have a negative influence on their emotions and behavior. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been used effectively in the management of mental health conditions such as psychiatric disorders, psychosomatic illnesses, and socio-behavioral conditions (Simon et al., 2021).
Both cognitive behavioral therapy and humanistic-existential psychotherapy are mind-based techniques that aim at modifying the thoughts and actions of individuals with anxiety symptoms due to mental health conditions. However, these two therapies differ in a number of aspects. While humanistic-existential psychotherapy is underpinned by the idea that individuals have the capability to self-actualization, understand the meaning of life, have the freedom to make choices that shape their lives, and take responsibility for the outcome, cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the idea that behaviors, feelings, and thoughts are interconnected and that changing dysfunctional thought patterns can lead to changes in emotions and behaviors. Second, while cognitive behavioral therapy aims at hanging specific cognitive distortions and maladaptive behaviors in individuals with mental symptoms through partial skills, humanistic-existential psychotherapy aims at helping individuals explore and understand themselves deeper through self-discovery, self-acceptance, and personal growth. Lastly, in cognitive behavioral therapy, therapists employ counseling skills and training techniques that are more directive as opposed to non-directive, guidance-like techniques employed in humanistic-existential psychotherapy. As a PMHNP, these differences based on theoretical underpinnings, aims, and techniques used have a great impact on my practice since they will be used to determine the type of therapy that I provide to the patient.
Humanistic-existential psychotherapy utilized with the patient in James Bugental Live Case Consultation Psychotherapy Video was the treatment of choice due to various reasons. The anxiety and stress experienced by the patient arise from an experience that he had in the past. This issue has also given rise to fears and uncertainty that come with death. Due to the therapy’s principle of exploration of existential concerns, this approach is considered the best since it helps the patient to explore their personal values, meaning in life, and the choices they make. Although humanistic-existential psychotherapy was the treatment choice for the patient, expected potential outcomes that could have been realized with cognitive behavioral therapy include helping the patient become aware of his negative thinking which leads him to anger so that he would be able to change his perception of his situation and respond to them positively (Etzelmueller et al., 2020).
References
Alizadeh, S., Taklavi, S., Mahmoud Alilou, M., & Feizipour, H. (2021). The Effectiveness of Existential Therapy on Death Anxiety and Meaning of Life in Recovered Patients of Covid-19. Studies in Medical Sciences, 32(5), 388–398. http://umj.umsu.ac.ir/article-1-5557-en.html
Daei Jafari, M. R., Aghaei, A., & Rashidi Rad, M. (2020). Existential humanistic therapy with couples and its effect on meaning of life and love attitudes. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 48(5), 530-545. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2020.1770142
Etzelmueller, A., Vis, C., Karyotaki, E., Baumeister, H., Titov, N., Berking, M., Cuijpers, P., Riper, H., & Ebert, D. D. (2020). Effects of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy in routine care for adults in treatment for depression and anxiety: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(8), e18100. https://doi.org/10.2196/18100
Gordon, R. M., Dahan, J. F., Wolfson, J. B., Fults, E., Lee, Y. S., Smith-Wexler, L., Liberta, T. A., & McGiffin, J. N. (2020). Existential–humanistic and relational psychotherapy during COVID-19 with patients with pre-existing medical conditions. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 61(4), 470-492. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167820973890
PsychotherapyNet. (2009, June 29). James Bugental Live Case Consultation Psychotherapy Video [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl8tVTjdocI
Simon, N. M., Hofmann, S. G., Rosenfield, D., Hoeppner, S. S., Hoge, E. A., Bui, E., & Khalsa, S. B. (2021). Efficacy of yoga vs cognitive behavioral therapy vs stress education for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. JAMA Psychiatry, 78(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.2496