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Walden University

College of Nursing-PMHNP, Walden University

NRNP 6645: Psychotherapy with Multiple Modalities

Week 7: Comparing Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy with Other Approaches

01/16/2021

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Comparing Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy with Other Approaches

The whole idea behind existential-humanistic psychotherapy is to enable clients

discover their individual uniqueness by being aware of themselves and their world. The role

of a therapist in this endeavor is to assist the clients by coaching them to perceive their

struggles so that they can live a more meaningful life. Existential and humanistic therapies

relate in various fronts as their emphasis is on clients rather than the symptoms (Krug, 2019).

Therefore, the focus of these interventions is on boosting clients’ self-understanding and self-

awareness levels.

Existential and humanistic approaches share the notion that people have the capacity

to choose and exhibit self-awareness. The humanistic perspective states that humans are

fundamentally good, with the aptitude to make choices in favor of self and that of others, and

ensure healthy and positive relationships (Hoffman et al., 2019). Its purpose is on looking at

the whole individual and stresses concepts including self-efficacy, self-actualization, and free

will. Consequently, based on this perspective, the therapists’ focus is on growth and self-

actualization. When attending to the client, they will lay emphasis on conscious process and

not the unconscious processes or past causes.

Existential concept focuses on the stresses that occur when a client battles the conflict

inherent in life (Schneider, 2019). The therapist serves to ensure the client begins to

concentrate on their responsibility for making personal decisions, and the therapist may

utilize various humanistic approaches and techniques. As a PMHNP, the use of these

strategies will give a positive bearing to how I approach my clients’ problems, such as

through enhancing their creativity, free will, love, and authenticity. These will go a long way

in enabling them to live satisfying and meaningful life in spite of their uncertainty and misery

(Schneider, 2019). Throughout the therapy, I will overlook outside forces but analyze how

people can boost their quality of life.

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Another strategy that suits this comparison is the behavioral approach, whose focus is

on reversing unwanted behaviors. It applies the concept of the learning theory and can be

achieved through reinforcement, reward system, or desensitization. The behavioral approach

is based on the notion that past experiences play a role in making people to learn behaviors

(Eelen, 2018). The overriding viewpoint of the behavioral technique is that behavior is an

outcome of learning. The strategy is appropriate for alleviating phobias, obsessive and

compulsive behavior, or even addictions. Individuals are deemed both as shapers and

products of their environment.

For a PMHNPs utilizing this approach in their treatment plan, there should be an

explicit and neutral evaluation of therapeutic outcomes, development of individualized

treatment strategies, and detailed description of therapy goals (Eelen, 2018). Additionally, the

PMHNP will help to facilitate and reinforce behavior change and also provide opportunities

for consultation. The major concern will be the eradication of adaptive behaviors and the

acquisition of effective ones.

Live Case Consultation Psychotherapy Video

The narrators in the video give an account of a client who was experiencing a tough

time. His concern was that he never felt “alive” about his life. Even after undergoing therapy,

he could not hold back anger and this seemed to adversely affect his perception of his own

life. For this case, the humanistic-existential approach was obligatory because its focus is on

self-actualization and growth, which seemed to lack in the client Eelen, 2018). But again,

even in an event that the behavioral approach was utilized, the outcome would still be

positive because it would serve to reverse the client's attitudes toward life.

Conclusively, PMHNPs need to comprehend their clients more deeply and understand

their social contexts to be able to provide holistic care. Gaining the knowledge of individuals

based on their personal accounts offers circumstantial details that constitute them as

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individuals. Whether applying the existential-humanistic or behavioral approaches, the

PMHNP should respect the client’s perception of their problem as this will help to give a

more personalized and objective therapy.

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References

Bugental, J. [PsychotherapyNet]. (2009). Live case consultation psychotherapy video.

[Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=Zl8tVTjdocI&ab_channel=PsychotherapyNet

Eelen, P. (2018). Behaviour Therapy and Behaviour Modification Background and

Development. Psychologica Belgica, 58(1), 184

Hoffman, L., Serlin, I. A., & Rubin, S. (2019). The history of existential‐humanistic and

existential‐integrative therapy. The Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy,

235-246.

Krug, O. T. (2019). Existential‐humanistic and existential‐integrative therapy: Method and

Practice. The Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy, 257-266

Schneider, K. J. (2019). Existential‐humanistic and existential‐integrative therapy:

Philosophy and theory. The Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy, 247-256.

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