Chapter 13: Humanistic Psychology
Roots
Carl Rogers: psychodynamically trained psychologist but disagreed with Freud's theories
Abraham Maslow helped Rogers pioneer toward a humanistic movement in therapy (humanistic therapy)
human nature is good or neutral so it is best to encourage it
Clinical Implications
Self-actualization: humans have an inborn tendency to grow and if the environment fosters it, it will happen
Positive Regard: the warmth, love and acceptance of those around us
Goals of Humanistic Psychotherapy
primary goal is to foster self-actualization; psychological problems are a result of a stifled growth process
task of humanistic therapist is to create a climate in which clients can resume their natural growth toward psychological wellness
Conditional positive regard: we are prized only if we meed certain conditions
real self: who an individual actually is
ideal self: who the person wants to be (fulfilling potential)
Incongruence: discrepancy between real self and ideal self; root of psychopathology
congruence: match between real self and ideal self; achieved when self-actualization guides a person's life without interference
Elements of Humanistic Psychotherapy
Three essential therapeutic conditions: characterize therapist-client relationship
Empathy: therapist is able to sense the client's emotions and perceive/understand events in their life in a compassionate way
can enable clients to clarify their own feelings for themselves and have more confidence in their emotions and feel valued/supported
Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR): full acceptance of a person no matter what
Genuineness: honesty; truly empathetic and provide UPR
also called therapist congruence because there is a match between the therapist's real and ideal selves
relatively high level of transparency by the therapist; forthcoming and candid about their own thoughts and feelings (sessions are still for the benefit of the client)
humanists look at how therapists should be with clients
Alternatives to Humanism
Historical Alternatives
Reflection: takes place when a therapist responds to a client by rephrasing or restating the client's statements in a way that highlights the client's feelings or emotions
Existential Psychotherapy: developed by Rollo May, Victor Frankl and Irvin Yalom; centers on premise that each person is essentially alone in the world and that realization of this fact can overwhelm us with anxiety; emphasis is placed on the clients' abilities to overcome meaninglessness by creating a sense of meaning
Gestalt Therapy: founded by Fritz Perls; emphasizes a holistic approach to enhancing the client's experience, which includes both mental and physical perceptions; therapists encourage clients to reach their full potential
Motivational Interviewing (MI): developed by William Miller; centers on addressing clients' ambivalence or uncertainty about making major changes to their way of life
originally developed to treat addictive behaviors, but has been used to treat a wide variety of disorders
practitioners don't pressure the client to change which allows clients activate their own intrinsic values to elicit motivation
Central Principles of MI
expressing empathy: taking the clients' view and honoring their feelings
developing the discrepancy: highlight how behavior is inconsistent with goals or values, which enhances motivation for change
avoiding argumentation: clients must choose to change; therapist doesn't directly confront clients
rolling with resistance: if a client doesn't want to change, the therapist accepts and reflects it rather than fights it
identifying "sustain talk" and "change talk:" therapist acknowledge and understand internal dispute and allow client to work out their own resolution
sustain talk: resistance to change
change talk: statements made in favor of changing the problem behavior
supporting self-efficacy: therapists let clients know that they have the power to improve themselves
Positive Psychology: broad-based approach that emphasizes human strengths rather than pathology, and cultivation of happiness in addition to reduction of symptoms of psychotherapy
acknowledges the inherent potential of individuals to develop and maintain positive attributes
incorporate a holistic or comprehensive understanding of the client that includes strengths and weaknesses
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): encourage clients to share their feelings toward others with a goal of replacing patterns of blaming and withdrawing with patterns of empathy and self-disclosure
empty chair technique: clients speak directly to an imaginary person toward whom they have typically withheld their feelings
short-term humanistic therapy that has garnered significant empirical evidence and popularity in recent years;