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Humanist Existential Psychotherapy vs Counseling Therapy

Walden University

NRNP 6645: Psychotherapy with Multiple Modalities

June 20, 2021

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Description of humanistic-existential psychotherapy

Humanistic-existential psychotherapy is notably a therapy that aids patients or clients to

find their uniqueness or distinct attributes via gaining a greater awareness of themselves the

world around them (Jovanovic & Svrakic, 2017). To better understand it, the professor who was

interviewed in the video “existential-humanistic psychotherapy” breaks it down further by

defining the two distinct words. She delineates the existential parts as a philosophy how of

things are or how life should be relevant to a specific model (Bugental, 2008).

The humanistic individuality of the person. The humanistic-existential psychotherapy

patients or clients are given the free will to discover or explore those particular aspects of their

lives that assist their journey and can be thrown away to live a full life. The goal of humanistic-

existential psychotherapy leans on the act of developing capacity for self-awareness. It asks

questions like “who am I?” “What can I do with my self”. This question has no national or racial

boundaries. This allows a person to explore his freedom in his way and his own chosen.

Humanistic-existential psychotherapy helps to create a personal identity depending on a

reasonable level of reality. It also helps people admit normal anxiety as a common natural

condition of living. It also aids in searching for life, values, and beliefs of lives and meaning.

The second approach relates to the theory of counseling – existential therapy developed

by Dr. Todd L. Grande. This therapy is characterized by self-awareness, development of identity,

establishing relationships, self-actualization, freedom, and responsibility, finding meanings and

values and fears (guilt, emptiness, lack of relationship, isolation, and death, etc).

Three differences between the therapies

 In the humanist-existence psychotherapy approach, the effort is directed towards helping

individuals or the client to search for the meaning and the required elements for

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fulfillment and purpose of life, while existential therapy or theory of counsel seeks to

help people to end the fear of the unknown.

 The humanist-existential psychotherapy uses efforts for individuals under the therapy to

gear towards acceptance and growth whereas existential help to establish values.

 Existential psychotherapy also focuses on how clients can manage fears, the counselor

works to understand client experiences and ways of being in the world (eigenwelt,

mitwlet, unwelt, and uberwelt) whereas humanist-existential psychotherapy makes a

conscious effort to guide individuals or clients to liberate them from assumptions and

positions that impedes them from living a full life.

Utilizing humanistic-existential psychotherapy

The video where James Bugental utilizes humanistic-existential psychotherapy on an

African American woman was essential because the therapy enabled the woman to find the

true identity of the client, allowing her to make choices that are in her best interest and the

interest of others. Although she wanted to attain perfection, yet she needed to embrace the

fact that she can make mistakes. The therapy enabled her realized when she feels tensed and

how to organize her emotions to help her children. The therapy also emphasized how

judgmental the client is and helped her realized the efforts to use to come out of it. The

therapy also enabled her to realize how she can deal with the relationship with other people

(Psychological and Educational Services, 2021) especially men, and having the choice to

choose who to be with based on her self-direction. Also, the therapy helps her realize how

her choices can impact a healthy social network especially with the client’s mother, friends,

and children. The client also realizes through the therapy that she does take charge of doing

things and finds a solution to problems during task performance. Here, the therapy creates a

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permissive and nonjudgmental atmosphere for the patient to express her emotions freely

sharing all her complexities, balances, and how to integrate certain personalities in her life.

Expected outcome using the theories of counseling – existential therapy

Using existential therapy would allow the client to establish values and formation of

identity and making her attain self-actualization where she feels authentic and important

(Wong, 2020). The existential therapy would also have helped the client to be aware that

changes are possible when it is thought of and accepted. Hence, the client would be able to

use mixed behavior strategies to express sensitivity and empathy to her kids while still

helping them to be well-organized for the next day of school. It would also enable her to

realize the need for a man to be with her, accepting and working on fear obtained from

previous experiences. The existential therapy would have also allowed the client to confront

her dilemmas and repressed fears. It would also have helped her to improve communication

with others especially men, and also take responsibility for decisions made as she always

likes to take charge of doing things.

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References

Bugental, J. (2008). Existential-humanistic psychotherapy [Video].

https://waldenu.kanopy.com/video/existential-humanistic-psychotherapy

Grande, T. (2019, January 9). Theories of counseling – Existential therapy [Video]. YouTube.

Jovanovic, M. D., & Svrakic, D. (2017). Integrative Treatment of Personality Disorder. Part I:

Psychotherapy. Psychiatria Danubina, 29(1), 2–13. https://doi-

org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.24869/psyd.2017.2

Psychological and Educational services.(2021).Humanistic-existence approach. Retrieved from

https://www.ccpeweb.ca/en/services/psychotherapy/humanistic-existential-approach/

Wong P. (2020). Existential positive psychology and integrative meaning therapy. International

review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 32(7-8), 565–578. https://doi-

org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1080/09540261.2020.1814703

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