Explain at least three differences between these therapies. Include how these differences might impact your practice as a PMHNP
Comparing Humanistic–Existential Psychotherapy with Other Approaches
It is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried.
—Carl Rogers, from On Becoming a Person
This client-centered perspective is the cornerstone of humanistic–existential therapy, which requires therapists to “attempt to receive clients with curiosity and openness, endeavor to grasp their subjective world, and believe that clients are the experts on their own experience” (Wheeler, 2014, p. 373). As the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, it is important to understand that the effectiveness of this approach is dependent on your relationship with clients, as well as your beliefs on holism and human nature.
This week, you compare humanistic–existential therapy with other approaches and justify its use with individual patients.
Wheeler, K. (Ed.). (2014). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-to guide for evidence-based practice (2nd ed.). Springer Publishing.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Distinguish between humanistic–existential psychotherapy and other types of psychotherapy
- Justify the use of humanistic–existential psychotherapy approaches with individual patients
To prepare:
- Review the humanistic–existential psychotherapy videos in this week’s Learning Resources.
- 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.
Expert Answer and Explanation
Comparing Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy with CBT
Psychotherapy is one of the clinical intervention options that mental health practitioners utilize to address patients’ mental health needs. Regarding psychotherapy, mental health professionals adopt various approaches, primarily informed by the nature of the patients’ needs and the existing psychotherapy concepts or theories (Robbins, 2021). Depending on the needs of patients they are working with, therefore, psychotherapists may opt for the approaches like Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy (HEP) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It is important to examine the aspects of these two approaches, highlighting their differences including the manner in which they can influence PMHNP practice.
Description of Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy and the Selected Second Approach
The HEP approach integrates the approaches that are unique to the humanistic and existential approaches, and it banks on the knowledge of philosophy and psychology to understand human in terms of the development of their thought pattern, and how they make sense of their existing. The use of the HEP enhances the client’s understanding of their feelings and thoughts because it encourages self-exploration of one’s own concerns, fears and thoughts. By using the HEP, still, a psychotherapist helps those struggling with emotional issues to freely share their experiences, and express their feelings.
People’s thought patterns depend on what they learn and experience and some of the thought patterns they develop may disrupt their emotional and psychological health. Destructive thoughts interfere with one’s emotional health, resulting to poor social relationships (Heidenreich et al., 2021). The CBT seeks to resolve the unproductive thoughts by teaching one to think normally.
Differences between the Therapies
Analysis of the aspects of the selected therapy approaches reveals key differences especially when it comes to mode of use. While the CBT focuses on a particular issue that the client experiences or struggles with, the HEP is more of a client-centered approach considering that it emphasizes the client’s experiences.
The therapy techniques differ, still, in terms of the goals they seek to achieve. A psychotherapist may use the CBT to lessen the manifestations tied to the negative thought patterns. Conversely, the HEP guides the psychotherapist to help their client to be aware of their self-worth, and live fulfilling lives.
While a therapist in the CBT setting directs the patient as they teach them appropriate skills for dealing with the unproductive thoughts, the HEP therapist guides the client through the experience of modifying their behavior (Ziaee et al., 2021).
How the Differences might impact my Practice as a PMHNP
As a PMHNP, the differences may affect my practice by altering how I work with patients. For instance, I would involve the client more when working with the HEP because this would allow them to identify what they feel can work in terms of modifying their thought patterns. If I were to use the CBT as a PMHNP, I would emphasize on the client’s experience that are responsible for the client’s negative emotions.
Why the Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy was utilized with the Patient in the Video and the Reason why it was the Treatment of Choice
The presented video is about a patient who is easily angered, and struggles with life stressors that seem to adversely affect their emotional health. The use of the HEP for this patient involved facilitation of the self-exploration by encouraging the patient to discover their identity. It also involves engaging the client in a dialogue in which the client freely expresses what they feel including their fears (Schnipke & MacKay, 2023). This is an ideal treatment for the patient because it allows them to have the opportunity to go through a journey in which they understand their identity and their own self, which essentially enhances healing.
Description of the Potential Outcome if the Second Approach had been used with the Patient
With the CBT, the patient would develop skills or techniques in which they control their negative emotions that may lead to anger outburst. Through the psychotherapist’s intervention, the client learns the techniques that can help them solve problems that may degenerate into anger (Roushani & Mehrabizadeh Honarmand, 2021).
Why the Supporting Sources are considered Scholarly
The sources of information used are scholarly because they have been scrutinized, and subjected to rigorous review to help generate new knowledge. The authors generated the knowledge by examining going through the existing body of knowledge, synthesizing the information.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the CBT and the HEP are both psychotherapy frameworks that inform the choice of the psychotherapists’ interventions. Unlike the CBT, the HEP is client-centered, emphasizing the client’s experiences during the journey of treatment. A PMHNP should consider the differences between the two approaches when working with patients because these differences may affect psychotherapy outcomes.
References
Heidenreich, T., Noyon, A., Worrell, M., & Menzies, R. (2021). Existential Approaches and Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Challenges and Potential. International journal of cognitive therapy, 14(1), 209–234. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-020-00096-1.
Robbins, B. D. (2021). The Joyful Life: An Existential-Humanistic Approach to Positive Psychology in the Time of a Pandemic. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 648600. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648600.
Roushani, K., & Mehrabizadeh Honarmand, M. (2021). The Effectiveness of Cognitive-behavioral Therapy on Anger in Female Students with Misophonia: A Single-Case Study. Iranian journal of medical sciences, 46(1), 61–67. https://doi.org/10.30476/ijms.2019.82063..
Schnipke, B., & MacKay, M. (2023). Existential Issues in Psychotherapy. Innovations in clinical neuroscience, 20(1-3), 72–75. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10132274/.
Ziaee, A., Nejat, H., Amarghan, H. A., & Fariborzi, E. (2021). Existential therapy versus acceptance and commitment therapy for feelings of loneliness and irrational beliefs in male prisoners. European Journal of Translational Myology, 32(1), 102171. https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2022.102171.
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