Psychotherapy is the use of psychological techniques, especially those involving consistent one-on-one contact, to encourage behavioral modification, boost well-being, and resolve emotional distress (Wampold, 2019). Psychotherapy aims to improve a person’s mental health and well-being by resolving or minimizing troublesome behaviors, thoughts, beliefs, or feelings and enhancing interpersonal connections and social skills. Humanistic-existential psychotherapy is a type of therapy that focuses on the condition of an individual. It affirms people’s potential and hopes for the future while acknowledging their limits (Cooper et al., 2018). On the other hand, CBT is a kind of psychotherapy that focuses on a patient’s thought processes and behavioral patterns. CBT tries to alter negative thought and action patterns that lead to emotional distress (Dobson, & Dobson, 2018). This paper will compare humanistic-existential psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Differences between the two psychotherapies
Both humanistic-existential and cognitive behavioral therapy employ different concepts and approaches to treatment (Heidenreich et al., 2021). One of the differences between these two therapies is that humanistic-existential therapy is an upbeat modality that takes a constructive approach that emphasizes an individual’s latent capacity for personal development. In contrast, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on changing an individual’s way of thinking and doing. It does not aim to improve people but rather to alter their thoughts and actions. The other difference is that humanistic-existential therapy tends to be more casual. The therapist does not operate from a set script or set of tactics in their sessions with clients. On the other hand, the CBT technique takes a rather systematic approach to client interaction. As a matter of course, therapists often begin sessions by narrowing down on the issue at hand by having the patient recount their current state of mind and the events surrounding the presenting problem (Dobson, & Dobson, 2018).
Lastly, humanistic-existential therapy is more of a conversation between the patient and therapist about improving the patient’s life. It involves the patient’s quest for insight into his or her own experiences and more profound questions about the nature of reality (Cooper et al., 2018). In contrast, Outcomes are emphasized heavily in CBT. Assuming that the therapist and patient have come to terms with what needs to be accomplished during therapy sessions, the sessions will be directed toward achieving the goal. The dissimilarities between humanistic-existential and cognitive-behavioral therapy may affect my work as a PMHNP. I am responsible for assessing each patient’s requirements and choosing which treatment method would be most effective. CBT is the method I use when I want my client to alter their thought patterns to increase desirable actions and employ humanistic-existential therapy for clients seeking to realize themselves and the reality of the world around them.
Why humanistic-existential psychotherapy was utilized
From the video, the patient complains of not feeling alive in addition to struggling to make sense of his surroundings and experiencing a sense of confinement. Humanistic-existential psychotherapy was the best to employ in this case because it encouraged the cultivation of self-awareness and freedom of choice. Additionally, the therapy would aid in the development of the patient’s self-awareness and bring him into the present moment, allowing him to have better interactions. If CBT were applied to the client, the outcome would differ because he would not develop self-awareness but rather change his thinking patterns. It will not solve the client’s main problem of not feeling alive.
In conclusion, humanistic-existential therapy looks at the patient’s condition. The ability for introspection and uniqueness formation is fostered in this therapy. Contrarily, CBT looks at the individual’s mental state as the primary emphasis. According to CBT, being mindful of one’s ideas and how they affect one’s actions is beneficial. The underlying premise is that those pathological ways of thinking cause emotional distress. Counselors should assess the type of problem a client presents before deciding the type of therapy to administer.
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References
Correia, E. A., Cooper, M., Berdondini, L., & Correia, K. (2018). Existential Psychotherapies: Similarities and Differences Among the Main Branches. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 58(2), 119-143.
Dobson, D., & Dobson, K. S. (2018).&nbs
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