In the contemporary, there are numerous approaches to the counselling and therapy. One of the currently popular ones are the existential and the cognitive-behavioural therapies. This essay will compare and contrast the existential and cognitive-behavioural approaches to understanding and working with fear and sadness. Firstly, their history. Secondly, their perceptions on the fear and sadness. Thirdly, their approach to the diagnosis. Then, the therapeutic relation in them. And finally, the processes of therapy of fear and sadness. Throughout the comparison, I will indicate which of the approaches I am more drawn to and why. Both of the approaches were developed by the former psychoanalysts but drawing from different sources. The …show more content…
However, the popularity of its ideas seems to be rising. There are both differences and similarities in how the existential therapy and the cognitive-behavioural therapy understand the fear and sadness. The existential therapy explains them with the ideas about life from the existential philosophy (Langdridge, 2010). The cognitive-behavioural therapy perceives them as a result of the negative meanings that people assign to the events in their life (Salkovskis, 2010). Fear, in the existential therapy, is a manifestation of the existential anxiety. This is an universal phenomenon resulting from the fact that the human life is a situation which we haven’t chosen, in which we have to constantly make free choices - and take the responsibility for this freedom – and we cannot be sure about the outcomes of the choices we make. It is also a result of the awareness of the inevitable death. The cognitive-behavioural therapy claims that fear occurs when a person perceives a danger or a threat. This can be a physical danger, a social danger or related to a person’s role. It can be a real one or only a bare product of interpretation. The negative interpretations can cause reactions that can lead to consequent events and negative interpretations. This forms a vicious circle which is responsible for the development and maintenance of the anxiety. The existential therapy sees fear and anxiety as related to the human existence. In contrast, the cognitive-behavioural therapy relates
In the counseling world today understanding psychodynamic approaches is more crucial than ever in the assessment and treatment of any psychological issue. Psychodynamic approaches such as Individual therapy, analytical therapy and psychoanalysis are similar in many ways but also differ based on the individuals own perception and circumstances. I will discuss the similarities as well difference’s and why these forms of therapy are critical in the assessment and treatment of clients.
Chapter 6 is about Existential therapy, which is more a way of thinking. In other words, Existential therapy focuses on exploring themes such as mortality, meaning, freedom, responsibility, anxiety, and aloneness as these relate to a person’s current struggle. Like the professor has done before, a video of Dr. Corey and Stan was shown. The themes were death, anxiety and finding meaning in life. Stan began to explore the meaning and purpose in his life. Personally, each video has helped me a lot in understanding the techniques in each psychotherapy. After watching the video, and discussing the material with the professor, I learned that a basic goal of counseling from an existential perspective is to help clients to accept their freedom and
As defined by Merriam-Webster, Existentialism is, “a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad” (Merriam Webster). Logotherapy/existential analysis is based on the premise that within one’s self there lies the 1) “Freedom to will, 2)“will to meaning”, and 3), “ meaning to life”. (Batthyany, Alexander) Meaning to life as it pertains to classic existential theory and logotherapy, is defined by the individual on a situational basis. It can vary based on what is essential to the individual and their well being (Existentialism-By Branch/Doctrine, The Basics of Philosophy). Frankl concentrates on what it was that drives people to live, and determined that those who survived the unspeakable circumstances of the Nazi camps had been those who focused on the meaning of their lives. Frankl’s psychological-anthropological model addresses the ability for others overcome
Experiential therapy was developed through the humanistic-existentialist movement during the 1960’s. During the development of experiential therapy it pulled from; Gestalt therapy, psychodrama, client-centered, and encounter-group movement. Within experiential therapy it pulls from the following approaches; satir growth model, symbolic-experiential therapy, emotionally focused couples therapy, and internal family systems. The thought process in this therapy is that it is indiviual and family focused, it is able to create warmth, empathy, and rapport with the therapist. Experiential therapy is also thought to be individual and family focused. Experiential therapy focused on 5 main communication stances which are the clients defense stances when under stress. These stances are congruent, placator, blamer, super reasonable, and irrelevant. These stances can help a client acknowledge or minimize three realities self, other and context. For a client or family to have effective change with this model they must go through the six stage model of change. In these stages a families homeostasis is knocked off balance due to event, life crisis or change. As the family is navigating trough this crisis they are in a state off chaos as they don 't know what is ahead. Once the chaos has calmed then the family can look at integrating change and new possibilities. Between chaos and integration is where a therpist can be most affective in helping them too
Nothing brings relief from the existential torture.” (Depression, 1997). Everyone is subject to sadness or melancholy moods especially after tragic events such as death, dissolution of a personal relationship, or economic hardship; these feelings are normal. It is a prolonged sense of these feeling and being unable to process past them that a more serious form of depression has taken hold. The damage caused by the emotional and mental effects of depression can be far reaching from hurting and pushing away friends and family, destroying careers, and can even result in death by suicide.(Depression, 1997).
Following the publication of Freud’s ‘Papers on Technique’ between 1912 and 1917, there have been papers and symposia on the subject. Four symposia in 1937, 1948, 1958, and 1961 were devoted to the examination of therapeutic results of psychoanalysis, the mechanisms behind its curative factors, variations in technique and the ego-psychological approach to interpretations (Rosenfeld, 1972, 454). In 1934, James Strachey published his paper on “The Nature of the Therapeutic Action of Psychoanalysis,” which has since been considered one of the most seminal works on the subject. He holds that his paper is “not a practical discussion upon psychoanalytic technique,” and that “it’s immediate bearings are theoretical” (Strachey, 1934, 127). However, as Herbert Rosenfeld points out in his 1972 critical appreciation of Strachey’s paper, “this is clearly an understatement; the paper both challenges one’s clinical experience and has important clinical implications even though actual case material is not quoted” (Rosenfeld, 1972, 454). It would not be difficult to summarize Strachey’s main points regarding therapeutic action and mutative interpretation, and it would prove similarly sterile to simply compare his ideas with the views of other psychoanalysts, contemporaneous and contemporary. Instead, as Strachey concerns himself primarily with the structural nature of mutative change, this paper will aim to delineate a more in-depth exploration of the way different structures of the
My top five theories are Gestalt, Reality, Person Centered, Existential and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Within these five theories my top five aspects that I would like to incorporate into my own personal model of counseling is as follows: 1.) From Gestalt therapy I would incorporate staying with the feeling and use experiments along with internal dialogue exercises (Corey, 2013). The aspect of getting to the root of unfinished business in regards to impasse is appealing in regards to this theory as well as the idea that it moves the client to a place where they are more confident asking for help (Corey, 2013) 2.) From the Reality Therapy approach I would incorporate the WDEP technique (Corey, 2013). I feel that it is of the most importance to recognize what one wants from his or her life and to be able to verbalize and have an action based, planned path that moves one towards the goal (Corey, 2013). 3.) From the Person Centered Approach I would incorporate genuineness, unconditional positive regard and accurate empathic understanding (Corey, 2013). In regards to the therapeutic process when working with people in crisis I believe this model is most effective (Corey, 2013). 4.) From an Existential Therapy approach I would incorporate the aspect of guiding the client to a place of awareness. I believe being aware of why one is not living their life fully is very important to moving a person toward making choices that will get them to a life that is more authentic to who
A phenomenological focus in existential counselling relates to the degree in which a therapist attempts to stay with the lived experiences of the client (Spinelli, 1989). The phenomenological method, as explained by Spinelli (1989), has a foundation of three main rules to guide the therapist. The first rule of ‘epoche’, recommends putting aside any prejudices and biases, as well as expectations or pre-conceived judgements that may arise when interacting with a client (Spinelli, 1989). This often requires the use of bracketing. Spinelli, highlights that completely bracketing perspectives is impossible (Cooper, 2003), However, the main factor relates to a willingness to bracket perspectives. For example, in the “Love’s Executioner”, Yalom (2012, p. 3) describes having disbelief that his client of seventy years could be in love but attempts to bracket this thought by maintaining objectivity throughout the encounter. The second rule called description, involves a focus on description over explanation (Cooper, 2003). Therapists are recommended to avoid theories and explanations of the experience, instead making a focus of staying with the lived experience as it actually is (Spinelli, 1989). For example, in “The Wrong One Died”, Yalom (2012, p. 90) avoids an explanation of what his clients dream means, in favour of asking the client to describe the feelings that arose throughout the
"If we affirm life and live in the present as fully as possible, however, we will not be obsessed with the end of life"(Corey p.153). This is the way of thinking for the existential theorist when it comes to patients who deal with death anxiety. Dr. Yalom dealt with this issue when he did a study on bereavement. He put an ad in the
The main difference between the Adlerian approach and the Psychoanalytic approach deals with the stance the therapist takes. In the Psychoanalytic approach , the therapist sits back and gives the client the right to express himself without any resistance. Since transference is a big issue with this approach, and the client can develop projections toward the therapist(Corey, 2013, pg. 481), so it is important for the therapist to remain neutral. Transference interpretation helps our clients by enabling them to see broad patterns of fantasies, interactions and object relations that they had never put together before(Howes, 2010). This approach goes against the philosophy of counseling because the therapist take a back seat, while the client takes the wheel and counseling should be more about an integrative approach. On the other hand the Psychoanalytic approach is based on mutual respect and the importance of goals. Focus is on identifying, exploring and disclosing mistaken goals and faulty assumptions within the persons lifestyle(Corey, 2013, pg. 481), and this approach shows the importance of a therapist who uses more guidance to identify those objectives.
In terms of sadness and depression, comparisons and contrasts can be made between CBT and existential therapy. Heidegger and Boss understood sadness or depression as a mood invoked by feelings of being closed off from an aspect of our freedom. They suggest that depression is a consequence of this restricted way of thinking and not the result of inner psychological conflict. Contrastingly, through Beck’s pivotal cognitive theory of emotion, CBT considers sadness or depression to be a common negative emotional response or disorder associated with thoughts and mental images from the past brought about by a viscous cycle of negative patterns of interpretation and dysfunctional reactions which further compound a negative mood. It further suggests that feelings of sadness or even depression are associated with a perception that something has been lost, actually or conceptually.
Among these therapeutic approaches are the psychodynamic approach and the existential approach. An example of existential approach psychotherapy is the person-centred therapy that was introduced by Carl Rogers in the 1940s. Person-centred therapy (PCT) focuses on the quality of the person-to-person therapeutic relationship; it places faith and gives responsibility to the client in dealing with problems and concerns (Corey, 2009, p. 30). On the other hand, for the psychodynamic approach, Sigmund Freud, the core founder of this approach developed psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is a therapy aimed to treat mental disorder. It is a set of techniques for treating the unconscious causes of mental disorders; as well as to explain the underlying factors of how human personality and abnormality develop from childhood (Corey, 2009, p. 30). This paper examines the similarities and differences between psychoanalytic therapy and
A key concept of existential therapy is the relationship between freedom and responsibility. In contrast
Therapy is the one of the means to help people treated from their mental and emotional problem through a series of interaction with the therapist and client. The therapist must have a professional skill about to use different method of therapy to help the client face and solve their own problem more effectively. Every therapy has different characteristics, also has their advantages and shortcomings. In this essay, I would like to compare and contrast psychoanalysis and cognitive behavioural therapy to find out the difference about their concept and process of therapy.
Different counseling theories, such as psychoanalytic, Adlerian, client-centered therapy, existential psychotherapy, gestalt therapy, and reality therapy can be applied to different clinical settings and populations by a counselor or therapist (Rayner & Vitali, 2015). The purpose of this paper is to apply a counseling theory, existential therapy, to the provided case study of Paul, a 34-year-old male with work inhibition, but yearns for more in his life. Essentially, counseling theories can be used a foundation for counselor’s or therapist’s work with clients. It is one of the most unique forms of counseling theories that aims at exploring the psychological and emotional challenges faced by a client from a philosophical perspective, particularly