Explain key characteristics and concepts of Humanistic Therapy, Psychodynamic therapy & Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy

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Lisa Chinnery

Unit 2 1.1

Explain key characteristics and concepts of Humanistic Therapy, Psychodynamic therapy & Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy

Humanistic Therapy

The foundations of the humanistic approach provide the client with a deeper understanding of who they are, what they feel and the opportunity to explore the possibility of creating personal choices. It encourages self-awareness and self-realisation.

Humanistic therapy is used for anxiety, low self-esteem, bereavement, depression, stress management, loss or relationship issues.

The key characteristics are;

Congruence – Genuineness, the counsellor shows honesty and openness toward the client, not putting on a front, they are equals.

Empathy – Accepting the client for who they are, not judging them them whatever they say or do will allow the client to open up.

Unconditional Positive Regard – Putting ourselves in the clients shoes, if the client feels, we are right there with them and know how they are feeling it will help them along the way, knowing that they are not alone with how they are feeling and where they are in their mind.

Environment – A safe environment is needed for the client to open up and carry on along their journey, they should be seen in a secure, private, comfortable space that allows them the freedom to open up without the worry of outside influences. Also, that their sessions are within the boundaries of the data protection act so whatever they say will go no further.

Trust – This will be given by the client as long as the counsellor uses the core conditions and abides by the code of ethics. Trust is vital for the relationship to be successful.

Equality – The relationship must be equal with no judgementalism, no higher or lower positioning. The relationship must begin and end with both as equals.

Counselling Skills – A counsellor must know and use their skills at all times throughout the relationship. This makes the client feel they are safe and not alone and that their worries are being listened to and manageable with the counsellor beside them. These include listening, mirroring, paraphrasing, clarification, knowing about beginnings and endings in the relationship and boundaries, reflecting and challenging skills.

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Key People and Concepts –

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)

 

Client centred therapy provides the therapist with the opportunity to see “the client as the client sees himself, to look at problems through his eyes” in an “atmosphere of complete psychological security” As a result of this empathic understanding the client spontaneously begins to “reorganise the structure of self in accordance with reality and his own needs” A central notion in Rogers’s theory of therapy was the self-concept, or the view the person holds of himself or herself. A discrepancy between the person’s self-concept and the way the person wishes to be (the ...

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This essay states that it will look at Humanistic, Psycho dynamic and Cognitive approaches to therapy but actually only covers the first area. The work is good and well researched but isn't always applied in a therapeutic way. It describes the theory but does not explain how it is used in therapy. This could be simply rectified by using some case studies as examples and describing how the therapy worked. ****