Existential Therapy
.
Who: Viktor Frankl - responsible for making
Existential therapy popular in Europe and bringing it to the United States. He
developed therapy through meaning.
Rollo May – the key
figure in bringing this therapy to the United States
Irvin Yalom – developed individual
and group therapy where existential therapy was popular
·
Goals of Approach
o
This therapy builds on the basics concerning the
human condition and how shaping your
o
own life is a responsibility and you have the
freedom to do so. Self-determination and the right choices will enable you to
shape your own existence. This therapy is also considered therapeutic because
it focuses on person to person relationships
o
.
·
Key Concepts
o
The key concept would be focusing on the present
and with self-awareness, you zero in on what you are becoming.
o
This therapy
is an experimental approach to counseling but you need to concentrate on self-awareness
before taking action.
The capacity for self-awareness
Freedom and Responsibility
Striving for Identity and
Relationships to others
The search for meaning
Anxiety as a Condition of living
Techniques
Technique is not as important in
this type of therapy as getting the client to understand the issues and
addressing them.
1.
First help them become aware of the issues and
get them to understand that with freedom comes great responsibility.
2.
Guide them towards finding their identity and
the how to develop relationships with others.
3.
Get them to search for purpose to their lives.
4.
Help them to work through anxieties which comes
from the responsibility of making their own choices
Person Centered Therapy
Who: Carl Rogers developed a person centered therapy
in the 1940’s that gets the client that gets the client to decide what he needs
to do. Rogers let the clients know he accepted them just like they are. He
encouraged them and let them know they have what it takes to make their own
decisions. Rogers found that clients would change when the therapist was
empathetic, genuine and conveyed non possessive warmth.
Natalie Rogers (Carl’s daughter)
furthered his therapy by adding in expressive arts which expands the client
centered therapy. Those techniques involved writing journals, using music to
express feelings, visual art, sounds and creative movement.
Goals of Approach
The goal is
to get the client to explore their feelings.
Learn to
trust themselves.
To unblock
thoughts and feelings they had been denying.
Experience
life to the fullest.
Have a life that is more open.
Direct their own steps.
Key Concepts
To help the
client give attention to the present
Give them
encouragement and accept them as they are
Help them
realize they have the ability to choose their own direction.
The ability to handle issues as
they arrive.
The counselor creates a safe and
healing climate.
Express their feelings and decipher
the difference between what they are and what they
want to be.
Healing begins with self and this
causes growth.
Techniques Used
Techniques
used were the stages of change
1.
Precontemplation Stage – no intention of
changing client’s behavior immediately.
2.
Contemplation Stage – client is aware of problem
but no commitment to take action yet.
3.
Preparation Stage – prepare to take action
immediately.
4.
Action Stage – in the process of taking measures
to change or modify behavior. Changing behavior to solve problems.
5.
Maintenance Stage – client works to maintain the
progress they’ve made and do what’s necessary to not backslide into old habits
and problems.
Links;
Claessens, M. (2009). Existential
analysis. Journal of the society for the existential analysis, 20(1),
109-119.
Bozarth, J. D. (1985).
Quantum theory and the person centered approach. Journal of counseling and
development, 64(3), 179.
