Cognitive-behavioral therapy resonates with me because ineffective,
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Jaydel Rayne
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Comparing Existential-Humanistic Therapy to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Psychotherapy is ubiquitous in medical practice; all healthcare providers use psychological treatment techniques every day, with every patient. The essence of psychotherapy is to use the power of words to improve patients’ emotional and physical status. This discussion explains and compares the cognitive behavioral therapy with existential-humanistic therapy. Additionally, this discussion addresses the therapies’ strengths and challenges and describes a fictional client best suited for each type of therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy merges aspects of behavior and cognitive therapies to form a treatment that may be more than the sum of its parts (Dobson & Dobson, 2018). The general approach to cognitive behavioral therapy is that therapists help patients first to become aware of and then to modify their maladaptive thoughts and behavior. The therapy takes the form of graded activities and tasks that help clients gain confidence in managing less severe problems before attempting more severe ones (Dobson & Dobson, 2018).
Cognitive-behavioral therapy resonates with me because ineffective, irrational, or distorted beliefs and attitudes may lead to harmful behavioral patterns that lead to impaired functioning. Furthermore, cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in the treatment of common psychiatric disorders such as depressive disorders, trauma-related disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and anxiety disorders (Twomey et al., 2015; McKay et al., 2015).
Existential-Humanistic Therapy Versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Several similarities exist between cognitive behavioral therapy and existential-humanistic therapy. Foremost, both therapies conceive individuals as having the freedom to decide what they want to be. As such, the therapies primarily emphasize responsibility, decision making, will, rationality, and self-actualization (Krug & Schneider, 2016). Additionally, both psychotherapies work mostly on verbal processes, not interpretations.
Nonetheless, there are notable differences that exist between cognitive behavioral therapy and existential-humanistic therapy. While existential-humanistic therapy stresses the overlap to the future, cognitive behavioral therapy emphasizes the actual emotions, thoughts, physical reactions, and how these behaviors were learned in the past and maintained in the present (Wolfe, 2016). Though both therapies stress the conscious choice, freedom, and intentionality that individuals have, cognitive behavioral therapy does not speak so much about engagement, authenticity, and responsibility.
Strengths and Challenges
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Strengths: Cognitive behavioral therapy is as effective as medications in various psychiatric disorders (Twomey et al., 2015; McKay et al., 2015). Additionally, psychotherapy can be completed in a relatively short period compared to other psychotherapies.
Challenges: For clients to benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, they must be committed to the process. The therapy may be unsuitable for clients with learning difficulties or those with complex mental health needs. This is because psychotherapy is highly structured (Dobson & Dobson, 2018).
Existential-Humanistic Therapy
Strengths: Existential-humanistic therapy empowers clients to make individual choices and be responsible for their actions (Dobson & Dobson, 2018). Besides, the psychotherapy is person-centered. As such, therapists accept the clients’ ability to make their own choices. Additionally, Krug and Schneider (2016) state that existential-humanistic therapy treats clients with unconditional positive regard.
Challenges: Critics of the therapy claim that existential-humanistic therapy is overly intellectual (Cooper, 2016). Consequently, clients who cannot relate to deep self-examination and self-reflection may find the therapy ineffective. Moreover, the therapy has been criticized for ostracizing religious people (Bishop, 2018). This criticism stems from the atheistic beliefs of some of the proponents of the theory.
Fictional Case Study
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
A. M. is a twenty-two-year-old African American female client with panic disorder. She believes that her palpitations are a sign of an impending heart attack. This conviction causes further anxiety so that a cycle of mounting anxiety builds up. Cognitive-behavioral therapy may be effective in clients with panic disorders. In such clients, the psychotherapist should explain that the somatic symptoms are part of the physiological response to stress. Additionally, the clients should be asked to write down the fearful thoughts that precede and accompany the panic attacks. The therapist should also demonstrate that fearful cognitions can induce anxiety. Lastly, the clients should be asked to think in new ways when they experience symptoms of panic disorder.
Existential-Humanistic Therapy
M.N. is a thirty-seven-year-old Caucasian male who came to psychotherapy complaining of dark moods, anxiety, and difficulty connecting with others. He listed several things in his life that were left undone for several reasons. The reasons were vague, circular, and hard to follow. He had dropped out of a graduate program and owed the institution money. He wanted to smoke less cannabis. He had not filed divorce papers despite having separated six years ago. In such a client, existential-humanistic therapy may be effective in exploring issues of identity, meaning, and purpose.
References
Bishop, B. (2018). Advocating for atheist clients in the counseling profession. Counseling and Values, 63(1), 17-30. https://doi.org/10.1002/cvj.12070
Cooper, M. (2016). Existential therapies. Sage.
Dobson, D., & Dobson, K. S. (2018). Evidence-based practice of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Guilford Publications.
Krug, O. T., & Schneider, K. J. (2016). Supervision essentials for existential-humanistic therapy. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/14951-000
McKay, D., Sookman, D., Neziroglu, F., Wilhelm, S., Stein, D. J., Kyrios, M., & Veale, D. (2015). Efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for the obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychiatry Research, 225(3), 236-246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2014.11.058
Twomey, C., O’Reilly, G., & Byrne, M. (2015). Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety and depression in primary care: A meta-analysis. Family Practice, 32(1), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmu060
Wolfe, B. E. (2016). Existential-humanistic therapy and psychotherapy integration: A commentary. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 26(1), 56–60. https://doi.org/10.1037/int0000023
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