Lecture 3 Humanistic

Approaches & Person-

CenteredTherapyIntroduction to Counselling Module

Kevin Standish

Review of behaviourism

Video• Fully functioning person: 2.5 min• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZwMz-807uE

Learning objectives1.Define and describe the central concepts in Humanistic approach

2.Describe the core conditions used in the client -therapist relationship

3.Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of humanism

1. BACKGROUND TO THE APPROACH

Carl Rogers was the driving forcePhenomenology and existentialismThird force PsychologyMaslow hierarchy of needs

Carl Roger's was the driving force1. Rogers based the approach from a

psychological point of view2. Used the scientific method for

object of measurement3. Was a reaction against the

psychoanalytic and behaviourism4. His aim was to study the effect on

the client of directive vs nondirective behaviour

Question: 2 minutes•What are the characteristics of directive therapy?

•What are the characteristics of non-directive therapy?

Phenomenology and existentialism

1. Philosophical movement that emphasizes worth of the individual and the centrality of human values

2. Human capacity to overcome hardship & despair

3. The subjective experience of the person is central

Third force Psychology1. Third force in psychology:

Humanism2. Main players: • Maslow-hierarchy of needs• Allport- the psychology of the

demobbed• Fritz Perls- Gestalt psychology

The Humanistic Tradition:The Motive to Self-Actualize

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Needs are hierarchically organized

Needs must be satisfied at the lower levels before we proceed to satisfy the higher needs

Lower needs are more powerful and pressing

Maslow’s Theory

“We each have a hierarchy of

needs that ranges from "lower"

to "higher." As lower needs are

fulfilled there is a tendency for

other, higher needs to emerge.”

Maslow’s Theory

Maslow’s theory maintains that a person does

not feel a higher need until the needs of the

current level have been satisfied.

Question: Reflect on how you have met your

own needs at each level. Write these down.

Maslow's basic needs are as follows:

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Esteem needsachievement, status, responsibility, reputation

Self-actualization personal growth and fulfilment

© design Alan Chapman 2001-7, based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsNot to be sold or published. More free online training resources are at www.businessballs.com. Alan Chapman accepts no

liability.

Belongingness and Love needsfamily, affection, relationships, work group, etc.

Safety needs protection, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc.

Biological and Physiological needsbasic life needs - air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc.

Physiological Needs

• Food

• Air

• Water

• Clothing

• Sex

Basic Human Needs

Safety Needs

Protection

Stability

Pain Avoidance

Routine/Order

Safety and Security

Social Needs

Affection

Acceptance

Inclusion

Love and Belonging

Esteem Needs Self-Respect

Self-Esteem

Respected by Others

Esteem

Self-Actualization

Achieve full potential Fulfillment

Esteem

Self-Actualization

Safety

Belonging

Physiological

Summary

2. EXISTENTIAL-HUMANISTIC TRADITIONGESTALT THEORY

Existential-Humanistic TraditionGestalt Theory

History: Founded by Fritz Perls• Believed looking at the whole was more important

than looking at the parts.• Motivated to perfect a theory as different from

Freud’s as possible.Basic Tenets• The Here and Now• Personal Awareness• Personal Responsibility• Unfinished Business• Becoming more fully alive

”

Gestalt Techniques

• The Here and Now: Everything important happens in the present.

• Unfinished Business: Things from the past, haunt us in the present.

• Channels of Resistance: Blocks people use to prevent themselves from having contact with others.

• Choices of Language: Client’s aren’t allow to overgeneralize.

Impact of Gestalt Therapy

3. ROGERS CORE CONCEPTS

The Actualising TendencySelf-concept: Sense of selfCore conditions for therapy

Video • 13 elements (4 min)• http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=WWSm8FLid9c&feature=related

the notion of the actualising tendency

• the tendency to develop more complex organisations,

• to fulfil potential in being human• to actualise the self• Overall described as the formative

tendency: the capacity to grow and develop.

Self-concept• Innate process by which a person tends

to grow spiritually and realize potential• Through self-exploration and integrating

various psychic forces to become a “whole” person

• Feelings, thoughts and behaviours accepted by significant others are integrated into the self concept

• Conditions of worth: conditional and unconditional positive regard

Conditional/Unconditional worth

Congruence/incongruent self

Question (3 minutes)• Briefly reflect on an encounter with

another person where you felt deeply understood and accepted by that person.

• List some of the qualities that allowed for that understanding to occur

• How did acceptance occur?• How did it make you feel to be so deeply

understood?

Core conditionsBased on conditions of worth1. Congruence - genuineness or realness, in relationship between therapist & client -being oneself in the therapeutic relationship with client2. Unconditional positive regard- acceptance and caring, but not approval of all behaviour3. Accurate empathic understanding – understanding of client’s frame of reference, ability to deeply grasp the client’s subjective world & communicate this back to the client

Therapy Relationship

• Based on the actualising tendency

• The client is the expert on themselves

• In other words: The Client Knows Best

• This influences all aspects of therapy

“It is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried" Rogers 1961

Six conditions necessary and sufficient for change

1. Two persons are in psychological contact2. The first, the client, is experiencing incongruency, is

vulnerable and anxious3. The second person, the therapist, is congruent or

integrated in the relationship4. The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard

or real caring for the client5. The therapist experiences empathy for the client’s

internal frame of reference and endeavors to communicate this to the client

6. The client perceives, to a minimal degree, this unconditional positive and imperfect understanding by the therapist.

3. THERAPEUTIC PROCESS

Therapeutic Process1.The therapist does not attempt to

solve the problem2.The therapist trusts the actualising

tendency of the client3.Through a trusting relationship

where they are understood and accepted, the actualising tendency motivates the person towards health

Therapeutic Process

4. It is a collaborative relationship: the therapist and client on a therapeutic journey together5. The therapist communicates empathy, Checks understanding with the client, and in the process discloses a non-judgemental attitude.

Person Centred therapy in action• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew8CAr1v48M• 5min

4. EVALUATION OF HUMANISTIC APPROACH

Strengths • The greatest strength has been

attention to the therapeutic relationship• The relationship is the curative factor in

and of itself• Diagnostic categories become a

description of dis-ease• The introduction of concept of the client

rather than patient

Weaknesses• Overly focused on the therapy relationship excludes

other factors that may cause psychological distress• The theory separates and isolates individual from

society: the individual can heal himself?• The assumption that disturbances are the result of

individual's personal history rather than their social context: e.g. Poverty, oppression, racism etc

• "pitfall of reducing the political to the person" Chantler

• It is dependent upon the ability and talent of individual practitioner fufilling the core conditions. There are no techniques or interventions to fall back on.

5. NEW DEVELOPMENTS

http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx

Positive psychology• Positive psychology is a recent branch of

psychology whose purpose was summed up in 2000 by Martin Seligman

• "We believe that a psychology of positive human functioning will arise that achieves a scientific understanding and effective interventions to build thriving in individuals, families, and communities.“

• Positive psychologists seek "to find and nurture genius and talent", and "to make normal life more fulfilling", not simply to treat mental illness

3 Areas of Positive psychology

1. Pleasant Life, or the "life of enjoyment“: how people optimally experience positive feelings and emotions of normal and healthy living (e.g. relationships, hobbies, interests, entertainment, etc.).

2. The Good Life, or the "life of engagement“: the beneficial affects of individuals feel when optimally engaged with their primary activities: when there is a positive match between a person's strength and the task they are doing

3 Areas of Positive psychology

3. The Meaningful Life, or "life of affiliation“: individuals derive a positive sense of well-being, belonging, meaning, and purpose from being part of and contributing back to something larger and more permanent than themselves (e.g. nature, social groups, organizations, movements, traditions, belief systems).

Positive Psychology Website

•http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/

Readings & Resources1. McLeod J. (2009) An Introduction to Counselling. Chap 62. Corey, G. (2009) Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Chap 73. Colledge, R (2002) Mastering Counselling. Chap 5 & 9.4. Dryden, W ( 2007) Dryden’s Handbook of Individual therapy (5th ed). Chap 65. Cave, S (1999) Therapeutic Approaches in Psychology, chap 6Advanced Reading1. Rogers (1961) On Becoming a Person: A therapist’s view of psychotherapy2. Kirschenbaum & Hendersonn (1990) The Carl Rogers Reader. 3. Wilkins (2010) Person-centred Therapy: 100 key points4. Feltham ( 2010) Chap 1 the pros and cons of UPR; chap 24 Limitations of person centred approach; chap 43 is counselling non directive and value free?5.Dryden (2007) chap 6 , 9,