NRNP 6645 WEEK 7 Comparing Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy with Other Approaches Comparing Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy With Other Approaches

Comparison

The humanistic-existential psychotherapy method highlights people’s innate ability to consciously and responsibly make life decisions. The main goal is to comprehend each person’s unique subjective experience of life and its consequent effects on their mental well-being (Phogat et al., 2020). The method above focuses on introspection, implementing human will, and analyzing underlying principles (Fahlevi, 2020).

As a type of treatment, talk therapy, like CBT, aims to help people with mental health problems recognize, understand, and change their unhealthy thoughts, feelings, and actions (Hayes & Hofmann, 2021). CBT looks at and changes a person’s current thoughts, feelings, and actions to help ease their symptoms. Contrary to HE, CBT focuses on surface-level manifestations of mental health issues without delving deeply into the underlying causes and belief systems (Hanis et al., 2021).

Differences between Therapies

CBT and HE treatment differ from one another. The therapy varies in its underlying principles. CBT aims to modify behavior and address psychiatric symptoms, whereas HE therapy places emphasis on the patient’s goals and is subjective (Phogat et al., 2020). Both methodologies prioritize the improvement of the patient’s overall welfare. The goal of HE therapy is to help patients understand how past experiences influence their present aspirations. CBT aims to transform patients’ cognitive processes and behaviors to facilitate self-improvement. HE therapy transcends mere modification of behavior and cultural influences since its objective is to enable the patient to unearth themself, therefore fostering the creation of meaning and importance in their existence. As a PMHNP, my profession entails recognizing and addressing each patient’s needs and customizing therapy appropriately to accommodate a wide range of patients.

CBT differs from HE therapy in that it is grounded in psychiatric principles and relies on empirical evidence. This information and these rules focus on the patient’s thoughts and actions to enhance their general health (Hayes & Hofmann, 2021). HE treatment is based on philosophical ideas rather than empirical facts, which some experts consider unclear. Incorporating philosophical concepts and combining various therapeutic approaches might limit the scope of HE therapy (Sulistyani et al., 2023). PMHNPs can use empirical evidence in their clinical practice. Choosing evidence-based therapy techniques is essential to ensure their efficacy.

HE Psychotherapy Use

The patient in the video was chosen to undergo HE therapy due to its emphasis on the individual’s internal self and subjective experience. The goal is to help people find the purpose and significance of their lives while also helping them make sense of their situations (Ghaffar et al., 2020). Existential therapy was chosen as a treatment because it helped with the patient’s anxiety and depression, as shown in the advertising video. It promotes a sense of responsibility and introspection about one’s actions and choices. In addition, it encourages individuals to reflect on their values, beliefs, and emotional experiences.

The focus of CBT would be to help the patient recognize and address unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, aiming to replace them with more positive and beneficial alternatives. The relationship between emotions, beliefs, and actions is acknowledged and explored in CBT (Shekhawat & Sharma, 2022). It helps people determine what trends in their thoughts and actions make them feel bad. The primary objective is to help the patient become more self-aware and learn how to solve problems to better control their emotions and deal with the problems that come up in life.

This week’s media demonstrates existential psychotherapy’s effectiveness in helping individuals understand their experiences and discover meaning in their lives. In his study, Dr. Todd Grande (2016) delves into the possibilities of this therapy in analyzing individual identities and the quest for meaning in life. The speaker delves into the efficacy of existential psychotherapy in assisting individuals in confronting their anxieties and sense of emptiness while encouraging them to question their preconceived notions about life and foster meaningful relationships with others.

Scholarly Sources

Fahlevi’s (2020) article is regarded as scholarly due to its publication in the peer-reviewed journal “Konselor.” The scholarly nature of Ghaffar et al. (2020) is evident from its publication in the esteemed journal “fcp.uok.ac.ir.” The article by Ghaffar et al. (2020) is regarded as scholarly as it is a research paper published in the e