Chapter 13 -- Humanistic Psychotherapy

I. Theoretical Foundations
A. People have unique perceptions and feelings
B. People can become aware of their own motivation
C. People are innately good and effective
D. People can achieve control of their lives
E. Healthy people are purposeful and goal-directed
F. Therapists will facilitate independent decisions
G. De-emphasizes assessment and research because people are unique

II. Client-Centered Psychotherapy
A. Goals are to offer support and empathy to help clients explore their true nature, enhance growth, and become self-actualized
B. Must develop a close relationship with the client with warmth and empathy
C. Help client with discrepancy between the real and ideal self
D. Genuineness and self-disclosure by therapist
E. Therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for the client
F. Therapist acquires and communicates an empathic understanding of the client’s experience

III. Motivational Interviewing
A. This is used most often in treating addictions and promoting health behaviors
B. The therapist is nonconfrontational and supportive
1. Express empathy
2. Develop the discrepancy between clients' behavior and goals or values
a. First, ask clients to rate on a scale of 0 to 10 on how motivated they are in making the behavior change.
b. Second, ask clients to rate from 0 to 10 on how confident they are that they can make the change.
c. Why did you not choose a lower number?
d. What would it take to get you to a higher number?
3. Avoid disagreements
4. Roll with resistance, accept hesitation
5. Identify sustain talk and change talk
a. Ask clients about their values or life goals
b. Then make a connection between their health behavior and their values or life goals
6. Support self-efficacy

IV. Existential Psychotherapy
A. The goal is to develop authenticity and self-actualization
B. Therapist develops an open and genuine relationship with the client
C. Client expresses emotions, goals, and fears
D. Therapist monitors nonverbal behaviors
E. Client brings about change after self-discovery

V. Emotion Focused Therapy
A. The goal is to help clients access their dysfunctional emotion schemes and change these emotions
B. Encourage client to describe emotions in detail and become aware of physical sensations and external stimuli
C. Call attention to client’s visible expression and create awareness of it
D. Have client engage in actions to experience emotions more intensely without specifying content
E. Promote reliving of past events with a focus on emotion
F. Conjecture about what the client might feel
G. Focus on what the client needs to take action