Question

José's therapist asks to hear about Josés week. José tells him about some difficulty he is having with his wife and how he feels worthless in his marriage. The therapist expresses his empathy and understanding. He tells José he knows what it's like to feel worthless and how uncomfortable that feeling is. What therapeutic approach is José's therapist taking? a. humanistic/positive b. cognitive-behavioral c. cognitive d. psychodynamic

Short answer

The therapist is taking a humanistic/positive approach.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Therapeutic Approaches

To solve this exercise, first, we need to understand the different therapeutic approaches mentioned in the options: Humanistic/Positive, Cognitive-Behavioral, Cognitive, and Psychodynamic. Each approach has distinct features and methods for dealing with clients' issues.

Analyzing the Scenario

In this scenario, José discusses feelings of worthlessness and difficulties with his wife. The therapist responds by expressing empathy and sharing that he understands how uncomfortable it is to feel worthless.

Matching the Scenario with the Approach

The therapist's actions, expressing empathy and understanding José's emotions, align especially with the Humanistic/Positive approach. This approach emphasizes empathy, genuine understanding, and supportive client-therapist relationships without focusing on analyzing past patterns or cognitive distortions, like other approaches might.

Verify Against Other Approaches

Compare with other approaches: Cognitive approaches focus on changing thought patterns, Cognitive-Behavioral integrates behavior changes, and Psychodynamic delves into unconscious processes and past experiences. None of these highlight the empathy shown primarily for emotional support, which is central to the Humanistic approach.

Key concepts

Empathy in Therapy

In humanistic therapy, empathy plays a crucial role. It's about truly understanding the client's feelings from their own perspective. This authenticity helps clients feel valued and understood.
Empathy is the ability to sense and share another person's emotions. When a therapist expresses empathy, they are showing that they genuinely understand what the client is going through.
It’s not just about agreeing with the client, but rather confirming that their feelings are valid and worth exploring. This validation can be incredibly healing.
In our example, José's therapist tells him he knows what it's like to feel worthless. This demonstrates empathy by connecting with José's emotional experience. It helps to create a safe space where José can explore and express his feelings without fear of judgment.

Therapeutic Approaches

There are several different therapeutic approaches used by therapists to help clients. Each has distinct methods and goals.

• Humanistic/Positive Therapy: This approach focuses on empathy, authenticity, and unconditional positive regard. Therapists take an optimistic perspective on human nature and foster a non-judgmental environment.
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT aims to change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. It employs structured techniques to address specific problems like anxiety or depression.
• Psychodynamic Therapy: Focused on uncovering unconscious processes and historical experiences, this approach explores the impact of childhood and past relationships on current behavior.
• Cognitive Therapy: Primarily directed at transforming negative thought processes to change feelings and behaviors.

In José's case, the therapist's use of empathetic understanding aligns with the Humanistic approach, emphasizing support rather than cognitive restructuring or behavior change.

Client-Therapist Relationship

The relationship between a client and therapist is foundational to successful therapy. It's built on trust, openness, and mutual respect.
A strong client-therapist relationship allows for honest communication, enabling the client to feel comfortable sharing personal issues.
In the context of humanistic therapy, the client-therapist relationship is particularly crucial. It's characterized by:

• Genuineness: The therapist is genuine and transparent, showing their authentic self without hiding behind a professional veneer.
• Unconditional Positive Regard: The therapist accepts the client without judgment, fostering an environment where the client feels safe and valued.
• Empathic Understanding: The therapist actively strives to understand the client's experience from their point of view.

In the example with José, the therapist's empathetic response nurtures this positive relationship, helping to create a meaningful dialogue and offering José emotional support to navigate his feelings of worthlessness.