Applying Humanistic and Existential
Theories
Applying Humanistic and Existential Theories
A common element of this week’s theories is the focus on client
emotion. The central tenet of these theories is that clients are at
the center of the counseling process. When counselors use these
approaches, they ask clients to not only assess their emotions, but
also how they perceive these emotions to influence their lives.
During this process, counselors who often use humanistic and
existential approaches partner alongside the client as a
nonjudgmental ally, prompting the clients to reconnect with
themselves and increase their own self-awareness. Theorists in
these paradigms believe that it is not the interpretation of the
counselor that helps clients, but rather the interpretation of the
clients themselves. In fact, prominent humanistic and existential
theorists cast aside the dominant, all-knowing presence of the
counselor illustrated by some behavioral and psychoanalytic
approaches.
In this Discussion, you consider how each of this week’s theories,
existential, person-centered, and Gestalt, provides a different
counseling approach. You also reflect upon how theoretical
approaches influence the interventions that you might employ
with your case study client, Deidre. Before watching the Deidre
media, review this week’s Learning Resources to review how the
Professional Dissertation Editing Help
Professional Dissertation Editing Help Editing your dissertation is an important step in the process of completing your thesis project. It is essential to work with the best dissertation editors to ensure that your work is polished and perfect. There are many websites that offer dissertation editing services, but it is important to choose a company […]