Humanistic Therapy Vs Psychoanalytic Therapy

Humanistic Therapies
Therapy is as unique and diverse as the people who seek it. There are many types of therapy that are used to treat different kinds of problems. There is no perfect or absolute form of therapy, because therapy varies for each person. One of the branches of therapy is humanistic therapy. This therapy is considered an insight therapy, along with psychoanalytic therapies. However, there are differences between humanistic and psychoanalytic therapy. Humanistic therapy focuses on self-development, personal growth and responsibilities. This type of therapy guides the client to find their own answers. The therapy focuses on emotional awareness: how the person feels versus why that person feels that way (Oltmanns & Emery, 2012).

Many sorts of treatment and subcategory therapies fall under the title of humanistic therapy but they ultimately all help a person to find their strengths, originality, and preference. The three main types of therapies that are recognized as humanistic therapies are existential therapy, gestalt therapy, and client-centered therapy. Others that are included in the spectrum are human givens psychotherapy, reality therapy, solution focused brief therapy and narrative therapy.
What is Humanistic Psychology?
In order to fully understand what humanistic therapy entails, it is important to know what humanistic psychology is. This kind of psychology, also known by the name of humanism, is a “historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individual’s potential for personal growth” (Myers, 2013). The fundamental belief about humanism is all people are innately good beings and any other negative problems are due to separation from natural disposition. The importance of self-actualization (the belief that all humans pursue what is best for them), growth and potential are greatly emphasized. Some may even consider humanistic psychology as an optimistic psychology, compared to Freudian psychology and behaviorism. Humanistic psychology shines a light in humanity, meaning that it gives credit to the human race for being altruistic and not assuming that humans are innately wicked. However, there are some say that humanistic psychology encourages the need for hope but not the equally necessary realism about evil (Myers, 2013).
Existential Therapy
Existential therapy dates back to the early 1800’s. Philosophers, Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche, worked with the idea of human existence. Kierkegaard believed that human dissatisfaction could only be conquered by inner intelligence and Nietzche focused on free-will and personal responsibility. In later decades, other philosophers started to incorporate Kierkegaard and Nietzsche’s ideas into a person’s healing process.
Existential therapy may be used most effectively when a client is able to access emotional experiences or when obstacles must be overcome to facilitate a client's entry into or continuation of recovery (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 1999). In Existential therapy, the therapist has to be genuinely willing to engage the client to help them make a meaningful change. The most emphasized question, in this therapy is, “How do I exist?” when I go through loss, conflict, or any other negative association”. By asking this question, the client will be able to fully understand their pain, and or struggle and that will, ultimately, help them realize what they need to do to recover. In order for the client to come to their self-realization, the therapist may suggest or explain how life is finite and how others view the world in terms of living with a purpose. Therapist would also stress the importance of the “Serenity Prayer”. The prayer goes, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change I can, and the wisdom to know the difference” (Serenity). This allows the client to accept their own personal limitations and continually choosing to act according to certain principles as a way of living.
Gestalt Therapy
The word “gestalt” means an organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts.

A gestalt typically has two or more parts that are combined together to be perceived as one. In gestalt therapy, self-awareness is important for the client to comprehend. It helps them achieve personal growth and also helps them develop their full potential. Gestalt counseling is a humanistic, process-oriented therapy that integrates dialogue and field theory (Lewin, 1951). Many gestalt therapist believe that self-actualization cannot fully be achieved if negative thought patterns and behaviors intrude their daily lives. A gestalt therapist focuses on five key concepts when counselling a client. The five concepts are respect, experience, creativity, responsibility, and relationship. In a session, the client is treated with upmost respect and warmness so that he or she will be open to talk. When speaking to a client, a therapist may put emphasis on reliving past experiences to come into terms with root conflictions that are the cause of their problems. Therapist also use various creative and flexible techniques to help a client to feel safe to talk. An emphasis on social responsibility is enforced by the therapist to the client. This emphasis on social responsibility helps the client to view the world as a whole rather than focusing on only their own factors in life. Having good relationships with other people is vital for the well-being of a client. A gestalt therapists acknowledges that their client has achieved whole well-being when the client has a good relationship with themselves and others (Counselling Directory, p.3). Typical methods and techniques for a client’s therapeutic process includes role play, the “open-chair” technique, authentic dialogue, dream interpretation, and attention to body language. Gestalt therapy values each client's unique context and diversity variables and strives to understand the client's experience from his or her perspective (Resnick,

1995).
Client-Centered Therapy
Client-centered therapy is a humanistic approach that has to do with how people view themselves without any other external input. Which means that the therapist would not interpret their unconscious ideas or suggest something about a client that would be pivotal to their realization to self-awareness. American psychologist, Carl Rogers, developed this therapy (also called by the name of person-centered therapy) in the 1950s. Rogers believed that every individual has the ability to reach their full potential if the individuals are not disarrayed by their own life experiences. In client-centered therapy, the therapist’s goal is to help an individual understand themselves through their own point of view. This type of therapy facilitates the personal growth and relationships of an individual by allowing them to explore and utilize their own strengths and personal identity (Counselling Directory). Therapists and psychologists come into play when handling a client’s comfort level. It is vital for the client to feel at ease with his or her environment, surroundings, topics, and counsellor when going through therapy. This method is a development for which psychologists are largely responsible, and it possesses certain distinct characteristics because of that fact. It is an approach to counseling in which the focal interest is the feelings of the client himself, rather than the symptoms he relates (Snyder, 2012). The therapists listen and try to understand the client’s point and story, clarify with the client his or her understanding, treat the client with high respect, and be open with themselves and their clients. If the therapist does these four things, then it would help ensure that the client will get full benefit and or recover from the therapy. The client may be able to discover new changes to better their lives. These changes can range from healthier relationships, improvement in self-expression, the ability to have a greater trust, and even an overall healthy sense of change.
Subcategory Therapies
There are some other types of therapies that are also considered as humanistic. These therapies are: human givens psychotherapy, reality therapy, and solution focused brief therapy. All of the therapies mentioned above can be just as helpful and necessary as existential, gestalt, and client-centered therapies. The human givens approach is a newer therapy compared to the others. It was introduced in 2003 by Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrell. This therapy is based on the idea that if an individual’s needs or givens are not met, then distress (any negative affluence) can proceed. The “givens” mentioned in the prior sentence refers to the innate needs a human being requires to have a whole, well-rounded, physical and mental state. The physical needs that humans requires are food, water, shelter, and air (to breath). The mental (or emotional) needs are more complicated in the sense that the needs are not tangible or, even, obtainable for many people. This includes, but is not limited to, needs such as security, attention, intimacy, acceptance, competence, meaning and purpose. Reality therapy contrast gestalt therapy in the sense that it focuses on the present rather than the past experiences. Developed by William Glasser in the 1960s, it promotes problem-solving and making better choices in order to achieve specific goals and is designed to find ways of meeting a person’s needs (Counselling Directory). As a result of this therapy, many individuals have found to gain self-esteem and confidence as now, they feel like they are in control. Solution focused therapy is a brief therapy, which means that it is used for a shorter amount of time. However, the effects of this therapy can be long-standing. This therapy was developed by Steve de Shazer, Insoo Kim Berg, and the Brief Family Center team in the 1980s. Together, they formed this therapy that relies on seven fundamental philosophies, which are: Change is both constant and certain, emphasis on what is changeable and possible, clients must want to change, client are control of their own goals, clients have the strength to overcome their own problems, therapy is short-term, and focus on the future (Counselling Directory).
Overall Benefits
Humanistic therapy’s most prominent benefit is the promotion of self-awareness and mindfulness. This leads an individual from a fixed mindset, filled with negative associations, to a healthier and productive lifestyle. In any type of humanistic therapy, the client is encouraged to embrace their innate goodness and maximize their full potential. Many facilities use humanistic therapy as a main path to rehabilitation. As humanistic psychologist, Stan Charnofsky, said, “Humanistic therapy has a crucial opportunity to lead our troubled culture back to its own healthy path. More than any other therapy, Humanistic-Existential therapy models democracy. It imposes upon the client least of all. Freedom to choose is maximized. We validate our clients’ human potential.” Every person from all races, religions, and ages can benefit from therapy. Whether it is to help an individual handle conflictions and emotional downfalls, or to find one’s purpose in life. It ultimately helps a person to achieve wholeness with themselves and that feeling of entirety can dramatically change an individual’s life.