Reading Part 2 ( clinical )

Humanistic Approach

• Principles: The humanistic approach combines humanistic philosophy, existentialism, and theories of human growth to understand behavior; offers strategies for psychological treatment.

• Patient-Centric: Focuses on the patient's experience and phenomenology, emphasizing warmth, empathy, and unconditional positive regard in therapy.

• Historical Context: Gained traction in the 1950s and 60s, a period marked by anxiety post-World War II, as therapists reacted against psychodynamic and behavioral limitations in client and therapist satisfaction.

• Critique of Other Approaches:

  • Psychodynamic view: Emphasizes unconscious conflicts and primitive needs.

  • Behavioral view: Focus on behavior change through external reinforcement.

• Third Force in Psychology: The humanistic approach emerged as the 'third force,' highlighting human potential and self-determination compared to psychodynamic and behavioral therapies.

Influences on Humanistic Theory

• Philosophical Roots: Strongly influenced by existential philosophers such as Nietzsche, Sartre, and Heidegger, emphasizing the quest for meaning.

• American Contributors: Notable psychologists like Rollo May and Carl Rogers helped popularize this approach, integrating existential thought with American therapeutic practices.

• Key Figures: Includes Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, Fritz Perls, and Viktor Frankl, each contributing unique perspectives but sharing commonalities in their respect for individual perception and growth.

Core Concepts

• Phenomenological Model: Emphasizes understanding individuals' subjective experiences and perceptions as central to therapy.

• Belief in Growth: Humans naturally strive for self-actualization and growth; treatment focuses on facilitating this journey rather than merely alleviating symptoms.

• Free Will: Holds that behavior is more than conditioned response; emphasizes personal agency and individual's capacity for change.

• Person-Centered Therapy: Developed primarily by Carl Rogers, it emphasizes therapist empathy, unconditional positive regard, congruence, and active listening to support individuals in reaching their full potential.

Family Systems Approach

• Definition: Unlike other psychological approaches, it treats the whole family to understand and address problematic emotions and behaviors.

• Identified Patient: Traditional view was to focus on the identified patient manifesting symptoms; family systems suggests that dysfunction arises within the family unit as a whole.

• Cultural Shift: Gained prominence from the 1950s onwards, encouraging a collaborative therapeutic approach that includes all family members.

• Historical Context: Rooted in research from the Bateson project which studied communication in families, especially concerning schizophrenia.

Key Contributors to Family Systems Theory

• Gregory Bateson: Conducted research into communication styles affecting psychiatric patients.

• Jay Haley: Developed Structural Family Therapy models, emphasizing the role of interactions and boundaries within families.

• Virginia Satir: Known for her work in family therapy focusing on communication and relationships.

• Salvador Minuchin: Developed techniques focusing on the family structure and dynamics affecting individual behavior.

Advancements in Treatment Approaches

• Psychotropic Medications: In the 1950s-60s, discoveries led to effective treatments for severe mental disorders (e.g., lithium for bipolar disorder, chlorpromazine for schizophrenia).

• Deinstitutionalization: Increased medication access allowed many patients to reintegrate into society, shifting focus from inpatient to outpatient care.

• Community Mental Health Movement: Legislation in the 1960s aimed to develop community-based mental health services, emphasizing affordability and prevention.

Integrative Approaches in Psychology

• Emergence: By the late 1970s and early 1980s, dissatisfaction with strict theoretical adherence led to integrative methods, focusing on common factors across therapies.

• Notable Developments: Paul Wachtel's integration of psychodynamic and behavioral theories; emphasis on unconscious influences and empirical evidence in therapy.

• Biopsychosocial Model: Proposed by George Engel in the 1970s, it suggests that psychological and physical health should be understood from a multi-faceted approach including biological, psychological, and social elements.