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Existential‐Humanistic and Existential‐Integrative Therapy
Abstract
This chapter considers the processes by which existential‐humanistic (EH) and existential‐integrative (EI) approaches are applied. EH therapy is a relational and experiential therapy, which focuses on clients' and therapists' actual, lived experiences. The chapter reviews the principles of EH practice related to identity formation and personal context. It illustrates how cultivating presence to process promotes healing and “whole‐bodied” transformation. Humans are free because they make meanings from their experiences, and they are determined because these meanings are limited by natural and self‐imposed limitations. Healing and change happens as protective patterns are mirrored to clients allowing them to experience how their patterns are embodied and enacted within the therapeutic relationship. Awareness, responsibility, and choice now become a part of the exploratory, reiterative process. Responsibility is assumed for constructing the protective pattern, along with a newfound sense of agency and choice.
... Increasing novelty-a necessary pre-requisite when it comes to existential situations (Krug 2019; van Deurzen and Arnold-Baker 2019) that demands the abandonment of the status quo-is only possible when the leader allows the unconditional dialogue of Ipositions that might change or challenge the power pattern within an organization. And here lies another important intersection with dialogical existentialism (Clarkson and Cavichhia, 2013;Jacobs 2012;Krug 2019;Yontef 1993) and the genuine polyphony of DST (Hermans 1999(Hermans , 2001) which leads to the third central presumption of this paper: The leader must adopt a phenomenological attitude towards the different I-positions that are negotiating tensely; s/he has to put the life-patterns or hyper-generalized sign 1 sign manifold relies on the German philosophical term of Mannigfaltigkeit elaborated by Simmel (1910) who refers to Kant and his work in regard to the world as representation(s). ...
... Increasing novelty-a necessary pre-requisite when it comes to existential situations (Krug 2019; van Deurzen and Arnold-Baker 2019) that demands the abandonment of the status quo-is only possible when the leader allows the unconditional dialogue of Ipositions that might change or challenge the power pattern within an organization. And here lies another important intersection with dialogical existentialism (Clarkson and Cavichhia, 2013;Jacobs 2012;Krug 2019;Yontef 1993) and the genuine polyphony of DST (Hermans 1999(Hermans , 2001) which leads to the third central presumption of this paper: The leader must adopt a phenomenological attitude towards the different I-positions that are negotiating tensely; s/he has to put the life-patterns or hyper-generalized sign 1 sign manifold relies on the German philosophical term of Mannigfaltigkeit elaborated by Simmel (1910) who refers to Kant and his work in regard to the world as representation(s). For Simmel, the totality of being is not to be known fully, but it can be approached by synthesizing the fragments of reality through an idea. ...
The paper is a novel extension of the Dialogical Self Theory (DST) to organizational psychology. In organizations there are rich conflicts and ambiguous situations in which joint meaning making is indispensable for future trajectories of the follower, the leader and the organization itself. This negotiation process is influenced by power imbalances within the organization, mostly between leader and follower. In their multiple emerging fields and their interrelatedness these agents have to find a way of neutralizing the tension of highly ambiguous situations in order to account for the discovery of commonly adaptive, future trajectories. I introduce the concept of the Existential-Humanistic Leadership style (EHL) that through the emergence of existential I-positions and sign-manifolds neutralizes previous power imbalances. The Trajectory Equifinality Approach (TEA) of Tatsuya Sato is used for elaboration of the ongoing dialogical processes. The TEA-modelling shows that an existential-humanistic leader tries to unite opposite trajectories within one dynamically adaptive system through phenomenological/democratic attunement towards the follower and through the assessment of follower’s needs for development. These two conditions of EHL make it more likely that a leader externalizes existential I-positions which create local sign-worlds where leader and follower meet as human beings in absence of prior role asymmetry. Central concepts of existential psychology, DST and cultural semiosis are combined in a microgenetic and phenomenological research design. Based on the partnership model of Valsiner, Bibace, & LaPushin, a co-constructive interview guide has been created, in which a scenario-completion task is established and worked through with the participant. The Trajectory Equifinality Model of a football trainer is used for generalization of the generic structure of an existential-humanistic leader-system being a crucial condition for leading in and through curvilinearity.
... A psicologia humanista destaca a soberania da subjetividade e do individualismo, bem como a necessidade da autenticidade e da aceitação em detrimento da adaptação (Cooper, 2003). Kierkegaard (1983) reclamava a importância do subjetivo para um completo entendimento do ser humano, opondo-se à compreensão impessoal e incompleta dada pela perspetiva racional e objetivista da ciência (Krug, 2019). Na visão de Sartre, o homem é um projeto que se vive subjetivamente, uma construção humana em constante movimento, a partir de uma relação dialética entre o eu e o mundo (Branco, 2011). ...
Throughout his work, psychiatrist Irvin D. Yalom (1931-...) emphasizes the therapeutic relationship as the main agent of change in psychotherapy, a notion supported by empirical literature. This paper describes Yalom’s premises for the therapeutic relationship and synthesizes relevant empirical research data. A narrative review with a comprehensive and qualitative approach to the author’s ideas was conducted. Yalom’s unique style of psychotherapy combines elements from various theoretical approaches, focusing on the construction and maintenance of the therapeutic relationship in the here-and-now, with a phenomenological view of human life. Empirical evidence highlights the therapeutic alliance as the most robust factor for therapeutic success, regardless of theoretical model. Conflict resolution and collaborative goal setting are associated with positive outcomes. The process should be conducted in a spontaneous and personalized manner with a focus on intersubjectivity and the construction of a quality relationship.
... Furthermore, he pointed out that of the three main avenues on which one arrives at meaning in life, the first is by creating a work or by doing a deed. Krug (2019) maintained that meaning making, or the act of making sense of an experience, is closely related to identity formation. A characteristic existential theme is that human beings are free and responsible to resolve issues relating to existential challenges. ...
Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a charismatic Roman Catholic priest, psychologist, academic, public speaker, and spiritual guide. He was one of the most prolific and influential spiritual writers of the previous century. Although he died more than 25 years ago, increasing numbers of followers continue to seek guidance through his literary legacy. There is a wealth of biographical sources that invite research into Nouwen’s life. Despite his success and exceptional talents, the data suggests that his personality, life and career were complex and troubled. Colleagues described him as temperamental, anxious, obsessive, needy, and self-centered. Nouwen was transparent about his shortcomings and strived to live his spiritual life through his personal struggles. This psychobiographical case study used a career development lens to investigate Nouwen’s attempts to establish an identity and give meaning to his existence. The findings indicate that although Nouwen tried out a range of career options, he failed to experience an optimal level of satisfaction or happiness. The study contributes to a number of areas, namely, the legacy of Nouwen, identity and meaning-making in socio-cultural contexts, the career development of extraordinary individuals, and the use of career development theory in psychobiographical research.enri Nouwen-
... Furthermore, he pointed out that of the three main avenues on which one arrives at meaning in life, the first is by creating a work or by doing a deed. Krug (2019) maintained that meaning making, or the act of making sense of an experience, is closely related to identity formation. A characteristic existential theme is that human beings are free and responsible to resolve issues relating to existential challenges. ...
Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a charismatic Roman Catholic priest, psychologist, academic, public speaker, and spiritual guide. He was one of the most prolific and influential spiritual writers of the previous century. Although he died more than 25 years ago, increasing numbers of followers continue to seek guidance through his literary legacy. There is a wealth of biographical sources that invite research into Nouwen’s life. Despite his success and exceptional talents, the data suggests that his personality, life and career were complex and troubled. Colleagues described him as temperamental, anxious, obsessive, needy, and self-centered. Nouwen was transparent about his shortcomings and strived to live his spiritual life through his personal struggles. This psychobiographical case study used a career development lens to investigate Nouwen’s attempts to establish an identity and give meaning to his existence. The findings indicate that although Nouwen tried out a range of career options, he failed to experience an optimal level of satisfaction or happiness. The study contributes to a number of areas, namely, the legacy of Nouwen, identity and meaning-making in socio-cultural contexts, the career development of extraordinary individuals, and the use of career development theory in psychobiographical research.
... It requires the therapist to be grounded in contact with oneself, being open, receptive, and immersed in the moment, and having a larger sense of awareness and perception (Geller & Porges, 2014). The cultivation of presence attends not only to the content and explicit features of clients' experiences but also to implicit aspects of their experiential process (Krug, 2019). The concept of presence becomes particularly relevant when there are additional obstacles between the therapist and the client. ...
Hong Kong has been affected by the new coronavirus (COVID-19) since January 2020, almost 3 months earlier than most of the places around the globe. Once the epicenter of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, the people of Hong Kong learned from their painful past and responded to the current epidemic quickly and accordingly. The creativity, mobility, compassion, and resilience demonstrated by Hong Kongers are understood and discussed through Viktor Frankl’s paradigm of the meaning triangle. The influence of COVID-19 on clinical practice, particularly the wearing of face masks during face-to-face therapy sessions is also briefly discussed.
... The relational frame with an existential-humanistic approach is embedded in presence (Krug, 2009). In describing presence, Krug (2019) states that, "Presence involves aspects of awareness, acceptance, availability, and expressiveness in both therapist and client. Presence implies that the encounter is real and that the client and therapist include each other in each other's recognition" (p. ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected the mental health field. The unique distress caused by the pandemic along with the need for many to transition their therapy practices to TeleHealth/Telepsychology modalities caught many therapists, including existential–humanistic therapists, unprepared to make the necessary adjustments to treat clients in a manner that is safe and effective. Existential–humanistic therapy often is neglected with trauma and disaster relief work, despite its relevancy and important contributions. All therapies must adjust in crisis situations, particularly when adjustments to how services are offered are disrupted; however, the impact of these changes varies by therapeutic orientation. As an approach that values genuineness, empathy, and presence, existential–humanistic therapy faces unique challenges when employed with disaster response. However, when these challenges are faced, existential–humanistic therapy has much to offer disaster response, including consideration of existential guilt, existential shattering, existential anxiety, and existential perspectives on self-care.
Article available open access at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0022167820931987
In this theoretical review and analysis, I examine the existing literature regarding social trauma in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) after proposing existential‐integrative adaptations of trauma‐specific interventions that account for many of the novel characteristics and features that manifest in ASD. Practitioners interested in reimagining how they enter trauma work with this population will find multiple descriptions by providing an overview of core challenges and how those challenges influence susceptibility to the experience of social trauma and general trauma in ASD.
Difficulty in the experience of meaning has been both theoretically and empirically linked with depression. This cross-sectional study first aimed to replicate the association between difficulty in meaning experience and depression in a sample of 77 psychotherapists and counselors (77.1% females; M age : 49; SD age = 12.25). Second, this study wanted to extend the body of research findings by investigating whether existential anxiety, and focusing manner, that is, the ability to attend to one’s bodily felt experiences, mediated the relation between meaning experience and the severity of depression. Surprisingly, meaning experience did not show a significant association with severity of depression. Furthermore, existential anxiety mediated the association between meaning experience and severity of depression. Focusing manner showed no significant mediating role in the relationship between meaning experience and severity of depression. These findings suggest that existential anxiety might be an important underlying mechanism in depressive disorder. Addressing the anxiety evoked by existential questions in the patient’s life might be important in the psychotherapeutic treatment of depression. Future prospective research is needed to further disentangle the relationship between meaning experience, depression, focusing, and existential anxiety.
This appendix provides a guide for students considering becoming an existential-humanistic therapist. Drawing from lessons from the book, students are invited to reflect upon the themes and questions to help determine if this theoretical orientation is a good fit for them.
Review of Ilene Serlin, Stanley Krippner, and Kirwan Rockefeller's (2019) edited volume, Integrated Care for the Traumatized: A Whole-Person Approach.
This chapter provides an overview of existential-humanistic psychology, including a brief history, an overview of the theoretical foundations, and an overview of clinical applications. Consideration of cross-cultural applications, evidence-based practice in psychology, and integration with other approaches is included.
Objective:
Over the past 25 years, humanistic psychotherapy (HP) researchers have actively contributed to the development and implementation of innovative practice-informed research measures and coding systems.
Method:
Qualitative and quantitative research findings, including meta-analyses, support the identification of HP approaches as evidence-based treatments for a variety of psychological conditions.
Results:
Implications for future psychotherapy research, training, and practice are discussed in terms of addressing the persistent disjunction between significant HP research productivity and relatively low support for HP approaches in university-based clinical training programs, funding agencies, and government-supported clinical guidelines.
Conclusion:
Finally, specific recommendations are provided to further enhance and expand the impact of HP research for clinical training programs and the development of treatment guidelines.
Reviews the book,
Existential-integrative psychotherapy: Guideposts to the core of practice edited by Kirk J. Schneider (see record
2006-20252-000). The volume begins with an urgent note that the quantitative, empirical, and biological approaches to the treatment of mental distress (the reviewer hesitates to use the word
illness, as it emanates from the very model that concerns many in the humanistic-existential realm) have not been optimal and that a new approach is needed. Further, the observations are made that life is complex, simple solutions are inadequate, no particular treatment has been shown to be demonstrably more effective than another, and most likely psychotherapy integration will yield the optimal approach. According to Schneider, existential integration (EI) is "in a prime position to lead the next wave of reform in clinical practice" because of "existential psychotherapy's stated position of comprehensiveness and its direct descent from artistic and literary sources--contexts renowned for their depth" (p. 3). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This article introduces the special issue of Psychotherapy devoted to evidence-based therapy relationship elements and traces the work of the interdivisional task force that supported it. The dual aims of the task force are to identify elements of effective therapy relationships (what works in general) and to identify effective methods of adapting or tailoring treatment to the individual patient (what works in particular). The authors review the structure of the subsequent articles in the issue and the multiple meta-analyses examining the association of a particular relationship element to psychotherapy outcome. The centrality of the therapy relationship, its interdependence with treatment methods, and potential limitations of the task force work are all highlighted. The immediate purpose of the journal issue is to summarize the best available research and clinical practices on numerous elements of the therapy relationship, but the underlying purpose is to repair some of the damage incurred by the culture wars in psychotherapy and to promote rapprochement between the science and practice communities.
Although it is well established that psychotherapy is remarkably effective, the change process in psychotherapy is not well understood. Psychotherapy is compared with medicine and cultural healing practices to argue that critical aspects of psychotherapy involve human processes that are used in religious, spiritual, and cultural healing practices. A model of psychotherapy is presented that stipulates various aspects that involve uniquely human characteristics. Central to this model is patient acquisition of an adaptive explanation of his or her difficulties. Finally, the research evidence for this model is presented.
This article summarizes the experiential liberation strategy of the existential-integrative (EI) model of therapy. The existential-integrative
model of therapy provides one way to understand and coordinate a variety of intervention modes within an overarching ontological
or experiential context. I will (1) define the experiential liberation strategy—such as its emphasis on the capacities to
constrict, expand, and center psychophysiological capacities; (2) describe its salient features—such as the four stances that
promote experiential liberation: presence, invoking the actual, vivifying and confronting resistance, and the cultivation
of meaning and awe; and (3) illustrate the relevance of the strategy to case vignettes drawn from actual practice.