View of human nature
The humanistic counseling approach recognizes each person’s uniqueness and assumes that each individual can grow psychologically and emotionally toward their goal of personal fulfillment and self-actualization. It demands that a person be their authentic self and that their worldview impacts their actions and decisions. Humanistic counseling is based on the belief that people are good at heart and, as a result, are capable of making the best decisions for themselves; however, when people do not hold themselves in high regard, it is difficult for them to reach their full potential. This method focuses on existential therapy, which helps people better understand the universe by examining the things that give their lives meaning. Furthermore, the gestalt approach focuses on their current experiences and energy rather than focusing on a person’s past. Logotherapy is a humanistic approach that aids individuals identify practical strategies to handle people and find a sense of purpose and meaning.
Function and role of the counselor
Humanistic counselors assist clients in realizing that their problems are caused by how they experience events rather than by the events themselves. The counselors provide a non-judgmental, safe, confidential, and understanding environment for the client to experience. As a result, the client can evaluate their personal growth, self-development, and creativity and recognize the variety of options available to them in life and influence their ability to make personal decisions. The counselor is primarily concerned with promoting self-awareness and self-realization. In addition, when a client is dealing with a variety of psychological and emotional issues, the counselor assists them in identifying and implementing effective strategies for improving and changing their well-being.
Clients’ Function in the counseling process
Additionally, clients play a role in the humanistic approach. They should provide complete information on the counseling goals and objectives because they are expected to participate in the process thoroughly. For example, if they feel worthless, they should talk about how this affects them and the rest of the world. Additionally, the client should ask questions to comprehend the counseling process fully. The client should treat the counselor and others involved in the counseling process with respect.
Goals of the counseling process
Different goals are addressed in the humanistic approach in counseling. As an example, it assist the client in comprehending their emotions, remaining strong, and discovering a sense of purpose in life. The client achieves self-actualization and meets all of their mental and physical needs (Rowan,2014). The therapy focuses on a person’s strengths and includes cognitive sessions free of judgment.
Nature of the counseling relationship with clients
Since the approach believe that genuineness, warmth, and empathy will aid in psychological growth and self-understanding, humanistic counseling focuses on the nature of the counseling relationship. Even when they disagree with some aspects of their behavior, the counselor accepts the clients unconditionally (Abrams et al.,2015). This fosters a positive relationship because clients who feel accepted in therapy, regardless of what they share, are less likely to hold back because they are afraid of being judged.
Techniques and methods in the humanistic approach
Humanistic counseling employs various structured techniques to assist people in making positive changes. Reflective listening, for example, is a technique that involves actively listening to the client and then summarizing what they have said in their own words. This technique works by reinforcing the clients’ words and allowing them to reflect on them to eliminate any potential misunderstandings. It also includes unconditional positive regard, in which the therapist accepts the individual without making any judgments about them. It’s defined by a caring attitude contributing to personal development, self-awareness, and self-worth.
Another effective technique in a humanistic counseling approach is congruence. The strategy is crucial because the therapist connects with the client genuinely, open, and authentic way. Furthermore, empathetic understanding is a component of humanistic counseling, and it entails the therapist comprehending what the client is saying and feeling and communicating this understanding to the client. During any counseling session, the client must feel seen, heard, and understood (Arnold et al.,2021). The therapist applies the techniques outlined above to solve specific problems and encourage people to believe that they can control their behavior and achieve their own goals.
Applications and limitations
Anxiety, panic disorder, depression, addiction, personality disorders, family relationships, and relationship issues can all be treated using a humanistic approach. This type of approach in counseling is used by people who have low self-esteem and are having trouble identifying their true potential. However, there are some drawbacks to this method of counseling. It is, for example, based on humanistic psychology, which has several disadvantages, including a lack of substantial knowledge about specific treatments, limiting its ability to help patients with more severe issues. In addition, the approach is ineffective because it heavily relies on the client’s free will. The humanistic approach is based on generalizations of human behavior and the assumption that everyone can act morally (Dryden,2017). As a result, the process ignores people working against their interests, putting it at a disadvantage compared to other approaches.
Strengths, weaknesses in counseling
Counseling has several advantages, including providing space and time for me to think through my problems as an individual. It means that I can assess my issues and develop a new perspective that may assist me in regaining my equilibrium and well-being in life. Counseling also aids in the development of interpersonal and communication skills, a stronger sense of purpose and self, the ability to effectively manage stress, the expression and management of emotions such as anger, and the relief of mental health conditions such as anxiety.
However, in the counselling sessions I was very nervous and I could not freely express myself and maintain eye contact. For example, in the sessions I would ensure that I would shy away from the client as we had conversations but I realized that this pushed them away. I believe that the sessions would be better if I was confident enough and make the sessions more engaging
Personality and Values
My personality entails various features and habits that describe who I am as a person. There are positive aspects to my personality, as well as negative aspects. The following are, however, the more positive aspects of my character. In today’s world, knowledge is crucial. I can survive and deal with various situations because of my knowledge. It also helps me to become more logical. As a result, I have a penchant for grasping concepts faster than others and weighing the advantages and disadvantages of a situation—learning outcomes in knowledge. People who are educated are known to be more productive, sincere, and honest than those who are not. Similarly I have the capacity to improve human faculties. Fair play, equal treatment, and sound judgment in various situations are all ensured by the development of human faculties.
Modesty is a virtue that is similar to politeness. It is one of the most admirable qualities one can have. A person may possess various positive characteristics, but if they are modest, everyone around him will respect him. Wisdom is attributed to those who are humble or modest. They are unconcerned if their good deeds go unnoticed. A fair person pays equal attention to everyone and tries to learn from them. As a result, I try to keep my social circle modest.
Application of the theory
As a social worker, the humanistic approach to counseling will be helpful in my future career. For example, since I understand that empathy is a powerful catalyst for healing, it will assist me in caring about the patients. Humanism will remind patients that, despite their illness, they can still reach their full potential. As a result, relationships with patients are strengthened, and the environment is more inclusive.
Ultimately, the humanistic approach in counseling is practical if individuals want to make their lives more compelling and deal with their mental health conditions. The humanistic approach to counseling is about identifying what brings joy to an individual and committing to doing that. The humanistic approach centers around perspectives since it offers genuine concern, empathy, and unconditional positiveness. While the process is not the best choice for getting a concrete mental health diagnosis, it is a good option when one wants to identify meaning in their life.
References
Abrams, B., & Wheeler, B. (2015). Humanistic approaches. Music therapy handbook, 148-160.
Arnold, J., & Foncubierta, J. M. (2021). The Humanistic Approach. The Routledge Handbook of the Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching, 36-47.
Dryden, W. (2017). Humanistic psychology: Possible ways forward. In Humanistic Psychology (pp. 239-244). Routledge.
Rowan, J. (2014). The reality game: A guide to humanistic counseling and psychotherapy. Routledge.
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