Humanistic theories and integration in client-centered counseling

¶ … Patient First Form of Counseling

My thoughts on Humanistic Theories and Integration are that they are extremely beneficial to psychology, counseling, and to counselors and clients alike. It largely appears as though these approaches to psychology are just what this field was missing. Prior to the advent of these theories, psychology forced clients to conform to previously existent modes of thoughts and understanding. For instance, every client was forced into one of the various personality types. However, this sort of 'cookie cutter' approach to counseling was eschewed and, in the humble esteem of the writer, bettered by an approach that focuses on the client and his or her individual needs and perceptions. Utilizing the client as the basis for this form of counseling, one can readily discern that the advantages of Humanistic Theory and Integration readily outstrip its disadvantages.

One of the pivotal advantages of these theories is that they readily acknowledge the individuality of the client. Moreover, they concur that a person is the sum or 'gestalt' of his or her experiences, apprehensions, desires, and aspirations (Wagner Moore, 2004, p. 181). As such, there is a focus on the self in a way that presents a specialized approach to counseling that was previously not a part of clinical psychology. Thus, the client certainly benefits from these theories by receiving counseling that is almost exclusively based on his or her life -- rather than some uniform approach to address all of humanity. The person, and not the psychological principles behind a theory, is the focus of Humanistic Theories and Integration in a way that facilitates the subtle nuances and extremities of the client's life to influence the proposed solutions to his or her life.

Another boon attributed to this form of counseling is that it seeks a holistic approach and holistic answers to whatever issues the client is having. In fact, such a holistic approach helps to provide the very foundation for the integrative aspect of this type of counseling. Other theories related to counseling and psychology choose to distinguish the needs and experiences of the mind from those of the body. Humanistic Theory and Integration, however, choose to deal with the person as a complete entity and see no distinctions between the physical, spiritual and the mental aspect of a person. Perhaps there are distinctions, but the individual's symptoms and needs are treated holistically in a monolithic approach. Such an approach is beneficial because it deals with the various points of relation between a person's various problems, and addresses them with a sort of totality that appears more comprehensive than some other methodologies for counseling.

The final strength associated with this form of counseling is that it serves to empower the client. Other forms of counseling seemingly make the client dependent on the counselor. Gestalt theory and other variations of counseling that are considered part of integration and Humanistic Theory, seek to enable the client to assert his or her goals, and them attempt to work out ways so that the client can achieve them. In this respect the client has a deal of agency and control that is implicit, and possibly missing, from other types of counseling.

The main weaknesses regarding Humanistic Theory and Integration are that they require a lot from the counselor. Because the client is in control with this approach and the counselor must tailor his or her assistance to the particular experiences and needs of the client at hand, there is a lot required from the counselor. He or she might not always be able to discern the best approach to helping a client. Similarly, a client might not know what his or her goals for therapy are or how to achieve them. The autonomy this approach yield can be disadvantageous without proper preparation and insight.