The Humanistic and Cognitive-Behavioural Approaches to the Use of Counselling Skills

The Humanistic and Cognitive-Behavioural Approaches to the Use of Counselling Skills

This paper critically compares Humanistic and Cognitive-Behavioural Approaches to the use of counselling skills. For over fifty years a humanistic approach has been used in the field of therapeutic counselling. Although behavioural and psychoanalytic forms of counselling are also available? the humanistic approach is an extremely successful option. Cognitive behavioural therapy (or cognitive behavioural therapies or CBT) is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to solve problems concerning dysfunctional emotions? behaviours and cognitions through a goal-oriented? systematic procedure. The title is used in diverse ways to designate behaviour therapy? cognitive therapy? and to refer to therapy based upon a combination of basic behavioural and cognitive research. There is empirical evidence that CBT is effective for the treatment of a variety of problems? including mood? anxiety? personality? eating? substance abuse? and psychotic disorders. Treatment is often annualized? with specific technique-driven brief? direct? and time-limited treatments for specific psychological disorders. CBT is used in individual therapy as well as group settings? and the techniques are often adapted for self-help applications. Some clinicians and researchers are more cognitive oriented (e.g. cognitive restructuring)? while others are more behaviourally oriented (in vivo exposure therapy). Other interventions combine both (e.g. imaginable exposure therapy).

CBT was primarily developed through a merging of behaviour therapy with cognitive therapy. While rooted in rather different theories? these two traditions found common ground in focusing on the "here and now"? and on alleviating symptoms. Many CBT treatment programs for specific disorders have been evaluated for efficacy and effectiveness; the health-care trend of evidence-based treatment? where specific treatments for symptom-based diagnoses are recommended? has favoured CBT over other approaches such as psychodynamic treatments. In the United Kingdom? the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommends CBT as the treatment of choice for a number of mental health difficulties? including post-traumatic stress disorder? OCD? bulimia nervosa and clinical depression? and for the neurological condition chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

What is Humanistic Counselling?

Counselling clients with a humanistic approach provides them with an opportunity to explore creativity? personal growth and self-development? as well as acknowledging a variety of choices. The foundations of the humanistic approach provide the client with a deeper understanding of who they are? what they feel and the opportunity to explore the possibility of creating personal choices. It encourages self-awareness and self-realisation.

A humanistic approach provides a distinct method of counselling and focuses predominately on an individual's unique? personal potential to explore creativity? growth? love and psychological understanding.

Specialist Knowledge

Counsellor's specialising in providing clients with humanistic counselling are skilled in offering a non-judgmental? supportive and understanding service? in a safe and confidential environment. There are many different types of humanistic counselling? all of which involve a close counselling relationship between the counsellor/therapist and the client. These include Gestalt Counselling? Transactional Analysis? Transpersonal Psychology? Depth Therapy and Humanistic Psychotherapy? to name but a few.

Gestalt Therapy

This type of counselling is directive? as opposed to non-directive and person centred? and ...