Unique Perspective On Psychopathology

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Unique perspective on psychopathology
Humanist therapies posit that clients are resilient beings that possess natural inclinations to survive and grow, even in the face of adverse circumstances (Cain, 2002). Although humanistic therapies, do not deny that psychopathology exists, they tend to look beyond the medical model of psychology when working with clients (Cain, 2002). They take a non-pathologizing view. Clients have complex life stories, emotions, and behaviors (Angus et al., 2015). While these patterns of living may be representative of a clinical diagnostic category, clients are never reduced to one. Schneider and Krug (2015) suggest that psychological health represents static and culturally normative views of health which does …show more content…

Humanistic therapy is no exception to this concern. Sue, Arrendo, and McDavis (1992) proposed three characteristics that are essential for cultural competence. The therapist must (1) have an awareness of his or her worldview, biases and assumptions, (2), have an understanding the client’s worldview, and (3) use culturally appropriate interventions. These three characteristics are congruent with the core conditions, including the therapists’ empathic understanding of client’s internal frame of reference, therapist’s self-congruence (emotional intelligence,) and unconditional positive regard (Quinn, 2012). Additionally, humanist therapies also value the client’s right to determine what is best for themselves which is helpful in choosing intervention strategies that are culturally appropriate. Moreover, Comas-Diaz (2012) also posits that multicultural psychotherapy is embedded in humanism in three ways. The first is contextualism. Humanistic therapists listen to clients’ perspectives rather than imposing ethnocentric psychological theory onto clients. The second is a focus on holism. Humanistic therapists view clients holistically and aim to help clients’ subjective experiences of distress by uniting the mind, body, and spirit. Finally, liberation and freedom are inherent humanistic values that are also present in multicultural psychotherapy (Comas-Daiz, 2012). Thus, the core values that humanism embraces fit with multicultural

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