Critical Evaluation of Counselling Session

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The approach of existential therapy can be based primarily or entirely on using person-centred and phenomenological interventions (Vos, Craig and Cooper, 2015). The basis of existential interventions focuses on the inherent anxiety individuals feel in relation to four universal givens (Yalom, 1980); Freedom and responsibility, death, making meaning, and isolation (Yalom, 1980). The aim of existential therapy, is through realising the subjective nature of the world, individuals are then better able to take responsibility for the changes that occur in their lives and to live in a manner that is authentic to their values and beliefs (Cooper, 2003). This essay aims to critically evaluate the effectiveness of an existential counselling approach witnessed in a session between existential and transpersonal therapist Dr. Ronald Laing and Lela, a schizophrenic client of the Mericoba medical centre’s CHAPS program (Existential Psychotherapy [Video file], 1985). The focus of the evaluation is to determine the congruence of the session with the existential model, to analyse the effectiveness of the interventions used and to establish how the approach aids in the therapeutic relationship between client and counsellor. Existential therapy has been considered to be on the opposite end of the spectrum to more clinically proven approaches such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (Helminiak, Hoffman, and Dodson, 2012). The approach focuses on the client's lived experience and encourages client's to make meaning and interpretations that enable them to live authentically with their perceived world view (Cooper, 2003). In contrast, other approaches such as cognitive-behavioural therapy focus more on relieving symptoms for clients and changing unconventional behaviours (Beck, 2011). R.D Laing is well known for having been influenced by existential philosophy in his practise, and has

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