Dr. Sen does not interpret Priya's thoughts or correct her behaviour. She only offers a warm, empathic relationship in which Priya feels secure to explore the nature and causes of her problems by herself. Which of the following is true of the group of therapies Dr. Sen follows?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → It places importance on the present
Option (1) It places importance on the present — Correct. Dr. Sen follows <strong>existential therapy</strong>, where the therapist merely provides a warm, empathic relationship. This therapy <strong>places importance on the present</strong>: current feelings of loneliness, alienation and futility cause problems.
Option (2) It uses free association and reporting of dreams — Incorrect. Free association and reporting of dreams are methods of psychodynamic therapy, where the therapist interprets the client's material for her.
Option (3) It assumes the therapist can arrive at solutions to the client's problems — Incorrect. Both psychodynamic and behaviour therapies assume the therapist can arrive at solutions. Existential therapies hold the opposite: the client explores the problems herself.
Option (4) It sets up alternate behavioural contingencies — Incorrect. Setting up alternate behavioural contingencies is the method of behaviour therapy, which corrects faulty conditioning patterns.
NCERT (2026-27): “TYPE OF THERAPIES … “… Both the psychodynamic and the behaviour therapies assume that the therapist is capable of arriving at solutions to the client’s problems. In contrast to these therapies, the existential therapies emphasise that the therapist merely provides a warm, empathic relationship in which the client feels secure to explore the nature and causes of her/ his problems by herself/himself.” |