Read the passage and answer the following question:
The humanistic-existential therapies propose that psychological distress originates from feelings of alienation, loneliness and inability to find meaning in life. Individuals have needs for personal growth and self-actualisation. When these needs are not met it creates psychological distress.
The therapy creates a permissive, non-judgmental and accepting atmosphere in which the client's emotions can be freely expressed and balance achieved.
Gestalt Therapy is one of the therapies under this category which was given by Freiderick Perls and Laura Perls. This therapy works with a goal to increase an individual's self-awareness and self-acceptance. Similarly, client can reconnect with his/her disintegrated feelings. The therapist shows empathy and unconditional positive regard towards the client. This therapy also believes that client has the resources and potential to deal with the distress. In conclusion, it can be said that these therapies help a client to become his/her real self with the therapist working as facilitator.
The humanistic existential therapy is based on forming relationship between client and therapist which is:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → warm and has unconditional positive regard
Option (1) sympathetic and has conditional regard — Incorrect. Both halves are wrong. The therapist shows empathy, not sympathy: in sympathy one feels compassion and pity for the sufferer but cannot feel like the other person. The regard is unconditional, not conditional; it does not depend on what the client says or does.
Option (2) cold and judgmental — Incorrect. The therapy creates a permissive, non-judgmental and accepting atmosphere so that the client’s emotions can be freely expressed. A cold and judging therapist would make the client hide those emotions.
Option (3) warm and has unconditional positive regard — Correct. The therapy provides a warm relationship in which the client can reconnect with her/his disintegrated feelings. The therapist has unconditional positive regard, that is, total acceptance of the client as s/he is; this warmth does not depend on what the client reveals or does, so the client feels secure enough to explore her/his feelings.
Option (4) distant and shallow — Incorrect. The relationship is a trusting and confiding one, and the therapist understands the client’s experience as if it were her/his own. A distant, shallow contact would give the client no reason to open up.
NCERT (2025-26): “Client-centred Therapy … Client-centred therapy was given by Carl Rogers. Rogers combined scientific rigour with the individualised practice of client-centred psychotherapy. Rogers brought into psychotherapy the concept of self, with freedom and choice as the core of one’s being. The therapy provides a warm relationship in which the client can reconnect with her/his disintegrated feelings. The therapist shows empathy, i.e. understanding the client’s experience as if it were her/his own, is warm and has unconditional positive regard, i.e. total acceptance of the client as s/he is. Empathy sets up an emotional resonance between the therapist and the client. Unconditional positive regard indicates that the positive warmth of the therapist is not dependent on what the client reveals or does in the therapy sessions. This unique unconditional warmth ensures that the client feels secure and can trust the therapist.…” “Therapeutic Relationship … The therapist has empathy for the client. Empathy is different from sympathy and intellectual understanding of another person’s situation. In sympathy, one has compassion and pity towards the suffering of another but is not able to feel like the other person. Intellectual understanding is cold in the sense that the person is unable to feel like the other person and does not feel sympathy either.…” |