Full Answer Section

1. • Impact on PMHNP Practice: As a PMHNP, you might use Humanistic-Existential therapy when working with patients who are struggling with feelings of meaninglessness, loss, or existential anxiety. CBT might be more appropriate for patients with specific, identifiable issues like anxiety, depression, or OCD, where changing thought patterns and behaviors is the primary goal.
2. Therapist Role:
   • Humanistic-Existential: The therapist is non-directive, acting as a facilitator and guide, providing empathy and unconditional positive regard. The client is seen as the expert on their own experience.
   • CBT: The therapist is more directive, helping the patient identify and challenge negative thoughts and behaviors, and assigning homework to practice new skills.
   • Impact on PMHNP Practice: In your practice, you’ll need to adapt your approach based on the therapy. With Humanistic-Existential therapy, you’ll focus on building a strong therapeutic relationship and creating a safe space for exploration. With CBT, you’ll be more actively involved in guiding the patient, teaching specific techniques, and monitoring their progress.
3. Time Frame:
   • Humanistic-Existential: Can be a longer-term therapy, as it involves deep exploration of the client’s life and values.
   • CBT: Is typically a shorter-term therapy, with a focus on achieving specific, measurable goals within a defined timeframe (often 12-20 sessions).
   • Impact on PMHNP Practice: CBT’s shorter timeframe may be more appealing in some settings where brief therapy is preferred. However, Humanistic-Existential therapy might be more suitable for patients who need a more in-depth exploration of their issues and are willing to commit to a longer therapeutic process.

Application of Humanistic-Existential Therapy and Potential Outcome of CBT

• Example from a Video (You will need to specify which video you are referring to): (Since I don’t have access to the videos, I will provide a hypothetical example). Let’s say the video shows a patient struggling with grief and loss. Humanistic-Existential therapy might be used to help the patient explore the meaning of their loss, accept the pain, and find ways to move forward while honoring their grief. The therapist would focus on empathy, providing a safe space for the patient to express their feelings and explore their existential concerns related to death and meaning.
• Potential Outcome of CBT: If CBT were used in this scenario, the focus might be on identifying and challenging negative thought patterns related to the loss (e.g., “I can’t live without them,” “My life is over”). The therapist would teach coping skills to manage the intense emotions and encourage behavioral activation to re-engage in life. While CBT could help manage some of the symptoms of grief, it might not address the deeper existential questions and the need for meaning-making that Humanistic-Existential therapy would prioritize.

Scholarly Sources

I have included links to some of the sources I used to compile this information. You can use these as a starting point for finding peer-reviewed, evidence-based articles. When evaluating sources, look for articles published in reputable academic journals, with clear methodologies and findings. Attach the PDFs of the articles you use to your paper.