Journal of Humanistic Psychology RSS feed -- OnlineFirst Articles

What Is the African American's Experience Following Imago Education?

Martin, T. L., Bielawski, D. M. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:10:06 PST

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the African American’s experience following Imago education. Six women and six men were interviewed for this study. Qualitative data analysis resulted in the following themes: (a) improved communication between partners, (b) increased understanding of self, (c) increased understanding of partner, (d) increased understanding of one’s own and one’s partner’s childhood, (e) revealed more of one’s authentic self, and (f) expressed need for more education about Imago therapy within the African American community. Information gained from this study will be of value to the field of psychology, providing culturally pertinent insight about African Americans and how they experience relationships and psychotherapy. The findings are presented and summarized through themes, individual quotes, a composite depiction, and a creative synthesis. Future research in this area would examine the long-term effects of Imago education in this population.

Transforming From Cocoon to Butterfly: The Potential Role of the Body in the Process of Posttraumatic Growth

Hefferon, K., Grealy, M., Mutrie, N. — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:39:41 PDT

The diagnosis of cancer has the potential to elicit positive change (posttraumatic growth [PTG]) through the experience of trauma and adversity. However, psychology and clinical practices and most recently positive psychology have been criticized for their indifference toward the influence of the body on positive psychological functioning. The aim of this study was to broaden the understanding of PTG, including its process and outcomes, using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Ten female breast cancer survivors, from an already existing study, participated in an individual, open-ended interview. These were transcribed verbatim and analyzed for themes that reflected the women’s experience of growing from adversity. The role of the body was found to be a vital component to the process and outcomes of PTG and was deconstructed into three smaller themes: fear of new body, negative effects of chemotherapy on the body (fatigue, loss of desire), and reconnection with body (cocoon to butterfly, listening to body, body as a barometer/monitoring). In addition, the analysis revealed how these 10 women perceived the body as an integral component to their selfidentity and how this affected their achievement of PTG. Future research should begin to acknowledge and conduct further study into the neglected role of the body as a contributor or determinant of the PTG process.

An Exploratory Presence

Koser, N. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:25:16 PDT

To begin to understand our experience, as well as the experience of others, we first need to nurture our abilities to remain authentically present. Presence is a fundamental component to a rich and vibrant life, as well as a deeply influential aspect to the process of psychotherapy. In this account, I will elucidate an experience of attempting to remain present to my own existential processes and the experiential ramifications of such an activity. I will also expand on the importance of engaged presence in the psychotherapeutic process.

Illness and Meaning: A Review of Select Writings

Whitsitt, D. R. — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:01:49 PDT

This article explores select writings of seven authors who have examined the experience of serious illness, the meaning of it, and how individuals create or discover that meaning. These authors have been seminal thinkers in the field, and their works have influenced current thinking about illness and meaning. This article explores six major themes from select works of these authors: (a) postmodernism, culture, and illness; (b) embodied knowledge and the sick person; (c) illness narratives and their moral function;(d) key relationships for the sick person;(e) illness and death; and (f) the meaning of being ill. Apart from these, areas for future exploration are included.

Goal Consensus and Collaboration in Psychotherapy: An Existential Rationale

Mackrill, T. — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:01:49 PDT

Goal consensus and collaboration has proved to be significant for treatment outcome.Why this is the case has not been studied.The terms suggest a technical rationale;that increased attention to consensus and collaboration will lead to a more efficient use of therapeutic resources on the part of both client and therapist. However, an existential rationale is also a possibility.This study explores such a rationale.When therapists focus on goal consensus and collaboration in sessions, they implicitly draw attention to the clients’ directedness toward the future;sense of self-worth;isolation, relatedness, and freedom; agency; and the changing nature of the client and the world.

The Poetics of Aging and Dementia

Shabahangi, N. R. — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:33:30 PDT

This article suggests a unique way of viewing aging. Focusing on the process of aging, the author examines the manner in which we age and the meaning(s) we create while we go through the various stages of life. A literal and metaphorical analysis of aging is explored in great depth. Using poetry as a vehicle for meaning-making in aging, this article brings to light how we can apply ourselves creatively, and author our own life story as we age.

Co-Actualization: A New Construct in Understanding Well-Functioning Relationships

Motschnig-Pitrik, R., Barrett-Lennard, G. — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:53:09 PDT

The person-centered approach, positive psychology, and also neuroscience contribute evidence of a tendency toward actualization inherent in living organisms. In this article, the authors build on the observation that actualization in humans tends particularly to be promoted by being in wellfunctioning relationships with others. Each such fruitful relationship has a selfdeveloping quality as well as being enhancing to the relationship partners. The resulting process is referred to as co-actualization. The postulated tendency toward engagement in that process is called the co-actualizing tendency. The article characterizes co-actualization especially from a relationally oriented person-centered perspective on psychology, education, systems thinking, psychotherapy, conceptual modeling, and neuroscience. The authors cite evidence from various sources, identify questions for further research, include phenomenological considerations, and discuss potentials of the coactualizing process in close and larger scale relationships.

Reflections on Dying, Our Last Thought(s), and Living a Spiritual Life

Massoudi, M. — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:41:50 PDT

In this essay, the importance of living a spiritual life while maintaining a regular meditative (reflective) attitude toward life, death, and dying is explored.A review of some clinical studies pointing to the importance of having a spiritual outlook in life and toward death is provided. The basic teachings of the Buddha are used as the foundational theme of this paper to discuss death and the possible barriers to its acceptance.The concept of process from a thermodynamical perspective is discussed, implying that life also consists of many processes, resembling a journey with many stages. I then look at the relationship between spirituality and dying. The article ends with a few remarks and reflections on living a spiritual life.

Basho's Therapy for Narcissus: Nature as Intimate Other and Transpersonal Self

Adams, W. W. — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:25:32 PDT

The mythical Narcissus alienated himself not only from other people but from the nonhuman beings and presences of the natural world. Gazing into a beautiful pond he saw merely his personal reflection and absolutely nothing of nature. A similar dissociation haunts our existence today, impoverishing both humankind and the rest of nature. The Zen poet Matsuo Basho also had a famous encounter with an old pond, but in a radically different way. Guided by Basho’s poetry together with the existential and transpersonal streams of Buddhist psychology, the present work explores how we may welcome nature as an intimate other and as our transpersonal self. Basho’s therapy for Narcissus—and for us—illuminates the "normal" narcissism of our conventional ego-centered stance and fosters a nondual, participatory, eco-centered approach, one that is mutually enhancing for all participants in the shared earth community, human and otherwise.

"You Will Be Like God": Fascination of Force and Social Conformism in Two War Episodes

Rossi Monti, M. — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:56:02 PDT

Recalling some historical episodes and philosophical reflections, this essay attempts to show how and why ordinary human beings turn into murderers. As proved by several psychological experiments, almost everyone, if put in a certain situation, can be easily convinced to act cruelly toward other people. This happens because everyone is somehow subject to conformism and to the fascination of power and force.

The Abiding Nature of Empathic Connections: A 10-Year Follow-up Study

Myers, S. A., White, C. M. — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:12:13 PDT

This qualitative study explores the enduring impact of the therapeutic encounter. Participants, who had engaged in therapeutic relationships 10 years previously and endorsed empathy as a catalyst for personal growth, were invited to reflect on their experiences and to articulate ways in which the relationships have continued to shape their ongoing development. Two predominant themes emerged: therapeutic relationship as a foundation for change, and affirmation/enhancement of personal agency, which was characterized by inter- and intrapersonal self-efficacy and by emotional regulation. This study confirms the abiding nature of personal growth well beyond the therapeutic encounter. Ten years later, participants continue to credit the therapeutic relationship as the basis for their personal growth.

Working With the Elderly: An Existential-Humanistic Approach

Suri, R. — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:06:50 PDT

This article describes how existential–humanistic psychotherapy can be useful in working with the elderly. Specifically, the article describes the psychotherapeutic themes of presence, spirituality, and meaning and shows how they are important in working with the geriatric population. Using case studies from the author’s own work, the article provides concrete illustrations of how to work with older individuals. Implications for research and training are discussed.

Nature Therapy: Thoughts About the Limitations of Practice

Berger, R. — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:57:27 PDT

This article presents several issues that relate to the limitations of the innovative practice of nature therapy. Drawing on examples from practice, it separates physical and psychological limitations and suggests ways in which the limitations of a framework can be bypassed, turning weakness into strength.