Psychotherapeutic Approaches Research Articles

Spirituality in logotherapy and existential analysis by Viktor Emil Frankl

A proper image of man forms the basis of all kinds of practice – educational, medical, pastoral – including psychotherapeutic practice. What, then, constitutes the constitutive element of this image? In search of the answer to this question, Logotherapy, created by Viktor Emil Frankl, was examined. The key dimension of human existence in Logotherapy is the spiritual dimension. Starting with a general characteristic of Logotherapy as a psychotherapeutic approach, a detailed analysis of the spiritual dimension in this context was conducted, outlining its various manifestations against the backdrop of broader philosophical assumptions on which Frankl constructed the foundations of his theory. The theoretical aspects were related to examples from case studies described by Frankl and his contemporary followers. The aspect of spiritual unconsciousness, distinct from the unconscious in the psychoanalytic sense, was also discussed. Based on the analyses conducted, it was concluded that the spiritual dimension of human existence constitutes an inalienable and fundamental way of being, even if that dimension is unconscious or, to use Frankl’s terminology, even if it is “walled off,” for example, due to mental illness. The spiritual dimension itself is not subject to illness, which creates a hopeful area for psychotherapeutic work and serves as a source of resources manifested, for instance, in the so-called “power of the spirit’s resistance.” The extraordinary potential of Logotherapy lies in the connection between the spiritual dimension and meaning, which, according to Frankl, is the strongest motivating factor. The spiritual dimension directs us to something greater than ourselves – to the meaning that awaits realization. The more the spiritual dimension is a governing dimension, the more a person is integrated around this dimension, the easier it is for them to perceive the unique call to meaning that permeates all life circumstances and continually offers itself anew.

Issues of spirituality in psychology and psychotherapy

Psychology was born from philosophy as the “science of the soul”, and was treated and practised as such by the ancient Greeks. Over time, especially after it was reborn in the 19th century as modern psychology with its origins in Wilhelm Wundt’s laboratory, it evolved into a strictly empirical science, distanced from metaphysics and detached from what is spiritual and hence immeasurable and methodologically problematic. Subsequent psychotherapeutic approaches have gone through phases from a reductionist understanding of man (psychoanalysis, behaviourism) to viewing him in a broader, also noetic perspective (existential analysis, logotherapy). There is a certain opposition here in the anthropological assumptions that shape psychology. We still use the prevailing materialistic anthropology, consistently limiting human functioning to its bio-psycho-social dimension; rationalizing all manifestations of human behaviour incomprehensible to reason (excluding the spiritual factor in its interpretation). However, we have realistic psychology and anthropological personalism, which recognizes the manifestations of man’s spiritual life. The constantly developing branch of psychology, which is the psychology of religion and spirituality, shows that the element of ratio is present in the centre of interest for modern psychologists, bringing further research on the connections between human religiosity and spirituality and his functioning in various areas. The practical dimension of psychology, i.e. psychotherapy, is based on assumptions that adepts of particular therapeutic modalities accept “on faith”, because they have no empirical confirmation. The growing popularity of using strategies and techniques derived from various spiritualities in psychotherapy shows how strongly the element fides is embedded in it. To sum up: fields such as psychology and psychotherapy, regardless of what they declare, have always been based on the elements of both fides and ratio, and today they still balance between spirituality and science.

A Dialectical Perspective on Reflective Function and the Concept of Compensation in Jung.

The construct of mentalization has a growing resonance in the theoretical and clinical spheres across different clinical and psychotherapeutic approaches, including that of analytical psychology. The aim of this paper is to relate the Reflective Function to the concept of Compensation, as it was re-invented by Jung (1914). Beginning with the original reading proposed by Jung in his work about the "interpretation of Daniel's interpretation" of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, the authors go so far as to propose that the interpretation of dreams can be a method for critical confrontation with oneself. In this perspective, the reflective function and the compensation principle can be considered as promoters of a critical (re)view of one's own assumptions/attitudes through confrontation with other points of view. This critical (re)view must be conducted first of all in the interior life of the person. In clinical practice, reflective function and the concept of compensation serve as essential tools for seeing differently and reshaping one's understanding of self and others. A brief "modern" clinical case is provided to illustrate the practical application and therapeutic value of this approach.

PROCESSOS PSICOTERAPÊUTICOS: SUAS CONTRIBUIÇÕES NA QUALIDADE DE VIDA DA PESSOA COM DEMÊNCIA E ALZHEIMER

This study aims to elucidate and collect data on: “Psychotherapeutic Processes: Their contributions to the quality of life of people with dementia and Alzheimer’s”. It is understood that Dementia represents a cognitive disorder that causes the gradual impoverishment of brain function, affecting the ability to judge, memory, language and other cognitive processes, occurring more frequently in elderly individuals and the prevalence of dementia doubles every five years. years from the age of 65, based on this context, this article aims to present how psychotherapeutic processes can alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life of people with dementia and Alzheimer's. Aiming to understand the causes and development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, identifying factors that contribute to the physical and psychological burden on family members and their caregivers. The investigation is based on the CBT approach, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which specifically expresses its therapeutic mechanisms of action. It also hears contributions from the TAC approach. Behavioral Analytical Therapy that made it possible to understand the patient in their context. Therefore, this study was guided by a bibliographical research methodology, exploratory in nature, with a qualitative, field and descriptive approach, hypothetical-deductive and non-experimental. I understand that this line of research and approach is the most viable for the study for now. Therefore, the results contextualized here can be considered satisfactory to those initially proposed in this psychotherapeutic study. There are still clearly several aspects and possibilities to be analyzed in future studies, and, therefore, in more depth.

Avoidance, vicious cycles, and experiential disconfirmation of script: expanding transactional analysis methods for depression and anxiety therapy. Review of the article by Mark Widdowson about working with avoidance in transaction analysis

This paper contains a review of Mark Widdowson’s article “Avoidance, Vicious Cycles, and Experiential Disconfirmation of Script: Two New Theoretical Concepts and One Mechanism of Change in the Psychotherapy of Depression and Anxiety” published in “Transactional Analysis Journal” in 2014. The article defines the avoidance process, points out the connections between anxiety, depression and the avoidance process, provides comments on how avoidance is handled in various psychotherapeutic approaches, as well as practical recommendations for confrontation with the avoidance process and a step-by-step plan for working with avoidance in psychotherapy. The interrelationships between the script process and avoidance are also investigated, and a comparison is made between avoidance in transactional analysis and the theory of passivity proposed by Schiffs.

Psychotherapy in Treating Female Sexual Dysfunction.

This paper provides a summary of the biopsychosocial approach to the identification of female sexual dysfunction, with a particular focus on psychological, interpersonal, and sociocultural components. A summary of psychotherapeutic approaches to the management of female sexual dysfunction, for cases warranting a specialist referral, is provided. Approaches including sensate focus sex therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, and systematic desensitization are summarized. This information may support obstetric and gynecologic health care professionals in engaging in interdisciplinary care and in providing an informative and warm referral to patients who would benefit from psychotherapeutic approaches.

Narratology Talks to the Talking Cure in Persuasion

Abstract This essay puts Persuasion in conversation with psychotherapeutic approaches to Austen and cognitive literary studies (more broadly, approaches that draw on the sciences of mind). Narrative therapy provides a heuristic for Persuasion, accounting for Anne Elliot's recovery from melancholy to achieve a sense of well-being. In line with the goals of narrative therapy, she learns to tell a different story about herself than the one that has oppressed her since her broken engagement. The novel represents the therapeutic elements involved in such reenvisioning, including validation; holding; the availability of alternative, better narratives as models; and awareness of the cultural factors that have contributed to her state of mind. Conversely, narratology accounts for the representation of Anne's experience, showing how literary devices, including embedded narrative, focalization, and voice, convey Anne's transformation from melancholy and passive spinster to active and vital woman who defends her actions and renews her engagement on better terms. This transformation depends not only on interpersonal exchanges but also on her realization that cultural “master narratives” infiltrate our most intimate stories.

Family Relations of Muslims in the Post-Soviet Space: Main Features and Approaches to Psychological Counseling

The family relations of Muslims under present-day conditions are undergoing a signifi cant transformation. The increase in the number of divorces makes it necessary to look for the ways to resolve family confl icts and to harmonize marital relations. In this regard, the requirements for the qualifi cation of family psychologists consulting Muslim couples and families are increasing. It is not enough to master one or another method of family counseling for working with Muslim families. The most important role is played by the formation of the specialist's intercultural competence, as well as by mastering the knowledge and understanding the ethnic, religious and regional specifi cs of the clients. The culture of Muslim ethnic groups is collectivistic, which aff ects the relationships both within a married couple and within an extended family, whose role in Muslim communities is still important. In the article, this thesis is illustrated by the analysis of the author's practical case of family counseling. The author, based on the consideration of ethnic and religious values underlying Muslim family relations, examines the most eff ective psychotherapeutic approaches in working with Muslim families and couples.

Concepts of Implied Interventions for Treating Depression: A Comprehensive Review

Hence, answering the question how a person is able to secure and maintain lifelong good mood would facilitate in deceiphering depression; a common and etiologically complex multi factorial mental health disorder which affects over 264 m individuals worldwide with tremendous effect on morbidity and economic burden. Here, our study results from more than 100 experimental and observational studies with respect to effective treatments for depression across three main groups such as: Pharmacological interventions, Psychotherapeutic approaches, and Emerging digital health solutions have been effective as implied interventions to tret Depression. While antidepressants, particularly selective serotonergic reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), continued as the bedrock of therapy; Novel therapies with Ketamine have shown potential for treatment failure cases. Large-scale studies of Psychotherapeutic methods, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), show high effectiveness rates in most populations. Digital health interventions, such as e-therapy, were potential alternatives and particularly suitable for patients in rural areas. Integrating these modalities will allow clinicians to offer more individualised and tailored care. This review provided an overview of the mechanisms of each intervention for depression as a clinical aid to inform decisions by clinicians as well as policy makers seeking to improve treatment pathways for individuals with Mood disorders and Depression.

A Review Article on Neurobiological and Psychotherapeutic Approach in Management of Borderline Personality Disorder

A Review Article on Neurobiological and Psychotherapeutic Approach in Management of Borderline Personality Disorder

The Relationship Between Emotional Eating and Depression: Intervention Strategies and Future Research Directions

Abstract: In recent years, emotional eating, defined as the act of consuming food as a means of coping with negative emotions, has garnered significant attention from the psychological community. As such, the paper examines the intricate relationship between emotional eating and depression. Through a review of the existing literature, emotional eating is explored as a potential trigger and exacerbator of depressive symptoms, especially when individuals use food as a coping mechanism for negative emotions. Besides, it discusses the psychological mechanisms behind emotional eating, including difficulties in emotion regulation and the use of inadequate coping strategies, highlighting the particular significance of these factors in depressed patients. The paper evaluates the efficacy of current interventions for reducing emotional eating and alleviating depressive symptoms, with a particular emphasis on the potential that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and positive thinking interventions have demonstrated in improving emotion regulation and reducing the impact of negative emotions on eating behavior. The analysis of the efficacy of these psychotherapeutic approaches in practice presents a theoretical foundation for future intervention strategies and supports the design of more targeted treatment plans in clinical practice, so as to assist depressed patients in improving their mood regulation and reducing the frequency of emotional eating, thereby enhancing their quality of life.

Psychological Women's Liberation: Feminist Therapy Between Psychology and the Women's Movement in the Federal Republic of Germany in the 1970s

From the late 1960s onwards, the early second women's movement encompassed all areas of West German society. This included debates about how women's healthcare could be improved in aself-determined, women-friendly way and in line with feminist ideals. These debates were also held with regard to the general boom in psychotherapy at the time. This article explores the question of how debates around feminist therapy emerged in the Federal Republic of Germany. It also looks at the tense relationship between psychology and psychotherapy. While feminist women's counselling and therapy centers became awidespread part of apsychosocial care network from the late 1970s onwards, scientific psychology in German speaking countries remained largely closed to feminist influences. The article traces how this imbalance between feminist therapeutic practice and psychological women's research came about. Therefore, the article sets out from 1974, when psychologists tried to introduce feminist impulses into academic psychology and feminist activists made psychotherapeutic approaches usable for the women's movement. Many female psychologists shifted their commitment from the academic to the therapeutic field. It is argued, that this was due to the less than conducive conditions that feminist-oriented psychologists found in German-speaking academic psychology.

Paternalizm i dyrektywność. Pomiędzy psychoterapią a poradnictwem – próba problematyzacji pojęć i podejść na przykładzie Soterii

The main purpose of the article is to problematize paternalism and directivity in the context of the differences between psychotherapy and counselling. It is often assumed that psychotherapy deals with mental disorders, while counselling deals with developmental crises and other problems of healthy people. Accepting such a perspective and psychotherapeutic ethics is equivalent to adopting a medical intervention discourse and involves treating the patient in a paternalistic and directive manner. This is problematic because the category of "mental disorders" itself, as well as the diagnostic criteria for particular diagnoses, are criticized from many different standpoints. The example of Soteria, a therapeutic approach for people with a diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia, shows that even in the case of such a "severe mental illness," a model of support closer to counselling, which allows greater autonomy and subjectivity of the patient, can be equally, if not more, effective than conventional medical and psychotherapeutic approaches operating in the axiology of medicine. The article can thus serve as a starting point for considering the formulation of the proper area of interest for counselling and psychotherapy, the related goals of these interventions and the ethical implications of such decisions.

Listening for the Corroborative Echo: What Carl Rogers Taught Us

ABSTRACT This commentary recounts the process of training in Carl Rogers’ methods of listening within the psychotherapeutic process. Rogers’ leadership rejected the two dominant schools of psychological thought that existed in North America half-way through the 20th century: behaviorism and psychoanalysis. His brand of humanism valued self-direction, which moved his trainees away from practices built around helping people through asking probing questions, giving information, making interpretations and delivering reassurance. Instead, his technique stressed expressing authentic empathy along with a fresh encapsulation of the content being spoken. This prompts the speaker to process their emotions and confirm accurate understanding with a “corroborative echo.” There is wisdom in Rogers’ theory of listening that is often over-simplified and misapprehended. This essay raises questions about how to master this nuanced skill and whether this proficiency can be preserved for future generations.

Top-funded companies offering digital health interventions for the prevention and treatment of depression: a systematic market analysis

BackgroundDigital innovations can reduce the global burden of depression by facilitating timely and scalable interventions. In recent years, the number of commercial Digital Health Interventions for Depression (DHIDs) has been on the rise. However, there is limited knowledge on their content and underpinning scientific evidence. This study aimed to: (i) identify the top-funded companies offering DHIDs and (ii) provide an overview of their interventions, including scientific evidence, psychotherapeutic approaches and use of novel technologies.MethodsA systematic search was conducted using two venture capital databases to identify the top-30 funded companies offering DHIDs. In addition, studies related to the DHIDs’ were identified via academic databases and hand-searching. The methodological quality of the publications was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.ResultsThe top-30 funded companies offering DHIDs received a total funding of 2,592 million USD. Less than half of the companies produced any scientific research associated with their DHIDs, with a total of 83 publications identified. Twenty-five publications were randomised control trials, of which 15 reported moderate-to-large effects in reducing depression symptoms. Regarding novel technologies, few DHIDs incorporated the use of conversational agents or low-burden sensing technologies.ConclusionsFunding received by top-funded companies was not related to the amount of scientific evidence provided on their DHIDs. There was a strong variation in the quantity of evidence produced and an overall need for more rigorous effectiveness trials. Few DHIDs used automated approaches such as conversational agents, limiting their scalability.

The psychotherapeutic approach of artificial intelligence vs human intelligence. Artificial intelligence in the psychotherapeutic approach

This article presents an analysis of the integration of artificial intelligence into psychotherapy and clinical practice, providing insights into the benefits and challenges of this integration. It also analyzes the future potential of AI to revolutionize the way we deliver and access mental health services. The article explores the advantages of using AI in psychotherapy, as well as the ethical and security challenges. It also analyzes current applications and the future potential of AI in the psychotherapeutic approach.

Efficacy of brief cognitive behavior therapy in improving symptoms, functioning, and adherence to treatment in patients with bipolar disorder in remission: A randomized control study

Background: Residual symptoms in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) in remission are common, and they contribute to significant functional impairment and distress. The incomplete efficacy of pharmacological treatments and improvements in psychotherapeutic approaches has led to renewed interest in psychotherapy for this disorder. However, there are fewer studies addressing the same. Aim: The study aims to examine brief CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) in addressing the residual symptoms in BD. Method: A two-group randomized control design with multiple assessments (pre, post, and 3-month follow-up) was adopted. The sample consisted of 30 patients each in the intervention and Treatment As Usual (TAU) groups selected from the outpatient services of a tertiary mental health hospital. The variables studied were interepisodic symtpoms, functioning, and adherence to treatment using the tools of Beck Depression Inventory-II, Young Mania Rating Scale, and Beck Anxiety Inventory. The intervention group received a brief integrated CBT of 8–10 sessions conducted weekly over 2–3 months. The TAU group received treatment as usual and brief weekly telephonic contact. Results: A significant difference was seen across the time points between the groups on all the variables. Significant changes in within group scores was noted in the intervention group on depressive and anxiety symptoms, medication adherence, and dysfunctional attitudes compared to the TAU group. However, there was no significant change in the functioning in both the groups. Larger within group effect sizes for anxiety, dysfunctional attitudes and emotion regulation, medium effect sizes for depression, and quality of life and small effect sizes for manic symptoms and medication adherence were found in the intervention group. Depression severity had a significant moderating effect on therapy outcomes. Conclusion: The study shows effectiveness of brief CBT in reducing residual symptoms in the patients with BD. A longer-term follow-up would validate the findings.

APPROACHES TO PREPARING STUDENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

This article describes systematic, activity-oriented, synergetic, hermeneutic, and psychotherapeutic approaches to preparing students for educational activities in higher education institutions.

The Fierce Urgency of Now: The Case for Including the Environmental Field in Clinical Work

ABSTRACT The same forces that have caused climate change have also affected people. The impact of those forces has been hard to see because physical environments are primarily perceived as separate from the person. This bifurcation of the human-ecosystem relationship may be a factor in many common mental health problems as well as in continued environmental abuse. In this paper, I advocate for understanding the baseline human-ecosystem relationship along with speculating about climate change’s impacts on mental health. Knowing this relationship can augment psychotherapeutic techniques to create a more integrated human-ecosystem relationship, mitigate the effects of climate change on psychological well-being, and foster increased care for the environment. Using object-relations theory and environmentally informed structural-developmental theory, I suggest the existence of ecological object relationships. They are acted upon systemically (Actor Network Theory), acquired developmentally through an integrationist view of language, and become units of analysis that can be therapeutically applied in clinical work. Ecotherapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes the clinician, the physical environment, and the person being treated in a temporal framework that can heal the dissociative split in the human-ecosystem relationship, strengthening mental and communal health.

Cariprazine in Bipolar Disorder and Substance Use: A Dual Approach to Treatment?

Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by recurrent episodes of mania, hypomania, and depression and is often complicated by comorbid substance use disorders (SUDs). Up to 60% of individuals with BD experience SUDs, which exacerbate mood instability and increase the risk of rapid cycling, suicide, and poor clinical outcomes. Current treatment strategies, including lithium and valproate, show limited efficacy in treating both BD and SUD. Psychotherapeutic approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) offer benefits but lack a specific focus on substances such as cannabis and cocaine. Since there is still debate on how to treat this comorbidity, there is a need to find new therapeutic options; this mini-review examines the pharmacological properties of cariprazine and its emerging role in the treatment of comorbid BD and SUD. Cariprazine, an atypical antipsychotic with partial agonism at dopamine D2 and D3 receptors, has shown promise in treating both mood symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in BD. Its unique affinity for D3 receptors, which are involved in motivation and reward processing, may offer advantages in reducing drug craving. Clinical trials indicate that cariprazine effectively treats manic, depressive, and mixed episodes in BD with a favorable side effect profile, particularly at lower doses. Preliminary results suggest its potential to reduce craving and substance use in individuals with co-occurring BD and SUD. Therefore, cariprazine, with its unique pharmacodynamic mechanism, could be further studied for the treatment of BD in comorbidity with SUD. However, evidence on the role of cariprazine in the treatment of SUDs remains limited, based primarily on case reports and animal studies. Further research, including large-scale clinical trials, is needed to determine its full efficacy in this dual diagnosis.