effectiveness of client-centered, Gestalt, EFT and
other humanistic-existential therapies. This is
somewhat ironic in light of Carl Rogers’pioneering
role in psychotherapy research. Although some
believe that this state of affairs is changing (Elliott,
Greenberg, et al., 2004), the smaller number of
well-controlled outcome studies makes an evalua-
tion of the efficacy and effectiveness of these
therapies difficult. Based on this limited database,
it does appear that these therapies are modestly
efficacious—but in general, no more so than any
other form of treatment. More research is clearly
needed, especially studies investigating the clinical
conditions for which these approaches are most
appropriate.
The general phenomenological and humanistic-
existential therapies presented in this chapter, like
all therapeutic approaches, offer a mixed bag of
contributions and problems. The reader will recall
that several of the following points were made earlier
with regard specifically to Rogerian approaches.Strengths
Let us begin with an enumeration of some of the
chief contributions of the phenomenological and
humanistic-existential perspectives.Experience. By stressing the importance of inner
experience and awareness, these therapies have
helped reaffirm the view that clinicians must rely
on something more than the sheer quantification
or enumeration of stimulus/environment conditions.
Human experiences run the gamut from knowing
to joy to agony, and clinical psychologists can ill
afford to ignore them in either their theories orTherapy for Depression BOX14.6 Focus on Clinical Applications: Features of Cognitive
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is a psychological
treatment that focuses on the adaptive and self-
organizing qualities of the emotional system in
individuals (Greenberg, 2010). In treatment, thera-
pists use EFT to help clients identify, experience,
makes sense of, and transform emotions as well as
to manage problematic emotional states. Underlying
this treatment approach is the assumption that
emotions are connected to basic human needs and
serve as a way individuals make sense out of their
own experience. Emotional change occurs by
making sense of emotions through awareness,
expression, regulation, reflection, and transforma-
tion (Greenberg, 2010). During EFT, emphasis is
placed on the therapist’s experience and expression
of empathy, development of a good alliance with
the client, and developmentof a collaborative rela-
tionship (Greenberg et al., 2007). There are three
therapeutic tasks that are used in EFT: (a) helping
the client to process experience; (b) helping the
client focus on and complete the processing of
emotions; and (c) fostering the client’s self-growth,
sense of responsibility, and sense of empowerment
(Greenberg et al., 2007).The following transcript demonstrates how an EFT
therapist helps a depressed client explore her experi-
ence of the end of a romantic relationship:
Client:I keep wondering if he will call,
Therapist:The image I have is of you sitting there waiting
for the phone to ring and even though there is only
silence and emptiness it is just so hard to get up and
walk away (evocative empathy)...somehow hoping
he will call. (Exploratory)
Client:I keep hoping he will come back (weeping
softly)
Therapist:So somehow hoping keeps the door open?
(Exploratory)
Client:Yes I guess I have been reluctant to move on...
It makes me feel so sad but I am beginning to
realize there is no point in hanging around.
(Greenberg et al., 2007, p. 28).
EFT has been shown to be an effective treatment
for couples (Johnson, Hunsley, Greenberg, & Schindler,
1999), for individuals with depression (Greenberg &
Watson, 2006), and for emotional trauma (Goldman,
Greenberg, & Angus, 2006).PSYCHOTHERAPY: PHENOMENOLOGICAL AND HUMANISTIC-EXISTENTIAL PERSPECTIVES 389