patient. Such recognition should enhance the role of
diagnosis in the future.
Lack of Research. As we mentioned previously,
relatively less empirical research is conducted on
client-centered or phenomenological/existential
psychotherapy compared to other major modes of
treatment. This is likely to be problematic for sev-
eral reasons. First, in this age of managed care and
the sophisticated consumer, modes of treatment
that are not supported empirically will likely be
shunned or ignored. For example, it is hard to
imagine that a managed behavioral health care
company would be willing to reimburse a provider
who cannot provide an empirically supported ra-
tionale for the choice of client-centered treatment
or who refuses to set objective goals for treatment.
Second, it is likely that training programs will
emphasize these forms of treatment less to focus
more on empirically supported treatments that are
frequently evaluated in the empirical literature and
that are preferred by managed care organizations.
Finally, the relative dearth of research may give
the impression that these treatments are primarily
of historical interest and not relevant to contem-
porary clinical practice. As noted by Norcross,
Karpiak, and Santoro (2005), the humanistic, exis-
tential, Gestalt, and Rogerian orientations are
among the least frequently endorsed by contempo-
rary clinical psychologists (all less than 2% of clin-
icians surveyed). Proponents of these orientations
should take these trends seriously and consider
how the deemphasis of empirical research may be
affecting professional and public perception.
Obscure Language. A final problem for many who
seek to understand what it is that the humanistic-
existential movement offers has to do with the language
used. Part of this difficulty lies in the lack of cohesiveness
within the movement. There are so many thematic
variations that the language readily becomes vague and
ill-defined. But beyond this, there is often a wild, undis-
ciplined quality to the writing that almost assures that
variable meanings will be applied. The terminology is
so vague that almost any interpretation is possible. It is
almost as if the language has taken on a life of its own. In
fact, it is possible to string together words in such a way
that they sound exactly like a profound discourse in
humanistic-existential psychology even though the
writer does not have the foggiest notion of what they
mean. It resembles the comedian who can imitate
speaking in a foreign language without ever using real
words—only some characteristic sounds and emphases
are necessary.
From Maslow, Perls, Bugental, Boss, Binswan-
ger, Rogers, and others, we find such phrases and
terms as “internal silence,”“from here-to-there
rhythmic awareness exercises,”“meta-needs,”“peak
experiences,”“Dasein,”“authenticity,”“I-process,”
“being,”“encounter,” and “sick point.” Granted
that every theory seems to contain its share of neolo-
gisms and jargon, but the humanistic-existentialist
movement seems to be especially well endowed
with such terms. The language does serve to underline
the movement’s conscious divorce from any alliance
with science. But in“humanizing”its language, the
movement may also have erected barriers against the
more widespread acceptance of the really important
elements of its contributions.CHAPTER SUMMARY
The best example of a phenomenological and
humanistic-existential approach to psychotherapy is
perhaps Carl Rogers’client-centered therapy. This
mode of treatment developed from Rogers’reaction
to traditional psychoanalytic perspectives on psycho-
pathology and on psychological health. Instead of
adopting such a deterministic and, to some degree,
pessimistic perspective, Rogers’views emphasized the
client’s own phenomenological world and experi-
ence and the client’s inherent tendency toward self-
actualization. Client-centered therapists seek to
facilitate the client’s growth potential by provi-
ding empathic understanding, unconditional posi-
tive regard, and genuineness. Diagnosis, formal394 CHAPTER 13