The Importance and Limits of Experiential Psychotherapy

Experiential therapy focuses on emotions - whether we are talking about negative emotions, such as anger, pain, shame - correlated with past experiences, but also emotions associated with success, self-esteem, or even responsibility. Unlocking already experienced emotions and their subjective experience is the central point of experiential therapy - whether we are talking about the experience of the immediate and the awareness of our own being, or we are talking about "frozen" experiences, to which we have no conscious access outside psychotherapeutic practices. It reconfigures our mental maps by generating behaviors that make sense only in correlation with the understanding of those emotions, that are present in the subconscious but of which we are unaware and are not effectively rationalized. The article aims to analyze the field of application and the therapeutic particularities of experiential psychotherapy as a form of existentialist-humanistic therapy, as well as the limits of the experiential paradigm in a postmodern context.

Treatment of compulsive buying disorder: comparing the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy with person-centred experiential counselling

Background: Outcome studies of the treatment of compulsive buying disorder (CBD) have rarely compared the effectiveness of differing active treatments. Aims: This study sought to compare the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and person-centred experiential therapy (PCE) in a cross-over design. Method: This was an ABC single case experimental design with extended follow-up with a female patient meeting diagnostic criteria for CBD. Ideographic CBD outcomes were intensively measured over a continuous 350-day time series. Following a 1-month baseline assessment phase (A; 28 days; three sessions), CBT was delivered via 13 out-patient sessions (B: 160 days) and then PCE was delivered via six out-patient sessions (C: 63 days). There was a 99-day follow-up period. Results: Frequency and duration of compulsive buying episodes decreased during active treatment. CBT and PCE were both highly effective compared with baseline for reducing shopping obsessions, excitement about shopping, compulsion to shop and improving self-esteem. When the PCE and CBT treatment phases were compared against each other, few differences were apparent in terms of outcome. There was no evidence of any relapse over the follow-up period. A reliable and clinically significant change on the primary nomothetic measure (i.e. Compulsive Buying Scale) was retained over time. Conclusions: The study suggests that both CBT and PCE can be effective for CBD. Methodological limitations and suggestions for future CBD outcome research are discussed.

Gender Conformity and Suicide: A Case Study Integrating Structural Family Therapy and Satir Experiential Therapy

Recent studies have shown that suicidality among transgender youth are 3.6 times more likely to report suicidal ideation and 3.2 times more likely to attempt suicide compared with cisgender youth. To alleviate the suicide rates among transgender youth, research suggests the need for family-based interventions. This case study explores the integration of structural family therapy and the Satir growth model to increase connection and support within the family, while also creating clear boundaries that are protective and growth-enhancing. This study provides a session by session overview of how the therapist integrated the models while working with the entire family unit.