Humanistic Psychology and the Mental Health Worker.

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Title: Humanistic Psychology and the Mental Health Worker.
Authors: Benjamin, Elliot1 ben496@prexar.com
Source: Journal of Humanistic Psychology. Jan2011, Vol. 51 Issue 1, p82-111. 30p.
Subject Terms: *Mental health services, *Empathy, Humanistic psychology, Mental health personnel, Psychology
Abstract: This article discusses the precarious relationship of humanistic psychology to the mental health worker in our current managed care, empirically based, behaviorally focused, excessively medication-oriented mental health system. Some of the challenges, frustrations, and potential successes of bringing real and nurturing human relationships in the context of humanistic psychology into the day-to-day involvements with clients for the mental health worker are described. Some of the particular ethical dilemmas of the mental health worker attempting to work in this context of humanistic psychology are discussed, inclusive of the enormous difficulties of bringing humanistic psychology into the all pervasive medical model that controls mental health practice in our society. Through a series of case descriptions, the author provides a narrative account of his own experiences in attempting to bring the authentic nurturing relationship context of humanistic psychology into his various mental health worker jobs. The author reaches the conclusion that this relationship context of humanistic psychology is in actuality being practiced by many mental health workers without knowing it by name. He further concludes that in spite of the challenges and frustrations of engaging in real and nurturing relationships with clients as part of the mental health worker’s job in our current society, the core ingredients of empathy, authenticity, and realness of bond between client and mental health worker, which are the hallmarks of humanistic psychology, are apparently being practiced with partial success through the cleverness, flexibility, and humane-ness of mental health workers despite the enormous obstacles against this kind of humanistic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
Copyright of Journal of Humanistic Psychology is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health+services%22">Mental health services</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empathy%22">Empathy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Humanistic+psychology%22">Humanistic psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health+personnel%22">Mental health personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology%22">Psychology</searchLink>
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  Data: This article discusses the precarious relationship of humanistic psychology to the mental health worker in our current managed care, empirically based, behaviorally focused, excessively medication-oriented mental health system. Some of the challenges, frustrations, and potential successes of bringing real and nurturing human relationships in the context of humanistic psychology into the day-to-day involvements with clients for the mental health worker are described. Some of the particular ethical dilemmas of the mental health worker attempting to work in this context of humanistic psychology are discussed, inclusive of the enormous difficulties of bringing humanistic psychology into the all pervasive medical model that controls mental health practice in our society. Through a series of case descriptions, the author provides a narrative account of his own experiences in attempting to bring the authentic nurturing relationship context of humanistic psychology into his various mental health worker jobs. The author reaches the conclusion that this relationship context of humanistic psychology is in actuality being practiced by many mental health workers without knowing it by name. He further concludes that in spite of the challenges and frustrations of engaging in real and nurturing relationships with clients as part of the mental health worker’s job in our current society, the core ingredients of empathy, authenticity, and realness of bond between client and mental health worker, which are the hallmarks of humanistic psychology, are apparently being practiced with partial success through the cleverness, flexibility, and humane-ness of mental health workers despite the enormous obstacles against this kind of humanistic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Humanistic Psychology is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1177/0022167810363918
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Mental health services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Empathy
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      – SubjectFull: Humanistic psychology
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      – SubjectFull: Mental health personnel
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      – SubjectFull: Psychology
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              Text: Jan2011
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