Critical Comparison of Psychological Intervention Approaches

This essay provides a critical comparison and contrast of psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and humanistic approaches to psychological intervention. It begins with an introduction outlining the scope of the essay, followed by an exploration of the core values and key theoretical concepts of each approach. The essay then delves into the practical application of each therapy, comparing and contrasting their methodologies. Finally, it examines the applicability of these approaches within the Aotearoa New Zealand context, with a specific focus on the Māori population, considering the suitability of each approach for this cultural group and concluding with a comprehensive overview of the strengths and weaknesses of each therapeutic perspective. This essay is a comprehensive analysis of the different approaches to psychological intervention, providing an in-depth understanding of their core principles, practices, and cultural considerations.

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System04116
8/11/2019

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Introduction
The essay is about critically compared and contrasts the psychodynamic, cognitive
behavioral and humanistic approaches to the psychological intervention. Psychological
interventions are actions which are performed to bring the changes in the individuals. A broad
range of intervention strategies presents and they are guided towards the several kinds of issues
or problems. Most commonly, this means that any activities used to change the behavior, state of
emotions and the feelings. The various approaches are used to identify and discuss about the
psychological interventions which are to be further critically compared and contrasted the three
therapies (Huguet, Et al, 2016).
Core values and concept of psychodynamic approach
Psychodynamic approach is psychological understanding of emotional and mental
practices. Rooted in the traditional therapy, it is lures from the associations of object, ego and
individual psychology. This was established as the easiest, brief alternative of psychoanalysis. It
aims to report the basis and development of the psychological practices. In this manner, this
seeks out to reduce the symptoms or sign and also betters the people’s lives. In psychodynamic
approach, the specific person helps individuals increase the awareness into their lives and also
current day issues or problems. They assess patterns individuals improve over the time specified.
To do it, therapists evaluate the positive factors of life with the individual in the therapy: early-
life experiences, thoughts, emotions and beliefs. Recognizing the frequent patterns can assist the
individuals to see in what way they avoid grief or establish the protection mechanism to handle.
This insight might permit those to starts changing the recurring pattern. The therapeutic
association is the main to psychodynamic therapy (Bianco, Et al, 2016). It can demonstrate in

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what way an individual interacts with their loved one or with friends. Psychodynamic therapy is
offered to the couples, individuals, groups or families. It can be taken as the short period or long
period therapy. Short-lived psychodynamic therapy is the goal-oriented and taken more than
twenty sessions. The long period psychodynamic therapy took 2 years or more.
Core values and concept of cognitive-behavioral approach
Cognitive behavioral approach is grounded in the basic understanding of a person’s
dysfunctional thinking that can be resulting from incorrect internal practices or the preferences
which are systematic. It mixes components of the cognitive rearrangement approach with the
changing behavioral techniques of the behavioral therapy in place of planning a therapeutic
structure which can recognize illogical and mala adaptive views, core beliefs and assumptions
linked to the condition of individual. Cognitive behavioral approach followed its six stages that
is psychological evaluation basically led in the interviews form devoted to inspiring the
automatic thoughts of patients; re-conceptualization comprises the main part of treatment which
seeks to help patient in reform individual’s thoughts on the subjects that results in negative
behavior; acquisition of skills comprises recognition of set of skill the patient needs in solving
recognized maladaptive point of view; consolidation of skills and training application that
includes creation of set of skills which will be used by the patient in challenging stressors and
involuntary thoughts able to inspiring the maladaptive actions; simplification and maintenance
comprises the nourishment of the set of skills of patient, use of these and adaptive behavior
results following an approach; and evaluation of post action and follow up. This approach creates
distance from the social pressures by adapting individual’s own attitude what they wants. It
increases the effectiveness of the therapy and durability of its results after its completion.

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Core value and concept of humanistic approach
The humanistic approach is drawing deeply through the work done in religious areas and
existential attitude. The humanist psychologists risked the claim towards the ideas and thoughts
of the client centered psychoanalysis instead of the technique-oriented psychoanalysis.
According the Carl Rogers and Fredrick Perls, individual were born understanding the way to be
well and logically drawn towards creating the better choices and preferences. As per this
approach, attaining happiness is the subject of developing the freedom for individuals oneself to
chase their own genuine interest and there are several methods which their genuine interests can
get buried. They will require to overcome any chunks of road before they become free. The
technique that tends to useful in receiving individuals back on track tends to play in the direction
of their feelings or emotions. The core values which are created from this approach is that it
makes this possible for the colleague of individuals to function as a human being rather than
human resources; it makes it possible for the individual’s colleague to improve to their complete
potential; it increases the efficiency of the organization through adherence to the clearly
established goals; it creates a situation that allowing their individuals to experience their own
work as the challenging and thrilling; it make it possible or individual’s co-worker to affect the
development, the process and the organization’s environment that make people feel that success
of organization and work experience quality depends on them.
Compare and contrast three approaches
The above three approaches have different core values which might be differ to some
extent at individual and organizational level. In comparing psychodynamic and cognitive
behavioral approach, psychodynamic approach boosts the people to find their past and an early

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childhood for bringing to memory essential acts. However the cognitive behavioral theory
emphasis on here and now and is goal-oriented. Psychological approach understands as being
ambitious through unconscious needs while the cognitive behavioral therapy sees individual
behavior as being well-learned responses (Hoffman, Et al, 2015). In comparison with humanistic
approach, this approach mainly focuses on the present acts or moments instead of past problems
and issues to assist the individual tap into their inborn capabilities, creativities and wisdom to
fulfill their individual potential as the human being. As compared to psychodynamic and
cognitive behavior approach, humanistic approach is less directive and prescriptive. The role of
therapists in the psychodynamic approach is commanding and tends to define what shall be
discussed about at the time of meeting whereas in the humanistic approach, therapist takes a role
of objectives and listens to a patient what he want to discuss as it is more non focused approach
and the patient can choose what shall be talk about at the time of session (Piazza, Et al, 2016).
Humanistic approach provides the change opportunities but this is on the patient to actively
resolve their own issues. The psychodynamic deals with an unconscious thoughts or ideas and
conflicts whereas the cognitive and humanistic approaches believe in the conscious
performances and make their own conclusions (Fonagy, 2015).
Practice of cognitive-behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavior therapy is form of the psychotherapy which treated the problems and
issues and lifts happiness by adjusting dysfunctional emotions, thoughts and behaviors. This
therapy emphasizes on the solutions which encourage the patients to encounter the one-sided
thoughts and change unhelpful forms of behavior. The cognitive behavioral approach rests on
ideas which perceptions and thoughts impact the behavior (McKay, Et al, 2015). The practices
which the cognitive behavior therapy involves is questioning offensive thoughts and replacing

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them with more useful ones or helpful ones; recognizing when individuals are going to do
something which will make them feel worse and instead doing something more useful and
helpful. Cognitive behavior therapists sets the realistic goals and learn in what way to resolve the
issues such as individual engaged in social events or activities learning in what way to be self-
assured. They identify the situations which often are neglected and progressively approaching
the dreaded situation. They are engaging within the pleasant situations such as the social
activities, exercise and hobbies. They identify and stimulating the views which are negative.
They keep the feelings track, thoughts and the behaviors to become the conscious of the
symptoms and to make that simpler for changing the behavior and thoughts (Dobson, Et al,
2018).
Practice of humanistic therapy
Humanistic therapy practices upon the individuals by encouraging them recovering
substances users to take an active participation in their recovery and come up with their
individual answers on how to live substance-free. This therapy treats the individuals with respect
and dignity that is builds upon the talents and strengths. This helping the people to connect to
their community and develop relationship; acting and listening on what an individual
communicates; taking the time to understand and know the individuals and those things which
make them different or unique (Hoffman, Et al, 2019). It develops true self-acceptance and
unconditional positive regards both from the others and from oneself. It offers the safe space to
the work towards the individual growth and development. It helps the individual as a whole
instead of treating the specific diagnosis. This therapy practice its work through active listening
means they carefully listens to the words of individuals and ensures that they completely
understands what individual is saying to them. It also practicing in providing the state of safe

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emergency where individuals can explore in the current moment that the things which bothering
them for example that the individuals might explore the belief that their opinions do not matters
to their partners. There are 2 broad techniques which are practiced in humanistic therapy and
these are Gestalt therapy and person centered therapy. Gestalt therapy is to focus on the feelings
and thoughts here and now rather than the root causes while person centered therapy offers a
supportive environment in that person can redevelop their identity which is true (Dobson, Et al,
2019).
Compare and contrast practices of three approaches
The above three approaches that is psychodynamic, cognitive behavior and humanistic
approach are practiced differently as humanistic therapy tends to focus more on individuals
present day to day life. It is very different from the psychodynamic and cognitive behavior
approach that tends to focus on individuals past experiences which is including those the
individual might not be known or aware of. Humanistic approach also more emphasis on helping
the individual as the whole instead of treating the particular diagnosis. The humanistic therapists
will often do this by the active listening. It means that individuals will carefully listens to the
words of other individuals to ensure that they fully know or understands what individuals are
saying (Luyten, Et al, 2017).They might stop them to request follow up questions. Whereas the
psychodynamic approach and cognitive behavior therapy supports individuals to ask the follow
up questions but they do not listen to the facts of individuals which they want to say and they do
not try to understand what people are saying. The humanistic therapists work from the thoughts
or ideas which individuals are the professional in their difficulties. They support the direction
they arrange each sessions, trusting them to know what they require to talk about in order to
work by the things that bringing them to the therapy (Zettle, 2015). Cognitive behavior theory

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practices as compared to the psychodynamic and humanistic therapy identify that certain
thoughts or ideas are not healthy or rational and just becoming aware of those views and ideas
that does not make that simple to change them. The cognitive behavior therapy does not tends to
emphasis upon the potential which underlying the unconscious confrontations to more as the
psychodynamic therapy. Its practices involved journaling, relaxation techniques, role-playing
and mental distraction. In Psychodynamic therapy, the issues of clients guides the session
whereas cognitive behavioral therapy sessions are structured with the therapist and the clients
together working to recognize the relationship between the negative thoughts and also
maladaptive beliefs which causing and these maintaining the emotional disturbance to recognize
this can be re-framed (Diener, Et al, 2015).
Introduction on Aotearoa and Maori
Aotearoa is the Maori name for the people in New Zealand. It means the land of the long
white cloud. It was used originally by the people who are Maori in reference to North Island but
world come to refer to the nation as the whole. Aotearoa is made up of either 2 or 3 words Aotea
and Roa (Reid, Et al, 2016). Aotea could be name of canoes of great migration, the great
Magellan cloud near to the Canopus which is bright star in summer, the bird or food Ao is a
dawn, cloud, daytime or the world; tea clear or white, bright while Roa means tall or long. On
the other hand, Maori is the name which given to the people of New Zealand as their culture
involves the cultural practices, customs and the belief of an indigenous Maori people of the New
Zealand. It is comes from the eastern part of Polynesian culture. This culture forms a distinctive
part of the New Zealand culture and because of the large diaspora and the relationship of Maori
motifs into the famous culture is seen all over the world (Rangihau, 2017).

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Suitability of psychodynamic approaches
The psychodynamic approach is suitable to work with Maori as this approach focuses on
the unconscious processes as they are established in the individual’s current behavior. The Maori
people understands the past or the present behavior of people in New Zealand due to
psychodynamic approach (Lehman, Et al, 2015). The goal of this approach is suitable to the
Maori that enhances the self-awareness and understanding of the effect of the past behaviors and
the present behaviors of Maori in New Zealand. this approach brings the Maori’s unconscious
mind into the state of consciousness that they starts helping the people to unravel experience and
know their true feelings or deep rooted feeling in order to solve them. This therapy dealt with the
different structures of personality as Maori has different culture, language, religion, living
condition, clothing etc. which reduces the unconsciousness of Maori related to their culture,
conflicts and leads to the relief of symptoms (Johnsen, Et al, 2015).
Suitability of cognitive-behavioral approaches
As this is highlighted that depression is a common disorder in New Zealand and
furthermore Maori experiences the depression critically higher than other ethnic groups. So the
Cognitive behavioral therapy is suitable to work With Maori in this case. Maori has several
culture structures and it is observe that the cultural identities may play the proactive role related
to the mental illness and depression in certain context of cultures. Cognitive model of depression
states that depressed Maori’s have a stable set of core schema or belief which establish as the
result of Maori’s early life experiences. These beliefs then predispose these Maori’s to the
negative interpretations and to the errors of systematic cognitive in response to the possible
solutions. This approach employs the series of progressive interventions which targets the

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behavior that is observable, dysfunctional automatic ideas or thoughts and at the central level
underlying cognitive belief of Maori. This cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the
implementing behavioral intervention of Maori’s as the basis to the introduction of the chain of
cognitive techniques which aimed at edifice the capacity of depressed Maori to combat the
negative thinking (Krug, Et al, 2016).
Suitability of humanistic approaches
The humanistic approach is suitable to work with Maori in case if they would see the
lives of Maori’s in New Zealand. As this approach is tend to have the positive perspective on the
nature of Maori’s. They emphasizes on the capabilities of Maori people to think deliberately and
the reasonably to control their natural needs and helps to attain their complete potential. This
approach focuses on the empathy and stresses the better in the behavior of Maori (Wolfe, 2016).
In this therapy, Maori’s improve their self-image or the self-actualization which makes them feel
the worthwhile in among the other people in New Zealand. Maori people with the help of this
therapy establish a healthier, stronger sense of oneself and access and know or know their own
emotional state to assist in gaining the meaning of life sense (Cleare, Et al, 2017).
Comparison of suitability of three approaches
The above three approaches are suitable to work with Maori to some extent but
psychodynamic approaches is most suitable approach in comparison to other two approaches as
this approach focus both on past and present behaviors of Maori people and help them according
to considering these behavior to covert the unconsciousness of Maori into the state of
consciousness and change their thinking level in respect of their different structures of culture in
New Zealand. Though humanistic and cognitive behavior therapy is also suitable for developing

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the positive interpretation from the negative interpretation and focuses on the strong sense of self
and understanding the feelings to help in gain the life meaning sense (Schneider, 2016).
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