EXISTENTIALIST HUMANIST MODEL

In the United States, the humanistic psychology movement originated, according to

which the person seeks to self-realize, this being the general purpose that guides
their actions and gives meaning to their life. Maslow (1908-1970).

The humanistic and existential model is a model that has had a great impact on
Social Work, because they propose, more than certain intervention techniques or a
certain structuring of it (crucial aspects in other models), an intervention philosophy
that is It is very consistent with the pillars on which Social Work is based, such as
maximum respect for the person who needs support and non-imposition of the
intervention process.

Humanistic Social Work respects diversity, ethnic belonging, culture, lifestyles and
opinions, denounces forms of violence and discrimination, rejects standardization
and modeling of the human being, respecting the capacity for action and choice. of
this, promoting cooperation, community social work and communication.

NATURE OF THE INTERVENTION

The existential and humanistic model has been a model that has impacted Social
Work mainly because it uses a philosophy about the person and social
relationships that coincide with the roots of Social Work.

Humanistic Social Work focuses its attention on man as a subject, which

differentiates it from other approaches that consider him a patient (sick) or a client
(careism).

From this starting position, the humanistic social worker directs his attention and
support towards a person like him, recognizing him as a thinking being and entity.
rational, capable of directing his life and giving it meaning. Furthermore, it
recognizes their ability to reflect and analyze situations, which means that
humanistic Social Work is extremely respectful of the diagnoses that the person
themselves make regarding their life situation and/or their specific problems.

As in the case of the psychodynamic model, this model has different intervention
approaches that in some way are recognized as similar in terms of the reference
pillars mentioned, although it incorporates innovative theoretical nuances and new
forms of professional practice that make it different. , among which stand out:

 The customer-centric approach:

He proposes the following postulate as the axis of his therapeutic conception:
"The person has sufficient capacity to constructively manage all aspects of his
life that can potentially be recognized in consciousness." So the intervention will
not focus so much on acting on the person, on the human being in difficulty, but
rather on "accompanying" him in the experience, giving him the necessary
conditions and giving him security to be able to grow, to be able to develop.

 The Gestalt Approach

From this perspective, Gestalt not only aims to treat pathology, but also focuses
on the integral development of the human being considered as a whole
(holistically), as a totality that involves the mental, the physical, the emotional,
the social. and up to 10 spiritual. Gestalt focuses on the "here and now",
considering it more important that people investigate and investigate "how" they
experience a problem in the present, rather than looking for its origins in the
past. To do this it is necessary to be in "contact" with everything that happens,
developing and opening the capacity of perception to bodily sensations and
feelings.

 Transactional analysis and Social Work.

Developed by Eric Berne, transactional analysis analyzes the person and their
behavior through an analysis that focuses on intrapersonal aspects,
interpersonal relationships, psychological games and the life story.
This model offers various contributions that have been very relevant for the
methodological and theoretical growth of Social Work. And it is when it provides
basic and simple training in basic psychological aspects such as personality,
communication, human needs, emotions and feelings, attitudes, group
dynamics, etc. Likewise, it is a model that provides useful guidelines to explain
one's own behavior and that of others, in order to solidly base the relationship
and change strategies that occur in the intervention from Social Work.

 The existentialist approach

This model takes ideas from Rogers, Gestalt psychology, Zen and similar
philosophies. According to Krill, this approach focuses on users focusing on
exploring themselves and their environment. According to this principle, the first
interviews will be dedicated to investigating the people's reason for existing.
The use of the diagnosis as used by other models is, in their opinion,
inadequate, since they do not serve to help the user, but rather to make the
social worker feel less insecure.
Secondly, as the treatment progresses, and the user and social worker have a
secure relationship, the person can be offered other experiences (by
demonstration or practice), as well as assigned tasks to do at home about new
life experiences. everyday. The social worker does not make a diagnosis, nor a
prognosis, nor a prescription, but rather encourages the user to seek new life
options (Ballestero, 2004: 28-56).

NATURE OF THE MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SOCIAL

WORKER AND THE PERSON THEY HELP
The social worker from the humanistic/existential perspective is a mere observer, a
kind of mirror, who respects the authentic experience of the patient, and it is
expected that, through the transmission of (realization) and through dialogue, the
patient increases their realization, being able to grow and be more autonomous.
The social worker must establish a deeply personal relationship with his user and
behave as one person in front of another and not as a scientific professional with a
senior role. The social worker in this relationship must help clarify the user's
emotions, be a facilitator in the process of making them aware and. therefore,
manageable and non-pathological. It must also facilitate mutual involvement in the
goals and tasks of therapy, in its choices and decisions.

THE WAY IN WHICH THE MODEL IS CONCEIVED OF THE PERSON WHO

EXPERIENCES THE PROBLEM OR WHO SUFFERS FROM IT.

The humanistic/existential model has shown us how its principles of action involve
supporting people so that they increase the number of possibilities and options
available in their lives. To carry out this conception of the support relationship, the
humanistic/existential model proposes that the Social Work professional recognize
people not as simple passive recipients of services, but as active agents who play
a central role in determining the course of their lifes. The user, for the
humanistic/existential model, is the main protagonist of the entire process.
The user is free, autonomous, and always the solution to the problem. The ability
to make choices and the availability of a certain series of choices are determining
factors to be taken into consideration by Social Work.