6
PT44 Engage in issues of diversity and difference in
humanistic therapy
OVERVIEW
This standard is about the way in which humanistic therapy endorses and works with
diversity, difference and the uniqueness of individuals. Therapists respond to the needs
of clients whose experiences may be affected by differences such as gender, sexuality,
race, age and disability and by experience of oppression and discrimination. Therapists
need a high degree of self awareness of their own attitudes, values and prejudices in
relation to diversity and difference. They may need to draw on specialist understanding
of language, culture and behaviour.
This standard describes therapeutic practice adopted successfully in mental health and
wellbeing interventions for adults, based on the philosophical tenets of the humanistic
tradition and incorporating a range of approaches from a humanistic value base. (See
reference in the additional information section on page 3.) To apply this standard,
therapists also need to take account of the multiple problems and complex
co-morbidities that individual clients may bring to therapy.
Users of this standard will need to ensure that they are receiving supervision and that
their practice reflects up to date information and policies. This standard should be
understood in the context of the Digest of National Occupational Standards for
Psychological Therapies.
Version No 1
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
You will need to know and understand:
Practice sensitive to diversity and difference
1. societal power structures and how this might impact on the client, the therapist
and the therapeutic relationship
2. how oppression and discrimination impacts on an individual’s sense of self and
sense of self-in-relationship
3. rights and responsibilities in all significant areas of diversity and difference
4. equal opportunities issues as they affect your working environment and practice
5. your own position about culture and identity in relation to issues of diversity and
PT44 Engage in issues of diversity and difference in humanistic therapy Page 1 of 3
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For competence management tools visit tools.skillsforhealth.org.uk
discrimination
6. your own cultural blind spots, prejudices and stereotypes and a capacity to
transparently discuss these
7. alternative constructions of identity
8. how cultures are constructed and construct different world views and experiences
of self, family, health, illness and treatment
9. how to identify cultural themes and explore different meaning and perspectives
from within the client’s’ cultural framework
10. culture shock and the experience of living in a culture other than one’s own
11. referral sources for possible ongoing support
Conditions for therapeutic change
12. the rationale for responding empathically to the client and being warm, open,
non-judgmental, genuine and transparent
13. how to employ the specific methodology, key concepts and relevant components
of the model being used
14. how to maintain therapeutic conditions
15. psychological conditions that make change more likely
Principles of humanistic therapy
16. philosophy and principles that inform humanistic therapy
17. the humanistic theories of therapeutic process
Human growth and development and the origins of psychological difficulties
18. models of change, health and wellbeing
19. the impact of social context on psychological growth and development
20. how thinking, feeling and behaviour are determined by an individual’s subjective
reality
21. the impact on psychological development of empathic attunement and acceptance
and the extent of its absence during the formative years
22. the mechanism and effects of internalisation of the values, beliefs and attitudes of
others
23. the development and benefits of the capacity to reflect on inner processes and
experiences
24. the development and capacity to balance inner and outer realities
25. the multiple perspectives from which human experience can be viewed
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
You must be able to do the following:
1. learn about and communicate respect, sensitivity and understanding of the
client’s difference in culture, values, beliefs and attitudes as well as sexuality,
gender, race, age or disability
2. in collaboration with the client, ensure sensitivity to diversity and difference in :
PT44 Engage in issues of diversity and difference in humanistic therapy Page 2 of 3
Final version approved June 2010 © copyright Skills For Health
For competence management tools visit tools.skillsforhealth.org.uk
1. access to therapy
2. therapeutic style and structures
3. modes of intervention that respect the client’s values, beliefs and attitudes
3. explore and challenge your own assumptions, fears and prejudices in working
with the client’s diversity
4. express awareness and understanding of the possible impact of your different
and similar identity on yourself as therapist, on the client and on the relationship
5. maintain an openness to the potential impact of social and cultural difference on
you, the client and the therapeutic relationship
6. if relevant to the client’s immediate concerns, openly address and acknowledge
moments and facets of difference and sameness in the therapeutic relationship
7. if relevant to the client’s immediate concerns, discuss with the client the implicit
or explicit assumptions that they and you might be making about difference that
could be influencing the therapeutic relationship
8. sensitively minimise the power differential in the therapeutic relationship
9. establish and maintain sensitivity in working with different notions of the self
10. recognise the limits of your own competence and expertise and where this has
been reached, refer the client to relevant sources of support
11. explore and evaluate your response to the client’s difference through
supervision and personal therapy
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This National Occupational Standard was developed by Skills for Health.
This standard is derived from research reported in Roth A D, Hill A and Pilling S (2009)
The competences required to deliver effective Humanistic Psychological Therapies.
Centre for Outcomes Research & Effectiveness (CORE) University College London.
This standard has indicative links with the following dimension within the NHS
Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004):
Dimension: Core 6 Equality and diversity
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Final version approved June 2010 © copyright Skills For Health
For competence management tools visit tools.skillsforhealth.org.uk
