Methodological Significance of E. Fromm's Works for the Development of an Integrative Approach to Understanding the Personal Prerequisites of Clients’ Problems in Psychotherapy and its Purpose

Abstract

Background. A number of well-known and leading theories of psychotherapy developed in the works of S. Freud, A. Adler, K. Jung, E. Fromm, K. Rogers, and V. Frankl unites a common theoretical provision that the most important prerequisites for many problems of psychotherapy clients who seek for help from a psychologist are the characteristics of their personality. However, all these authors lack a common understanding of what these personal prerequisites are, as well as they lack a common understanding of the purpose of psychotherapy. Objectives. In this first of the four articles planned for publication, based on the works of E. Fromm, we are going to formulate the basic theoretical provisions that constitute the basis for integrative approach to understanding the personal prerequisites of the problems of clients of psychotherapy and its purpose. This would allow us to consider the different points of view on these issues of all these authors from a unified, common position. Results. The analysis of the theory of humanistic psychoanalysis by E. Fromm made it possible to identify its main provisions characterizing human nature, productive and unproductive personality. Conclusions. Based on these results, we have formulated three basic theoretical positions that form the basis of an integrative approach to understanding the personal prerequisites of the problems in psychotherapy and its purpose. The first of them characterizes the objective property of human life inherent in its very nature; the second refers to the typical personal prerequisites for the problems of clients of psychotherapy; the third describes the purpose of psychotherapy. In the next three publications, it will be shown that different ideas about the personal prerequisites of the problems of clients in psychotherapy and its purpose contained in the psychotherapeutic theories of Z. Freud, A. Adler, K. Jung, K. Rogers, and V. Frankl allow for considering them from a unified, common position set by these three basic provisions.

Keywords

• psychotherapy
• integrative approach
• human nature
• existential dichotomies
• value position of personality