Comparative Analysis of Hekalogia and Humanistic Psychology in the Emotional Support of People with Obesity: An Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Background: Obesity is a chronic and multifactorial condition involving biological, metabolic, behavioral, social, and emotional dimensions. Many people living with obesity also experience weight stigma, shame, self-judgment, body rejection, emotional eating, and subjective suffering. Humanistic Psychology contributes a person-centered tradition based on empathy, congruence, unconditional positive regard, and personal growth. Hekalogia is presented as an emerging science of emotional release focused on emotional pain awareness, surrender to emotion, emotional movement, and body-emotion integration.

Objective: To present a structured comparative integrative review analyzing the contribution of Hekalogia in relation to Humanistic Psychology and current literature on emotional accompaniment, obesity, stigma, body image, adherence, and psychological well-being.

Methods: A documentary integrative review with narrative synthesis and conceptual comparison was conducted. Sources included the base thesis project, comparative articles on psychotherapy, Humanistic Psychology, person-centered care, obesity and stigma, and available Hekalogia documents related to body weight, BMI, emotional well-being, EEG, stress biomarkers, and exploratory measurements.

Results: Comparative literature indicates that obesity care requires non-stigmatizing approaches addressing self-esteem, body image, adherence, social support, emotional eating, and subjective experience. Humanistic Psychology provides a strong relational foundation for dignity and non-judgment. Hekalogia adds a distinctive axis: emotional release as a way to explore the relationship among inner pain, body, food, and subjective transformation. Available Hekalogia documents constitute an emerging body of evidence reporting favorable signals across somatic, emotional, neurophysiological, and psychophysiological domains, although controlled designs and independent replication are still required.

Conclusion: Hekalogia may represent an innovative contribution to inclusive emotional accompaniment in obesity because it shifts the focus from external weight control toward consciousness, feeling, and emotional release. Its contemporary importance lies in offering an integrative body-emotion framework that can dialogue with Humanistic Psychology, person-centered care, and integrative health. Current evidence is promising but does not establish causality or definitive clinical superiority.