Summary of Theory and Practice in Counseling
Dr. Constantino Mosqueda is a psychologist practicing in Atlantic and Camden County, NJ. Dr. Mosqueda provides Intensive In-Community Service (IIC) that is an analytical, focused goal oriented, needs based clinical intervention that addresses emotional and behavioral challenges of youths with moderate to high needs.... more
There are many approaches to counseling that are based on psychological theories that are covered in chapters one and two. Determining which counselling theory works better than the other one could be challenging because there are hundreds of psychological theories to choose from. As seen in chapters one and two, there is a wide range of variables to consider during the counseling process. For instance, when comparing the effectiveness of two theories that engage the same theoretical approach, there could be a major difference in their outcomes. Such differences appear following such things as differences in counsellor’s and client’s mood, applied communication styles as well as client’s history and situation. Chapter one and two of the books cover theories based on psychodynamic approaches, experiential and relationship-oriented therapies, cognitive behavioral approaches, as well as systems and postmodern approaches.
The first set of theories discussed in the chapter include the psychodynamic approaches which include Adlerian and psychoanalytic therapy. According to Corey (2017), Adlerian therapy is largely built on an analytic perspective. Psychologists who engage the Adlerian theory mainly focus on social interests, belongings, conscious action, purposeful behavior, goals and meaning. The Adlerian theory accounts for a person’s present behavior by studying their childhood experiences. The psychoanalytic theory is different from the Adlerian theory in that psychoanalytic theory is largely based on personality reconstruction, unconscious motivation, and insights. The psychoanalytic theory is the most applied in counseling because it is largely influential on all other formal systems of psychotherapy. Many of the other psychological theories are extensions of psychoanalytic theory.
The major theories in experiential and relationship-based approaches include gestalt therapy, the person-centered approach, and the existential approach. Corey (2017) discerns that gestalt therapy offers a wide range of experiments used in the clients to help them raise awareness of their present feelings. In essence, gestalt therapists tend to focus on the active role by following the leads provided by the patients. The gestalt approach thus emphasizes the client’s emotion as the guide to bringing change rather than basing the treatment on their assumptions. The person-centered approach is founded on human philosophy and is reliant on the basic clients’ attitudes. The theory holds on to the assumption that the client-therapist relationship is the major determinant of the therapeutic process results. The theory also largely assumes that clients have the capacity for self-directing without the need for the therapist’s active intervention. On the other hand, existential therapy is focused on making clients feel fully human. The therapy is based on a wide range of themes that determine the human condition that include creating meaning in the world, finite awareness, guilt, anxiety, and responsibility.
The third approach discussed in chapter one includes the cognitive behavioral approaches that constitute cognitive therapy, rational emotive therapy, behavior therapy and reality therapy. According to Corey (2017), cognitive therapy and rational emotive therapy is based on the current behavior of the client and help the client in developing clear plans for their newly established behaviors. Behavior therapy is like reality therapy because it focuses on doing things and taking the necessary steps to ensure they are done properly. One of the current trends in behavioral therapy is ensuring increased attention on a wide range of cognitive factors that are important determinants of behavior. On the other hand, reality therapy is based on the client’s current behavior and strongly emphasizes developing clear plans for their new behaviors. Cognitive behavior therapies are used to help individuals in modifying their self-defeating assumptions and behaviors to develop new patterns and ways of doing their things.
The fourth approach discussed in the two chapters includes systems and post-modern approaches to therapy. Among the examples of post-modern approaches discussed in the chapter includes family therapy and feminist therapy. According to Corey (2017), the systems approach focuses on understanding an individual’s behavior based on the context of their surroundings that impacts their development. The systems theory discerns that the best way of bringing a change to an individual’s behavior is paying attention to how the person’s personality is influenced by such systems as family, culture, and gender-role socialization. The post-modern approaches also incorporate narrative therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, and social constructionism therapy. The post-modern approaches are regarded as the newer approaches that challenge the basic assumptions of the traditional methods by assuming the absence of any single truth and that reality is socially constructed through constant human interactions.
Chapter two is based on how counselors should conduct themselves as people and professionals. Corey (2017) discerns that a counselor should have the instruments that enable them to work as a person and as a profession. In this case, the counselors are expected to have the necessary knowledge from the theories of psychotherapy and personality, discover human behavior dynamics and learn the techniques for assessing and intervening for their clients. Such techniques are essential, but they are not sufficient to be a veteran therapist. An individual should learn about all the other theories and how to work with them effectively for each client. For every therapy session, a counselor must bring their human and professional qualities and work with them effectively. Also, for each therapy session, the counselor and the client bring the experiences that have influenced them on the whole therapeutic process.
Corey (2017) observes that the best way for a person to start the study for contemporary counseling theories includes relating to the case studies included in chapter two. In essence, an individual should always remain in self-evaluation because it is the only foundation to expand self-awareness and form a platform for developing one’s best skills and abilities. As such, the main theme associated with chapter two includes a discussion of how the professional and personal aspects of a human being are intertwined and inseparable. I believe that both the personal and therapeutical outfits of a therapist contribute immensely to each therapy session in which they engage. Therapists with different personalities may achieve different outcomes depending on the mood of the client as well as their mood.
In conclusion, chapters one and two of the book covers theories based on psychodynamic approaches, experiential and relationship-oriented therapies, cognitive behavioral approaches, as well as systems and postmodern approaches. I also believe that different counselors using the theories that work using the same concept may achieve different results depending on their mood and the mood of the client. It means that both personal and professional aspects of the therapists are involved in each therapy session. It is upon the therapist to self-evaluate themselves and determine the theory that works best for them depending on their mood.
References
Corey, G. (2017). Theory and practice of counselling and psychotherapy (10th ed.). Cengage learning.