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The first step in developing your own theory of counseling is to explore your view of human nature. Our view of human nature involves our beliefs about how we are at birth; how we are impacted by biology, genetics, and the environment; and how change happens in someone’s life. Our view on human nature will often align with one primary theoretical perspective: psychodynamic, existential-humanistic, cognitive-behavioral, or postmodern. We will learn about theories that fall within each of these primary theoretical perspectives in this course. This assignment is for you to examine with which primary theoretical perspective you align, describe your view on human nature using the prompts provided below, and to explore how this view on human nature may impact your work as a clinician/your view of client change.
In this week’s assignment, you will reflect on concepts you have learned and begin to identify what you believe about them.
Review the five reflective statements in Exercise 1.1 found on p. 7 of Counseling Theory and Practice.
CHAPTER PROFESSIONAL, ETHICAL, MULTICULTURAL, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE CONSIDERATIONS Counseling and PsychotherapyIn the training of helpers today, counseling and psychotherapy are generally used interchangeably. Despite their common usage, most people acknowledge differences in the practice of counseling and psychotherapy, as seen in
Figure .. Counseling Psychotherapy
Short-term Long-term
surface issues deep-seated issues
massaging” personality personality reconstruction
here and now there and then
conscious unconscious
moderate client revelations deep client revelations uncomfortable painful
focused issues life stories
FIGURE . The Differences Between Counseling and PsychotherapyWhether one ends up practicing counseling or psychotherapy, as just died, is probably depen-dent on several factors, including:whether the expectation of the client is to have an experience of counseling or of psychotherapy,the comfort level of the helper with the practice of counseling vs. psychotherapy,the degree of support within a practice setting for practicing counseling versus psychotherapy,the number of sessions available for clients, with counseling generally lasting fewer sessions than psychotherapy,whether the client’s and helper’s focus are in sync for the practice of counseling or psychotherapy,whether the helper has worked through their issues that will allow the in-depth work that is necessary in psychotherapy, and the belief of the helper in the ecacy of practicing counseling or practicing psychotherapy(i.e., the belief that one approach might work better than another).Based on the distinction made in Figure ., some of the theories discussed in this book clearly lean more toward counseling, while others toward psychotherapy. For instance, solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT; Chapter ) tends to lean toward the practice of counseling. In contrast, psy-choanalysis (Chapter ) is heavily oriented toward the psychotherapy end of the continuum. Many Of the theories discussed in this text, however, could easily be on either end of the spectrum. So as you read the text, consider the following:. How comfortable are you with doing counseling or psychotherapy?. What would you prefer to do: counseling or psychotherapy?. Have you worked through your own issues to ensure they do not interfere with your ability to practice counseling or psychotherapy?. Which theories lend themselves more toward counseling versus psychotherapy?. Which theories would you include in the way you do counseling or psychotherapy?why environment, genetics, and biology affect individuals; and how a person’s life changes. Whether it is postmodern, existential-humanistic, psychodynamic, or cognitive-behavioral, the theory of human nature tends to fit into one main theoretical structure.
INTRODUCTION FOUNDATIONS OF COUNSELING THEORY AND PRACTICEOur approach in this text will be to use the words “counseling” and “psychotherapy” interchangeably. This does not necessarily endorse the notion that they are the same but provides the reader and opportunity to discern for themself whether an approach is “counseling” or “psychotherapy.”Effectiveness of Counseling and PsychotherapyAre counseling and psychotherapy effective? In , Hans Eysenck examined uncontrolled studies that looked at the effectiveness of psychotherapy on treatment outcomes and found that“roughly two-thirds of a group of neurotic patients will recover or improve to a marked extent within about two years of the onset of their illness, whether they are treated by means of psychotherapy or not [emphasis added]” (p. ). Although Eysenck’s research was found to have serious methodological laws, it did lead to debate concerning the effectiveness of counseling and resulted in hundreds of studies that examined its usefulness. Years later, analyses of many studies revealed something very different than what Eysenck had found. For example, Seligman noted that clients in long-term treatment fared better than those in short-term treatment, treatment effectiveness did not significantly dier based on treatment approach or therapist type, and psychotherapy alone did not differ in effectiveness from medication plus psychotherapy. More recently, based on extensive research, Wampold () found:In clinical trials, psychotherapy results in benefits that far exceed the benefits of those who do not get psychotherapy. Indeed, psychotherapy is more effective than many commonly used evidence-based medical practices, some of which have onerous side effects and are quite expensive (Wampold, ; Wampold & Imel, ). In addition,psychotherapy is as effective as medications for prevalent mental disorders, is longer lasting, and is less resistant to additional courses. (p. )But what is it that makes counseling effective? First and foremost, client factors, such as readi-ness for change, psychological resources, and social supports, may aect how well a client does in counseling (Norcross & Wampold, ). In addition, in recent years, it has become evident that counseling and psychotherapy work best when the counselor or therapist (a) knows the best available research-supported treatments; (b) uses their clinical expertise to understand the client’s situation and chooses the most effective treatments for it; and (c) when the client’s personal preferences,values, and cultural background for such treatment are considered. Called evidence-based practice (EBP; American Psychological Association [APA], ), this approach to working with clients has become an important focus in training programs and in work settings.In addition to EBP, common factors that underlie all therapeutic approaches have been shown to be related to positive client outcomes (Cuijpers et al., ). For instance, the ability to show empathy,the capacity to build a therapeutic alliance, knowing your approach well enough to build client expectations that it will work for the client’s presenting problem (regardless of the approach), andbeing facile at implementing specific techniques of your approach to facilitate client change are all critical factors to positive client outcomes (Hilsenroth, ; Wampold, , ; Wampold& Imel, ).You will notice remarkable differences among the theories within this text. Based on EBP, some do work better than other approaches for specific problems and disorders. However, because any of the theories can embrace the common factors, to some degree all can be successful with most clients.TheoryDo you remember learning about the atom and how it is composed of a nucleus with electrons orbiting around it like a solar system? And we were told, all matter is made up of these atoms.CHAPTER PROFESSIONAL, ETHICAL, MULTICULTURAL, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE CONSIDERATIONS What if this is not the case? What if this theory—which seems to be our way of understanding the world—is incorrect? Well, some physicists today say the atom is actually a series of string-like entities, which vibrate and make up an astronomical number of parallel universes (Mann, ).They call this string theory.Whether string theory will be “proven” to dene the intricacies of the universe (and other universes!) is a mystery we will have to live with for a while. However, the idea that theories evolve as our understanding of the world evolves is a known fact. The development of new knowledge periodically leads to paradigm shifts, wherein a marked change in the perception of our world takes place. So it was with the discovery that the earth was round and with Einstein’s theory of relativity, and so it will be when a cure for cancer is found or a new counseling theory is developed. New knowledge is based on sound scientific hunches, connected to all of what has come before,and only later corroborated by scientific evidence.Theory helps to conceptualize client concerns, determine what techniques to apply, and predict client change (Barth et al., ; Neukrug, ). A reductionist approach theory helps us analyze and describe phenomena (e.g., a person’s mental health experience), so the counselor can provide a consistent and generalizable response to the person’s situation (Hackney & Cormier, ; Kresset al., ). In addition, theories are heuristic; that is, they are researchable and testable and allow us to discard those aspects shown to be ineffective and build on those aspects that seem to work best. As new knowledge in the helping professions is created, counselors and psychotherapists will have at their disposal innovative and more effective ways of engaging in the helping relationship.One thing is guaranteed: As you embrace new knowledge and new theories and engage in dynamic counseling relationships, whatever theory you start out practicing will look different than the theory you employ when you retire.In the late s, Sigmund Freud put forth the first comprehensive theory of psychotherapy(i.e., psychoanalysis) and created a shift in thinking in the Western world. His ideas about the unconscious, intrapsychic forces, and sexuality changed the way the Western world perceived human nature—and still does to this day. However, his theory was not developed in a vacuum;it evolved because others before him had pondered similar questions. Over the years, we have learned that we can discard some of Freud’s theory, accept other aspects, and continue to exam-ine the rest.Today, major counseling theories are typically characterized by forces, which are paradigms or shared understandings of thought and practice that guide counseling theory and practice (Gladding, ; Hackney & Cormier, ; Ratts & Pedersen, ; Sue et al., ), There Are five major forces of counseling and psychotherapy, with later forces providing a greater understanding of human nature and human development based on current knowledge. Con-sequently, new and adapted theories were introduced into counseling and psychotherapy. The Forces are as follows:psychodynamic: The psychodynamic force originated from the work of Freud, who eschewed the existing medical approaches in the treatment of certain diseases (e.g., hysteria) and,instead, thought they were of a psychological nature. Freud posited that human behavior was shaped by biological drives, psychosexual development, and memories repressed within the unconscious mind. Psychoanalysis or “talk therapy” allowed individuals, through techniques such as free association and dream analysis, to gain insight and bring unconscious thoughts to the conscious mind for healing. As discussed in Chapters –, various theories associated with this paradigm focus on constructs, such as instinctual drives (i.e., id), differentiation of self, transference, defense mechanisms, ego, and superego.existential–humanistic: The existential–humanistic force grew from critiques of the psy-chodynamic and cognitive-behavioral approaches to counseling and had a major focus ofINTRODUCTION FOUNDATIONS OF COUNSELING THEORY AND PRACTICEcultivating personal meaning. This paradigm emphasizes that mental health is achieved through seeking personal responsibility and insight, identifying human potential and purpose,and possessing an innate view of human nature as good. Through modeling empathy and genuineness, this approach assumes that counselors and psychotherapists can understand the subjective world of the client and assist them to lead more fulfilling lives. In Chapters –,constructs such as existential anxiety, will to meaning, figure/ground, unfinished business,empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard are discussed.cognitive-behaviorism: Shaped by behaviorism and cognitive schools of thought and in reaction to psychoanalysis, the cognitive-behavioral force focused on addressing cognitive processes (e.g., learning, memory, and self-talk) to enact cognitive or behavioral change. The Systematic study of observable behavior or reported cognitions provides insight to change thoughts and behaviors, which leads to mental well-being. The cognitive-behavioral paradigm is characterized by concepts such as behavior modification, disputing irrational beliefs,understanding automatic thoughts and core beliefs, desensitization, education, and cognitive disputations (see Chapters –).multiculturalism–postmodernism: The multiculturalism–postmodernism force was born from emerging thought about contextual and cultural influences on mental well-being and the imperative for culturally responsive practice. The client was viewed as a cultural being whose identity is developed from contexts in which they live. For this paradigm, counsel-ors and psychotherapists focus on developing multicultural counseling competency
Complete the Experiential Exercise 1.1: View of Human Nature Survey
Results:
Psychoanalysis 68.3
Analytical 81.7
Individual psychology, 86.7
Psychodynamic score,78.9
Behavioral,80
REBT 78.3
Cognitive, behavioral 90
Reality therapy, 86.7
Cognitive behavioral score, 83.8
Existential,68.3
Person centered, 81.7
Gestalt, 90
Existential humanistic scores,80
Narrative 71.7
Solution focused, 61.7
RCT 80
Postmodern score 71.1
Write a paper in which you describe your view of human nature. Your paper should align with APA 7th edition formatting!!! In your paper, be sure to:
Begin with an opening paragraph that shares the results from your survey.
Describe how individuals are at birth (please consider reaching beyond being born either good or bad — or neutral. Consider what capabilities and limitations humans are also born with/without).
Explain the impact of biology, genetics, and the environment on personality development.
Explain an individual’s ability to change as well as what influences change (please consider more than change as a choice. What needs to be happening internally and externally for change to be contemplated and sought out by a person/client).
Describe how it is that change happens in counseling (speak to the therapeutic alliance, the use of theory and interventions, the work of the client and the ethical/legal boundaries of the clinician).
Conclude with a reflection and summary of what you have learned from this exercise about your potential theoretical orientation to counseling.
Note: Use the topics above as headings in your paper.
Cite at least 2 academic resources. These resources need to be peer-reviewed journal articles or recently published counseling/counselor education books.
Format your paper according to APA guidelines.
Submit your assignment.
Resources