The Relationship between the Therapist and Ppsychology - Book Report/Review Example

?Inset Introduction There are many books which have been written on concepts that are pertinent to the field of psychology. This underscores not only, the complex nature of psychology, but also its pervasive nature which compels psychologists and psychiatrists alike, to research, discuss, analyze and write on psychology, and all that apply to it as a discipline. Given that like all disciplines, psychology is highly anthropocentric, it is easy to observe that most psychology books are therapeutic in nature. One of the most outstanding therapeutic books which have been written from a psychological point of view, by an authority in psychology is Becoming Naturally Therapeutic: a Return to the True Essence of Helping. The book was first published on December 1st, 1989 and by Hazelden Publishing, having been written by the renowned psychologist, Jacqueline Small. Later editions have been made. Above all, the most striking features that the book spots is the points that it makes, concerning psychology. Although the pages of this book are laden with several gems of psychology-based concepts and practices, yet the limitation of time and space attenuates the debate on the same to only ten points. To Small, a successful attendance to the needs of a clients starts with the respecting of feelings that the client harbors. Herein, apart from engaging a welcoming and approachable attitude, it is paramount that the expert desists from any action that may leave the patient feeling that he is being talked down to. In a closely related wavelength, Small accords readers with an important advice that the therapist should always seek to empathize with the experiences of the client, in lieu of being distant from them. Far from the therapist should it be that he takes on the counselor or know-it-all stance or that he places himself in a pedestal higher than the client’s. Small similarly argues against being presumptuous. The counselor must avoid making assumptions that he is acquainted with the problems that bedevil the client. Since experts are in agreement that usually, the unrealized need of being heard is normally one of the underlying complexities behind the client’s woes, it is always imperative that the client is allowed the chance to speak out concerning their status and problem. Failure to extend a listening ear and schedule is bound to portray the therapist as emotionally insensitive and unavailable. The fourth pint that Small emphasizes is the importance of keeping ego at bay, while attending to the needs of the patient. Small divulges that the therapeutic exchange needs to be as natural as possible, so that the client is not inundated with the fear of failing the therapist. This calls for simplicity and humility on the side of the therapist. Neither should the therapist think that the client exists to serve his ends, nor should he make the patient feel that way (Small, 75). As far as creating the point of identification is concerned, Small postulates that it is needful that the therapist observes caution. The therapist should disclose information that is enough to create a common sense of identity between himself and the client, but also scanty enough to keep the focus on the patient. Although it may be necessary to give out information on personal life, the same may be discharged with utmost discretion so that the healing of the client is not interrupted. Contrary to the opinion which is commonly floated by laymen Small explain that it is deeply necessary to hold the patient to account, particularly when such a need should arise. Instances where the patient is assigned some work or exercises with a deadline well stipulated illustrate such a necessity. The importance of this observation s that it will help the patient: realize that he is accountable for his actions; and become more active, instead of sinking in the mire of self pity. Dismissing the client’s underperformance is to covertly and unwittingly tell the patient that less is expected of him, and by extension, he is normal. Small also maintains that it s binding and totally needful that the client remains as original as possible. In this light, the therapist should express his truer feelings upon meeting the patient. The therapist should also resist making statements that are not in light with his feelings or reality. Every exchange that takes place between himself and the patient should emanate from attentiveness, reflective thinking and honesty. Attributes such as warmth and kindness are listed by Small as being applicable at this juncture. Nevertheless, Small is emphatic that while attempting to be honest or forthright with the client, it is important that the therapist tampers the same effort with sensitivity. This means that while the therapist should not re-modify or sugarcoat the truth so as to please the patient, it is useful that he states facts as they are, but in a gentle and respectful way. The importance of paying attention to this advancement is that the success of a psychological therapy rises and falls on it. Likewise, Small maintains that attention is important, not just because it keeps communication between the therapist and the patient running, but also because it is the only perceptible and ascertainable element by which the client can gauge the level of concern (if at all any is present), on the side of the therapist. In the event that the therapist fails to tame his wandering mind, his patient is bound to feel unloved, unappreciated and just a tool for the patient’s project. This eventually frustrates the ultimate purpose of the psychological therapy. It is not fortuitous that accounts abound, on instances where some clients or patients have changed therapists, only on the account that their therapists were not paying adequate attention to them. The crux of the matter at hand is that the absence or presence of attentiveness is always easy to deduce, even for the patient. Incessant requests that a patient repeats what he had said; giving of palpably wrong answers to the client; and an absent mind are some of the strong indicators that anyone, including the patient can use to determine whether the therapist is attentive or not. Conclusion Above all, as opposed to many authorities in psychology who are tending towards structuralism, Small maintains that the key to effectively helping a patient is love. This is not only Small’s tenth point, but the very virtue that facilitates all the necessary actions that are pertinent to counseling and other forms of psychology-based approaches to help. These actions are the maintenance of a dialogue, the extending of warmth to the patient, and the extracting of diagnostic information from the dialogue. It Is upon detecting the presence and reality of this virtue that the patient is able to open up fully to the counselor, having seen that contrary to the notion that the counselor is just involve for money, he is concerned about the patient’s welfare. Conversely, it is only through the extension of this love that the counselor is able to take a clear peek at the patient’s pain, or illness. The gravity of Small commending love towards the patient is underscored by the observation that the absence of this step automatically leads to the failure of the rest of the initiatives or steps that are to be taken. Work Cited Small, Jacqueline. Becoming Naturally Therapeutic: A Return to the True Essence of Helping. New York: Bantam Publishing, 1989. Read More