Client Centered Therapy - Assignment Example

? Comparative case analysis The client I am attending to is John Marck. He is 51 years old and has been divorced form his wife for quite some time now. He has been strugpreggling with a case of severe depretssion and anxiety disorder. His case of depression case is recurrent with no psychotic feature. The client ghas struggled with depression since he was of young age. In fact, from the case I was able to establish that the client’s parents also suffered severe cases of depression and are ongoingwith their therapy sessions. At the age of 20 the client had discontinued psychiatric ptreatment as he felt much better and resumed work. However, the client further explained that he began feeeling more depressed again. He began with a loss of moods before shortly loosing his job. The client is open enough to admit that he on drelising he was mentaly unstable, he did not seeking medical attention. In trying to help this patient, I have employed use of client centered therapy, which is also term as person centered therapy by some people. It refers to the non- directive mode treatment in which less talking is involved. A psychologist called Carl Rogers (Rogers, 2003) devised this form of therapy. It was used in treating patients in the years 1940-1950. Carl Rogers is recognized worldwide as one of the most influential psychologists of all time ((O'Donohue & Fisher, 2012)). His inventions were sort after by many medical practitioners since he held the belief that people were fundamentally healthy and that each person purposed to live life fully. In devising this mode of therapy treatment, he had hoped to make it as non-directive as possible, hence the name client-centered therapy. In relation to the client-centered therapy, I have tried using the rogerian model (Rogers, 2003). This way, I tried making him realize he could trust me and could tell me anything. It was partially effective as he opened up and expressed his emotions after which he seemed a bit relaxed. I was able to determine that he was also concerned about his own recovery despite him preferring to be in a different setting and location. He has shown some good improvements and stands a better chance of being healed with time. I have also been able to note that he still has a long way to go as his marriage is concerned. He is still attached to his past relationship and expects his wife to call him. He however continues to elicit low self esteem and greatly misses his wife. From the therapy, I have been able to establish that his wife left because he was very aggressive with her. In the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, it has not been particularly helpful as the patient suffers a complex problem (Rogers, 2003). He is still not able to come to terms with the loss he has undergone and hopes for the situation to change. As a therapist, I have embarked on any best-known mode of treatment that could lead to recovery of the old man. I have been on a mission to build back his lost self-esteem as well as reframe his negative thinking. In doing all, these I have tried using the client behavioral therapy and client-centered therapy. CBT as earlier said requires intensive use of Socratic questioning, taking varying roles, guided discovery as well as behavioral experiments with the patients ((O'Donohue & Fisher, 2012)). Much of these have failed with the patient as he views his condition as permanent. In addition, CBT requires a situation where the therapist and patient have to make decision on the way forward. This case is yet to get there as the therapy is still in progress. My main aim is to help him meditate more in a bid to stabilize his depression as well as make him independent. However, it would be essential to note that I have been quite successful in establishing a trusting relationship with the patient and he opened up. If CBT could be used effectively, much progress could be achieved as it takes lesser time as compared to most other modes of treatment. Much later in the therapy process, it will be necessary for me to help the patient establish the goals he wants to achieve in life and guide him accordingly (O'Donohue & Fisher, 2012). Rogers also aimed at emphasizing on the term client-therapy, to imply that most patients sort cure from therapists. In fact, just like Sigmund Freud, yet another famous therapist argued, Rogers held the belief that developing and establishing therapeutic relationship with patients was crucial as it would aid realization of insights as well as lasting changes (Rogers, 2003). On one side, Freud was determined to offer descriptions of that which he thought to offer unconscious conflicts to a patient’s wellbeing. A therapist or better-termed medical practitioner ought not to pass judgment on the situation a patient is going through. Rather, they are supposed to offer comfort and help the patient solve any arising issues without making him or her feel guilty for the situation at hand (Rogers, 2003). Client-centered therapy works bets on the assumption of two very essential elements, first is non-directive therapy (Rogers, 2003). The second element is that of emphasizing on an unconditional regard, whereby medical practitioners are supposed to show acceptance of the patient’s condition as well as support and willingness to help them. Carl Roger had an argument that a successful client-centered therapist ought posses some key qualities, which entail, genuineness, optimism towards the patient’s condition as well as empathetic understanding (Rogers, 2003). All the three qualities are essential and key necessities towards working on the wellbeing of a patient. Roger’s views were anchored on the basis that any patient could be cured if only they were helped by therapist to focus on the subjective understanding of the current situation affecting them. He rejected and discredited the deterministic nature offered by psychoanalysis. He further emphasized that the theory was more useful if it was realized because of implementing its key elements. The theory of client-centered therapy was supposed to operate on three principles, which were meant to reflect the willingness and attitude of the therapist. The principles further required that the therapist was congruent to his or her patient. There is also the cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), another therapy treatment meant to treat depression. It would be essential to note that CBT works with the assumption that a person’s mood and behavior are very closely related to the individual’s pattern of thinking. In this regard, negative thinking affects a person’s mood and physical state in a negative way. Therefore, the main aim of CBT treatment is to help a patient evaluate his thinking and replace it with healthier and positive ways of thinking. CBT treatment is based on conducting two key responsibilities, which are, cognitive thinking (Rogers, 2003). Cognitive thinking is aimed at enabling the therapist and the patient work together to achieve a positive change in the patient and positive behavior activation. CBT helps a patient analyze all the possible causes of a current situation and work towards enabling the patient take part in more enjoyable activities. CBT varies from other modes of treatment since it mainly focuses on the present circumstances surrounding a patient, here and now (Rogers, 2003). It fails to focus on the causes of distress on the patient but looks for all possible ways to improve a patient’s current situation. CBT is used to cure a number of situations in patients most of which include anxiety, panic, depression, fear, stress, psychosis, eating disorders, drug abuse and obsessive-compulsive disorder among many others. CBT works by breaking down current situations facing patients into lesser parts and then enabling the patient see how the problems affect him or her. An occurrence in one area of the problem contributes to other areas subjectively. However, it is important for patients to realize that CBT does not actually solve the problem affecting the patient, but rather helps the patient adopt a positive attitude in dealing with the situations in his life. CBT is also used to help resolve long-term health conditions affecting patients such as arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome (Rogers, 2003). It does not cure the conditions but helps patients live positively and learn to manage better w ith their conditions. Normally, if CBT is recommended for any particular patient, it is done once or two times every week. However, the sessions are sometimes dependent on the particular patient’s needs. In comparison to other modes of therapy treatments, CBT is preferred as it takes relatively shorter time (Rogers, 2003). In addition, for the process to be effect, the patient must be fully involved. One limitation of CBT is that it may not be very effective for patients with intense health needs. The patient in this case has been depression for quite some ever since he lost all of his possessions. He claims he still loves his wife and hopes that the situation could change for the better. The patient has attempted to take away his life several times but luckily failed in all of them. For the period I have worked in his case, I have been able to make a number of observations. For instance, he presents low self-esteem, has no regard for himself, lack of sleep, feels hopeless, and lacks hope for the future and less motivation. Most of this has been because of the depression he suffers from (O'Donohue & Fisher, 2012). In comparing the two forms of therapy, the cognitive behavior therapy and the client-centered therapy, we can outline the strengths and weaknesses of each therapy in relation to the case. For instance, CBT proved to be less helpful to the patient in the case since he had complex health needs ((O'Donohue & Fisher, 2012)). In addition, for the therapy to be effective, the patient needed to commit himself to the program. Another limitation of CBT is that despite trying to resolve problems the patients undergo, it fails to resolve the underlying issue such as marital problem in this case (Rogers, 2003). It is tailored to enable the patient deal with the situation in a positive and productive way. Client-centered therapy has been successful in a way in the case. It was administered in the best way possible and at least the patient opened up on issues that nagged him. This mode of therapy depends hugely on the patient to catalyst for his or her own individual healing process (Rogers, 2003). This means that despite the difficulties lying ahead, there is the power to heal oneself in each person. However, it is remarkable to note that the patient is making considerable progress towards his recovery. This is mainly because as we can see, he is willing to open up and talk about his situation and has in addition, expressed the willingness to continue with his recovery process in a different place. The therapy has as this stage not been able to capture his anxiety over his lost wife as he still expresses the desire to be reunited with her again. This is comparable to chasing the wind and it is my responsibility as a therapist in the following sessions that he accepts the situation as it is and obtains a positive outlook in life (O'Donohue & Fisher, 2012). References Rogers, C. R. (2003). Client-centered therapy: Its current practice, implications and theory. London: Constable. O'Donohue, W. T., & Fisher, J. E. (2012). Cognitive behavior therapy: Core principles for practice. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Read More