Compassionate Care Theory: A Person-Centered Approach to Counseling - Coursework Example

Compassionate Care Theory: A Person Centered Approach to Counseling Liberty The compassionate care theory serves to provide a framework by which counselors can treat their patients using the person-centered approach. In so doing, all clients are treated equally with the care, concern, and compassion of Christ. No problem is too big or issues too abhorrent for such a counselor to deal with because they are prepared professionally, spiritually, and mentally for anything that might come their way. Keywords: Compassion, psychotherapy, socio-cultural issues, person-centered approachCompassionate Care Theory: A Person Centered Approach to Counseling Counseling is a helping profession, yet many have lost sight of this fact. No client should enter the office of a therapist and not be welcomed like they were a part of the family. Granted, this becomes difficult given the seriousness of the issue that some clients bring, but the idea remains. If a patient cannot et help from his or her therapist, and they do not feel loved and cared for, then thy will be that much more likely to become anti-social, turn inwards, and refuse to seek help again in the first. For this reason, it is important to develop a person-centered approach to therapy. The focus of this paper will be on the compassionate care theory, its relationship to the therapist and counselor, and how it will serve the counselor well in any situation and with any problem or issue that they are faced with. Philosophical Assumptions and Key Concepts Jesus himself came into this “world not to condemn it, but to save it”. In a similar fashion, counselors are called to the same task. Rather it be in a Christian setting, or in a secular environment, the concept remains the same. No matter the issue, no matter the problem, and no matter if it seems big or small, the counselor must approach each client with the same level of compassion and care. This needs to happen each and every time. Christians are taught to turn the other cheek. We are also taught to be compassionate and caring. In addition, we are admonished to go into the entire world to proclaim these truths and to live our life openly in front of others. That is our Worldview and it should be the focus of not only the Christian counselor, but the secular one as well. We may not go to the end of the earth to treat a patient, but we must be willing to meet them on their own turf, in our own community, and to openly and actively listen to their issues. Only in so doing can we begin to assess their needs and judge the best course of treatment moving forward. Consider the older population among us. The elderly often feel alone, afraid, and vulnerable. As a result of these characteristics, and others, they often suffer from a low self-esteem. The premise behind a compassionate care theory is for the therapist to actively work in the elderly community and seek out ways to make older people feel loved and valued in the prime years of their life. Jesus himself preached that all people have a purpose. This includes those in society who feel their purpose on this earth may be over. Consider the simple fact the global population is aging as we advance in medical techniques and the quality of life becomes better. People are living longer lives, but the elderly still face these same issues. It is important, therefore, to develop a person-centered approach when dealing with this important segment of the population. Von Humboldt and Leal (2010) define self-esteem as, “An individual’s sense of his or her value or worth, or the extent to which a person values, approves of, appreciates, prizes, or likes him or herself” (p. 2). As mentioned, the elderly are living longer lives today than in centuries past, particularly in the western world. As such, older people are increasingly concerned with their well being. They express fears of being a burden on society, and they certainly do not want to do that. At the same time, they o not want to live their remaining years living an unproductive life. They want to be valued and they want to contribute something to society. At the same time, they feel that society has often cast them aside and believe that the best of their days are far behind them. As such, it is important that they build up their self-esteem and begin to feel of value once again (Voh Humboldt and Leal, 2010, pp. 4-6). By developing a theory of compassionate care, these assumptions are important. It is important to assume that all people, no matter the problem, want to feel valued. It is important to assume the people must be the center of any counseling practice that deals with helping people to feel better about themselves. As such, it is important to expect the therapist to approach each client in the way that this study approaches the elderly population. They must seek out ways to increase a client’s self esteem moving forward and to help them develop a sense of worth that they surely once felt. This is an important consideration when thinking about a counseling theory that will form the focus of any practice. Model of Personality Jones and Butman (1991) contends that, “There is a growing trend in the field [of counseling] to view religious faith and spirituality as a natural human capacity that exists and persists because it serves basic human needs despite its ultimately illusory nature” (p. 17). This, in a nutshell, is the nature of man. Rather we consider it or not, we are spiritual beings. Human seek out meaning in life and they are intelligent beings. It is important to consider as this counseling theory continue to be developed. Humans do truly have a basic need that can only be met by the spiritual world. This is why so few people in the world, relatively speaking, have no religious affiliation whatsoever. The need to belong to something bigger than ourselves is simply too strong. Subsequently, it is important to consider that it is quite nature to be attracted to the spiritual realm as an individual seeks counseling. This, obviously, supports the notion of the Christian Worldview. Even secular therapists, however, must consider the spiritual in their treatment of the individual. This is because human beings gravitate towards something bigger than themselves. Man develops in this fashion. They begin their life questioning their very existence and, until this matter is resolved in their own mind, the questioning will continue. As counselors work with their clients, it often becomes their job to help man determine the answers to these questions on their own. They can only do this by approaching the situation with a lens of compassion. Humans evolve in their own way, on their own time, and at their own pace (Stephen, Elliott, & Macleod, 2011, pp. 62-63). Model of Health The Christian cannot only look at an individual’s spiritual health. A person’s physical and emotional health must be considered as well. For this section, let us consider the motto of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). They openly proclaim that their mission is to promote a healthy, mind, and spirit for all. This was the slogan when they first began in England and it remains to this day, even though the Christian aspect of daily operations may be long gone. The ‘Spirit’ component remains because of that human desire to connect with the spiritual that we discussed in the previous section. Developing a healthy mind is paramount to good health. As we continue to live in a fast paced and ever changing society, the pressures of this world are often overwhelming. The instances of mental health today are increasing exponentially faster than the general population as a whole. This tells us that people have problems. They are struggling and wrestling with important issues in their own mind. They have problems with finances, stress at home and at work, and are struggling with issues of self-esteem. These are just a few of the issues that affect the mind and contribute to poor health. We know, for example, that stress leads to high blood pressure, which leads to various health problems later in life. If a counselor can work through issues of stress, they work to eliminate this area of the client’s life, thereby creating a happier and healthier individual. It is also important for a counselor to consider the physical health of the client. Jesus himself preached that our body is the temple of God. We must take care of it. We know from experience that when we feel good about our health, and we are in good shape, then our whole outlook on life can change. Physical health can impact so much more than just our inward health. Being strong physically can result in am improved body image and renewed focus on developing our own purpose in this life. If, on the other hand, we do not take care of ourselves, there are countless issues that can arise. In this way, the mind, body, and spirit are truly connected. If one of these areas are strong, the other two are like to be strong as well. It is the job of the counselor to determine which areas are weak when a client comes into the office. It is important that they mention the strengths, but focus on the weaknesses. No area can be neglected. Failing to develop a person centered approach will likely result in a failure to identify key areas of growth in an individual. Under the compassion theory, therapists would work to assess the three areas of health exhibited in their clients. In so doing, they can likely determine specifically which areas need to be addressed and dealt with immediately. Again, it is critically important that the therapist not be judgmental and that they truly listen to the problems that are being presented. While the elderly may be physical frail, the therapist can focus on the emotional and spiritual well-being. If these two areas can be improved upon, the client can begin to overlook any infirmities that might be experiencing in the short term. Likewise, a person may appear to be physically healthy, but their emotional and spiritual health is suffering. Murdoch (2009) presents us with various case studies where psychotherapy can be helpful in these situations. Since the goal is to be healthy in all three areas, two cannot be overlooked simply because the body appears to be strong. Murdoch advocates a balanced approach where psychotherapy sessions deal with all aspects of a patient’s health. This would be a critical component of the compassion theory as well. Model of Abnormality There are multiple models of abnormality. Since the very concept of abnormality is derivative in form, its very understanding depends on us first being normal. To be normal, we must first exhibit a certain behavior that is commonly accepted by society and must adhere to the concepts that keep us healthy and able to adapt to changes in society. Over the course of time, model of abnormality have changed in definition and scope. There is the biological model, which tries to use physical process as a way to explain human behavior. Over time, psychologists have also developed the socio-cultural model. This model looks at the effects that society and culture can have on an individual. Beyond these, the behavioral, cognitive, psychodynamic, and behavioral models have all been developed as a means to describe abnormal behavior. Naturally, out of each of these main models, come sub-models that are worth of discussion. From the Christian Worldview, one must consider the spiritual model. It must be noted that abnormal behavior has existed throughout history. Biblical accounts contain stories are numerous people suffering from such abnormalities. In fact, early accounts of human history usually attribute such human behavior as being associated with the spiritual world. This can be explained, for example, as a person being possessed by a demon, or otherwise simply refusing to believe in the supernatural. There are numerous accounts in the Old and New Testament of just this occurring. Jesus himself cast demons our and rescued people from their abnormalities. In the same fashion, the counselor must attempt to do the same today. It is important to understand what abnormal behavior is in the first place. Such behavior goes against the very ideals and mores that society holds dear. Since the beginning of time, Psychologists have attempted to discover what causes such behavior. Some people would believe that there are internal and biological factors that cause a person to be abnormal. This does not seem to fit in with the spiritual model of abnormality, nor does it cause people to be responsible for their own actions or choices. If a person’s abnormality can be attributed to a biological factor, then there is little a therapist can do to help. If, however, the compassionate care theory is properly utilized, and person-centered therapy employed, then the mind can be reprogrammed to eliminate such behavior and begin to exhibit normative behavior, should the client be willing to do so. When examining a person through the lens of compassion, a therapist would certainly be interested in the socio-cultural model of abnormality. Such thinking prescribes that a person’s abnormal behavior can be traced back some environmental factor they may not have ever been aware of. Until this is discovered, the source, or cause, of such behavior may never be uncovered. By really getting to know a client and trying to be compassionate no matter what the offense or issue may be, the counselor may well discover these factors that causes the action in the first place. Once such socio-cultural causes of abnormal behavior are uncovered, the therapist can then formulate a treatment plan whereby such behavior can potentially be eradicated (Joseph & Murphy, 2013, p. 28). In order for a client to really open to their therapist and share the reasons behind their abnormal behavior, they need to first trust their therapists. Knox (2008) states that successful clients in this area of person-centered therapy express that their, “Therapists are holding, accepting, and really real, and that they offer something over and above what they had expected from a professional therapeutic relationship” (p. 182). In this vein, it is critical that a counselor develop a compassionate oriented approach to any session dealing with abnormal behavior. Most people exhibiting such behavior are already feeling ashamed of their actions and they certainly do not need their own therapist remotely looking like they are judging them. This involves being careful of the words that are said, the expressions represented on the face, and the body gestures exhibited. Model of Psychotherapy Psychology, simply put, is the action of psychotherapy. This term alone is quite vague, and rightfully so. It deals with the process of treating psychological disorders and it serves as a focal point for assisting clients who exhibit signs of mental distress. During psychotherapy, the counselor (or psychologist) will walk with the client and assist him or her in indentifying the problem they are facing, look for the causes of that same problem, and then work together to formulate a treatment plan. To get to this point, there are wide ranges of techniques that can be used, which has been the very focus of this paper. Once such avenue that one must consider is the compassionate theory of counseling. Psychotherapy involves developing a therapeutic relationship with the client. More than this, however, the counselor and client need to communicate with one another openly in order to work through any problematic thoughts or behaviors that the patient might be experiencing. This open dialogue during psychotherapy can only take place if a clear path of communication can be opened (Marriott & Kellett, 2009, pp. 62-63). To do this, the counselor must be person-centered and they must be willing to be compassionate and understanding no matter what the situation, or how appalling the exhibited behavior may be. From the Christian Worldview, this can be explained quite simply be the actions of Jesus himself. Nothing surprised him and nothing seemed to get under his skinned. He received all people equally, even washing the feet of a prostitute. Through his very actions, he was teaching us to treat all people the same and to serve one another with the compassion of God. Psychotherapy practices must take on the same idea of loving one another unconditionally. A counselor does not have to incorporate all spiritual principles to demonstrate compassion. They simply must be committed to helping their clients overcome any difficulties, anxieties, or thoughts processes that they may be experiencing. Discussion and Conclusion It would seem obvious to state that counselors need to be compassionate. The reality is that psychologists, psychotherapists, and anyone else in the helping profession are human too. There are some behaviors and attitudes that we find deplorable. Just like the doctor who must treat any patient that comes through the door, regardless of who it is, so should the therapist. Unlike the doctor that can express his or her own personal convictions, however, the counselor must work hard at making sure that their voice and body gestures convey a complete sense of empathy and compassion in all situations. This, of course, is not always easy to do. The Christian counselor should constantly seek strength through prayer in order to meet the daily battles that they are sure to endure when expressing a desire to institute a compassionate theory into their practice. It is nearly certain that such counselors will quickly gain a reputation for being caring individuals and as being a therapist that does not judge. When this occurs, clients exhibiting abnormal behavior will continue to come through the door. In so doing, the therapist must maintain his or her resolve to help all clients equally and to the best of their ability. This paper has sought to explain the rational behind a compassionate theory of counseling. Literature has been presented, as has various texts utilized in the university setting, to illustrate the importance of this counseling technique. It is important to developed a person-centered approach to any counseling practice in order to demonstrate the compassion that so many people in this world are desperately seeking. This theory can apply equally well in both the Christian and the secular counseling setting. Appendix Reply to Name of Classmate for First Discussion Board Response Week 7 Copy and paste your reply to the first classmate in the discussion board assignment in week 7. Reply to Name of Classmate for Second Discussion Board Response Week 7 Copy and paste your reply to the second classmate in the discussion board assignment in week 7. (NOTE: This discussion board assignment requires you to post your abstract and then class members respond to two peers whose abstracts are most unrelated to their own theory. In order to post an accurate abstract, it would be wise to complete a draft of this paper in sufficient time for this.) References Jones, S. L., & Butman, R. E. (1991). Modern psychotherapies: A comprehensive Christian appraisal. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Joseph, S., & Murphy, D. (2013). Person-centered approach, positive psychology, and relational helping: Building bridges. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 53(1), 26-51. Knox, R. (2008). Clients’ experiences of relational depth in person-centered counseling. Counseling & Psychotherapy Research, 8(3), 182-188. Marriott, M., & Kellett, S. (2009). Evaluating a cognitive analytic therapy service: Practice-based outcomes and comparisons with person-centered and cognitive-behavioral therapies. Psychology and Psychotherapy, 82(1), 57-72. Murdock, N. L. (2009). Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: A case approach (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Stephen, S., Elliott, R., & Macleod, R. (2011). Person-centered therapy with a client experiencing social anxiety difficulties: A hermeneutic single case efficacy design. Counselling & Psychotherapy Research, 11(1), 55-66. Von Humboldt, S., & Leal, I. (2012). Person-centered therapy and older adults’ self-esteem: A pilot study with follow-up. Studies in Sociology, 3(4), 1-10. Read More