Theories in Counseling - Essay Example

Theories in Counseling Introduction The work of a counselor is extremely important in today’s contemporary world when life’s choices for the individual seem uncontrollably too much. As much as choices prevail, the individual is also protected by a certain civic rights that make him as free as possible. The freedom to choose however brings the counselor to the limelight because today’ freedom is associated with a lot of psychological issues ranging from stress, failure to the need to handle fame and wealth. The reason why the counselor is the best person to handle today’s contemporary world is that “Counseling psychologists are considered to be generalists who are trained in a wide variety of basic therapeutic skills” (Graduate School Planning and Information, 2009). To achieve success in counseling however, the kind of theories and approaches used in by the counselor is very important. The decision on how to combine or handle various theories and approaches is also very important. This paper therefore seeks to analyze the different approaches and their manipulative use at the hands of counselors. What is counseling? Comparing counseling to clinical psychology, the Graduate School Planning and Information (2009) explain that “Counseling psychologists focus more on the psychologically healthy individual where clinical focuses on individuals with serious mental illness (e.g. schizophrenia).” This means that counseling is the practice of providing professional service to the psychologically healthy individuals in helping them understand the causes of their problems and give them step by step guidance to go through their problems in making good and informed decisions. The term ‘healthy individual’ used in this explanation means counselors provide their services to the mentally able. This also separates the work of the counselor from the psychiatrist and clears a counselee as being mentally disabled. • Do you think there is one approach that every therapist should use? Provide reasons for your answer and illustrate them with examples. Counseling approaches come in different forms. This is confirmed by the Indiana Professional Psychological Services (2003) who state that “there are literally hundreds of counseling approaches - ranging from basic active listening and a solution focus - to the seemingly bizarre.” Because of this, counselors generally have the freedom to choose which approach to use at which time for which person. Not withstanding this, I am of the opinion that counselors should not be limited to any one approach. In other words, counselors should not adopt themselves to only one counseling approach. This point is taken on two major reasons. Firstly, therapists must appreciate the fact that no two people are the same. Different clients have different psychological make-ups and should therefore be treated as independent entities. Adapting to one approach would result in a selected approach will not meet the psychological requirements of a particular client. The second reason is that different client-problems should be met with different approaches. An example of this is seen in a person who goes to a counselor for a behavioral disorder. Certainly, people with behavioral disorder need personalized behavioral therapy that is manipulated exclusively by the therapist. Such an approach is however inappropriate with an individual with occupational problems. This is because with occupational problems, clients are given much room to manipulative their own progress through humanistic therapies. Approaches should therefore be chosen depending on the problem at hand. Under no circumstance should practitioners be limited to one approach. • What are the personal characteristics of a successful counselor? Can these characteristics be developed or strengthened? How so? Being a good listener is a basic characteristic of a good counselor. It is however important to state that a good counselor is different from a successful counselor. A successful counselor could be described as one who achieves success in a particular counseling session. It is not surprising therefore that Erdman (2011) states that “being a good therapist goes beyond being a good listener.” Having said this, the personal characteristics of a successful counselor includes a counselor who establishes a positive relationship with a client. As counselors, it is important to assess compatibility with clients. Counselors who find they are not compatible with clients but succeed in creating a welcoming atmosphere between the two of them is successful. Again, a successful counselor is one who is able to determine his or her competency regarding a given case. This is to advocate counselors not to accept just every case. Most counselors specialize in specific areas and we all have our strengths. Because of this, it is important for counselors to have the ability to select and be sincere with themselves; in determining which cases to work on and which ones not to work on. Also, a successful counselor is one who goes according to basic ethics of counseling. Furthermore, a successful counselor is one who can assess his or her competence along the path of counseling session. This means that the counseling session should not be completed before the counselor assesses his or her success progress, competence or impact. Finally, a successful counselor is one who achieves the goals of the client. These characteristics can be developed by keeping up to date with modern trends in principles and practice of counseling. • What are your personal motivations and characteristics that may help or hinder you as a counselor? Practicing counselors need personal motivations to keep them active and going in their practice. As a practitioner, my motivation is in two major factors. First, my motivation is in the willingness to cause a positive change in the life of a person. Indeed, as far as I am concerned, there could be nothing more achieving than bringing someone’s life to track. Research shows that but for the effort of counselors, 60% of people who receive their (counseling) services would have ended up with worse forms of their problems including suicide, divorce and madness. I am therefore motivated in the fact that I am a rescuer of people’s problems. My second motivation or characteristic that helps my work as a counselor is in the fact that as a counselor, I am supposed to work within set principles and practice. As much as some of these principles seem restrictive in some instances – forbidding me from applying my own ingenuity in the work I do, these principles and practices also help in keeping me in check. As a professional who works under strict principles, I am always guided and empowered to live within the given principle. This generally makes my work simplified and precise. • What are the advantages and disadvantages of practicing within the framework of one specific theory as opposed to developing a more integrative approach consisting of several therapies? Basically, the advantage associated with using one specific theory is that it makes the whole system of counseling simple and less complicated. This is based on the fact that one approach theory makes the work of the counselor fast track. This situation is necessary for counselors who may be hard pressure for time or need to meet tight deadlines by clients. An example of a counseling situation that can come with such hard press for time is job interview counseling. In such situations, embarking on the use of a series of approaches will make the whole counseling complicated and time consuming because the counselor would have to implement all principles that come with each accompanying theory. The disadvantage of using a single theory approach is that it defeats benefit of switching between approaches should in case one approach fail. Counseling is a learning process and as much as possible the counselor may want to modify or change a particular approach in use depending on his or her progress report. • What are the advantages and disadvantages of practicing within an integrated framework? An integrated framework approach is said to have been used when counselors blend elements from different approaches (American Psychological Association, 2011). The major advantage associated with using an integrated framework is that it makes the entire counseling process very systematic and orderly. With the integrated framework, counselors have no room to rush and so are careful go into every aspect of all approaches they adapt. This way, counselors and clients are assured of comprehensive results. Again, using integrated framework makes room for counselors to switch approach if they discover that a particular approach is not working so well for them. The disadvantage however is that the integrated framework is demanding and time consuming. It does not work in situations where a counselor may be hard press for time. • Assume you are a practicing therapist. In reviewing the various therapeutic approaches explored in this course, which approaches would you integrate for use in therapy with clients? What techniques would you ensure are a part your treatment approach? Demonstrate how you would integrate two or more techniques in a therapy session. Generally, I would integrate psychoanalytical and behavioral approaches. In doing this, I would use the theoretical integration. Norcross (2005) explain that in using the theoretical integration, "two or more therapies are integrated in the hope that the result will be better than the constituent therapies alone." This means that one approach shall stand out as a major approach whiles the other serves as a minor approach. This not withstanding, the two approaches shall be used in a more embodied manner than separating the two or using one at a time. Conclusion The work of the counselor will remain very vital and useful. True success in counseling will however continue to remain in the application of basic principles and rules. Counselors are therefore urged to continue exploring new and innovative ways of making their trade more and more useful to society. Having said this, counselors are advised not to be always ruled down by paper work but put their ingenuity and intuitiveness to work as often as they practice. REFERENCE LIST American Psychological Association (2011). Different approaches to psychotherapy. Retrieved August 19, 2011 from http://www.apa.org/topics/therapy/psychotherapy-approaches.aspx Erdman E. (2011). Qualities of a Good Therapist. Retrieved August 23, 2011 from http://www.bouldertherapist.com/html/tips/ct.8.qoagt.html Graduate School Planning and Information (2009). Counseling Psychology Ph.D. and MA Degree. Retrieved August 23, 2011 from http://www.psychology.sdsu.edu/advising/counseling%20psycholoy.htm Indiana Professional Psychological Services (2003). Counseling Approaches. Retrieved August 23, 2011 from http://www.drbaney.com/Counseling_Approaches.htm Norcross, J. C.; Goldfried, M. R. (Eds.) (2005). Handbook of psychotherapy integration (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford. pp. 3–23. ISBN 0 863040 34 9. A primer on psychotherapy integration. Read More