Theories of Counseling - Assignment Example

Theories of Counseling Human nature differs from person to person as one evolves as a result of environmental forces that impact his or her development. As I have observed, the nature of people as composed of various characteristics, tends to be mostly innate however I do believe that some aspects are shaped by the environmental factors that include social training and development. Throughout the course of life, an individual goes through various experiences that impact their behavior. Consider a student who fails in an exam, if he works hard he is able to achieve a higher grade and his hard work pays off. If he gets demotivated and stops working hard his grades may even drop. The bottom line is that an individual endeavors to achieve success through hard work thereby overcoming the weaknesses. This contributes towards a personal drive to completeness. Hence, my view of the nature of people is closest to Alfred Alder’s Individual Psychology according to which people strive towards achieving success and this is referred to as a personal growth towards perfection. Also, according to Alder social interest was affected by social training and was not inborn. Unlike Freud’s theory, Alder believed that the conscious behavior was the backbone of an individual’s personal development. As a result, this theory makes an individual responsible for their perception and adaptations to the different events. An individual’s own lack of properly adjustment explains their lack of growth. If an individual is discouraged or his or her positive gestures do not result in required outcome, misbehavior occurs (University of Nevada Las Vegas, 2010). The Individual in Families and Other Systems Individuals act as the components upon which the structure of family is made up of. An individual is affected by the family system very deeply as the family as a whole is a complex and dynamic collection of these individuals playing their roles (Hammond, 2010). The behavior of an individual in their family is shaped by the expectation of the family. This is the same reason why an individual may behave differently with their family members and their friends. This is because an individual is aware of what is expected of him as a brother, sister, daughter, son, parent, or grandparent. The theory which is closest to me view is the Family Systems theory according to which a family is a group of individuals, components and subparts. Similar to any mechanical system, a family can also be diagnosed by researchers and therapists so as to locate the point of repair by investigating its members (Hammond, 2010). Within the family, changes in the behavior of the family members leads to imbalances and according to the Family Systems theory changes in one part must follow a change in another so as to maintain an equilibrium. In addition to a family consisting of several players, it is also important to note that families also interact with the community external to a particular family therefore changes in a particular family can disrupt the balance of the system. Multicultural Considerations Cultural differences have a great impact on the behavior of people as it shapes the social interest of people as demonstrated by Alder’s Individual Psychology theory. People living in Russia may have different behavior in terms of communication, body language, attitudes, and so on, whereas a person living in the United States may have a completely different pattern of behavior. These differences are due to the differences in the Russian and American culture. Many negotiators therefore consider the multicultural differences so as to recognize them and communicate in a more effective way so as to make the negotiation successful. Despite cultural differences, differences among people within the same culture are quite large as compared to differences among groups, which includes religion, personality, experiences, and so on (Billikopf, 2009). According to Billikopf, there exists a difference in cultures however there also exists a commonality of humankind (2009). Wellness and Prevention Individuals maintain their wellness through physical therapies that promote physical, mental, and social well-being. Wellness does not simply mean that an individual should be free from any diseases but there should be equilibrium of spiritual, emotional, and physical health (Fair, 2010). That is why it is not necessary for an individual to be regarded as unwell only in the presence of a physical disease. However, any individual having an emotional or other problem is also unwell. Such problems have shown to motivate an individual towards drugs and abuse. Substance abuse, drug abuse, physical abuse, and relationship problems are an indicator that a person may be going through an emotional problem and therefore needs to seek help. In such a case, counseling may help them overcome their problems through specific techniques. After having developed relationships and having planned strategies, the problem should be defined and the strategies should be chosen that is appropriate in dealing with the problem. The counselor and counselee should focus on their goals so as to overcome the problems that is being faced (Okun & Kantrowitz, 2008). The Nature of Problems People develop problems as a result of their experiences. The role of experience is great in developing a psychological or emotional problem within a person. External forces also play a great role and it is a person’s way of coping with a particular experience that either causes problem or adaptation. For example, a person having been a victim of domestic violence as a child may either cope to improve him or to become scarred by the experience and develop relationship problems in the future. These problems may also be due to the interaction of nature and nurture. For example, a genetic disease comes down as a result of genes and this is purely a natural phenomenon that is independent of the environmental impact. However, the external factors including experiences may also develop problems within a person and if the individual does not cope with the problem properly, this may result in problems. Process of Change A counselor has a very important role in spurring change within a person as the counselor develops a strong relationship with the counselee during the process thereby motivating the counselee on focusing on the solution or the goal. Since problems occur due to the maladaptation of an individual to a particular problem or experience, according to the Alderian theory the development of social interest through therapy can help counselee in overcoming their problem. Maladaptation may be a poor coping response to a particular stress or experience that has resulted in the misbehavior. Development of social interest also enhances their participation in the social systems in turn increasing their social development furthering the process of overcoming problems (Okun & Kantrowitz, 2008). My Theory in Practice People face many problems and that can a result of various internal as well as external factors including stress, experiences, etc. Many internal factors are natural such as genetics. Since external social factors impact the nature of people, therefore the counseling of people using techniques from the Alderian theory seems most appropriate in developing the social interest in an individual thereby enhancing wellness. Many of the health problems individuals face is a result of maladjustment that occurs from poor coping to a particular experience. Together with the strong relationship built with the counselor, a counselee can see improvements during the course of the therapy. Strategies from the Alderian theory involve overcoming feelings of inferiority that are a result of maladaptive behavior and by building social interest through education, the counselee can improve his conditions overcoming his or her inferiority (Okun & Kantrowitz, 2008). References Billikopf, G. (2009). Party Directed Mediation (2nd ed.). Modesto, CA: University of California. Retrieved September 27, 2013, from http://nature.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor/7conflict/PartyDirMediation.pdf Fair, S.E. (2010). Wellness and Physical Therapy. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Hammond, R.J. (2010). Sociology of the Family. Smashwords. Okun, B.F. & Kantrowitz, R.E. (2008). Effective Helping: Interviewing and Counseling Techniques: Interviewing and Counseling Techniques. Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher Education. Theories of Counseling. (2010). University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Retrieved September 27, 2013, from blogs.education.unlv.edu/csi/files/2010/02/nce-study-guide-theories-and-helping-relationships.pdf Read More