personal theory paper edited

Running head: PERSONAL THEORY

1

Personal Theory Maranda Carter  Uniersity o! South "lorida

PERSONAL THEORY # Personal Philosophy of Counseling View of Human Nature

My ie$s on hu%an nature hae not al$ays &een the sa%e and ' $onder i! they $ill (ontinue to (hange as ' gro$ &oth as a (ounselor and as )erson* My (urrent ie$s are that )eo)le are &orn neither good nor &ad+ &ut instead enter the $orld neutral* ' &eliee that )eo)le hae !ree $ill+ nothing is )redeter%ined+ and that things (an (hange* Peo)le hae (ontrol oer so%e i! not %ost as)e(ts o! their lies and there!ore hae so%e )o$er or (ontrol* Sin(e $e all hae h ae this  )o$er+ $e are a&le to in!luen(e and hae (ontrol oer %ost o! our out(o%es* 'n %y ie$+ )ersonality and deelo)%ent o! a )erson is in!luen(ed & y a %ultitude o! !a(tors in(luding &oth the )erson,s geneti(s and their eniron%ent* There is not one single thing that %a-es a )erson $ho they the y are* 't is a (o%&ination o! !a(tors+ su(h as the eniron%ent that a  )erson $as in+ $hat they )er(eied+ $hat $as (onditioned+ and $hat $as %odeled* ' &eliee in a su&.e(tie reality* /e only really -no$ $hat $e (an a(tually )er(eie* /e (an only s)e(ulate and dis(uss things that are outside our )er(e)tions* /hat %a-es so%eone the $ay they are is !ro% their uni0ue e)erien(es* Eeryone is di!!erent+ has di!!erent ie$)oints+ and )er(eies things di!!erently* di!!erently* Peo)le naigate through their  eniron%ent )er(eiing and haing (ognitions* Through this naigation )eo)le intera(t $ith others* An indiidual de%onstrates their thoughts or (ogn itions &y eli(iting a (ertain &ehaior* 2ased on others, rea(tions to an indiidual,s indiidual,s &ehaior the &ehaior %ay &e rein!or(ed or re.e(ted* 't is through these intera(tions that indiidual,s &e(o%e $ho they are* 't is an ongoing )ro(ess that neer ends* ' also -no$ that )eo)le do not hae the sa%e i%aginations+ desires or %otiations as they gro$ and deelo) through their uni0ue e)erien(es and (hara(ter deelo)%ent* There!ore+ there are (ases and situations $here so%e (an+ and do+ in!luen(e the%seles to add or (hange their e)erien(es in so%e %anner that also had an i%)a(t their indiidual deelo)%ent*

PERSONAL THEORY 3 Ho$ )sy(ho)athology deelo)s is di!!i(ult to de!ine* One $a y ' thin- )sy(ho)athology deelo)s is !ro% the indiidual haing !eelings o! in(ongruen(e* /hen the indiidual a(ts and  &ehaes in a $ay that they thin- others $ant the% to+ instead o! a(ting or doing $hat is really true to the%* Not &eing the%seles and instead &eing so%eone else (an (ause so%eone to deelo) a )sy(ho)athology* Another Another $ay )sy(ho)athology (an deelo) is !ro% (onditioning and %odeling* The indiidual $ill %ost li-ely not &e a$are that these thoughts and &ehaiors hae  &een rein!or(ed or %odeled in their li!e* 't is their nor%+ &ut un!ortunately un!ortunately so%e &ehaiors that are %odeled or rein!or(ed (ause )sy(ho)athology to deelo) in an indiidual* Beliefs about the Change Process Peo)le hae the )o$er )o $er to ena(t (hange in their li!e* The !irst ste) o! the (hange )ro(ess is to re(ogni4e that (hange is needed* Then there %ust &e a desire desire !or the indiidual to to $ant to (hange* The role o! the (ounselor is to en(ourage the (lient in the (hange )ro(ess* Their goal is to guide the (lient through the )ro(ess &y 0uestioning+ !o(using+ and tal-ing a&out the (lient,s o)tions* The (ounselor should de%onstrate e%)athy to$ards the (lient* The (lient+ i! they really $ant to (hange and %a-e )rogress+ should &e $illing to hear the (ounselor and !ollo$ through $ith the goal and )lanned a(tions* The thera)euti( relationshi) is a relationshi) that should &e !ounded on o)en and honest (o%%uni(ation !ro% &oth the (ounselor and the (lient* The er&al intera(tion %ay&e di!!i(ult in the &eginning o! the (ounseling relationshi) &ut should !lo$ %ore easily as the relationshi) )rogresses* 't is usually not a 0ui(- ) ro(ess in that ra))ort and trust %ust &e &uilt as a !oundation to )rogress !urther to$ard goals and solutions that $ill hae a  )ositie i%)a(t !or the (lient* The )ur)ose o! the (ounseling relationshi) is to &etter the (lient* To hel) the (lient &etter understand the%seles &y gaining a &etter understanding und erstanding o! their thoughts+ !eelings+ and  &ehaiors* 't is i%)ortant that the (ounselor edu(ate the (lient a&out $hat (ounseling is* A

PERSONAL THEORY 5 (ounselor does not )roide the ans$ers an s$ers !or the (lient* 'nstead+ the (ounselor $or-s $ith the (lient and guides the% through the (ounseling )ro(ess* Therapeutic Techniques and Procedures E%)athy is a te(hni0ue that ' &eliee needs to &e de%onstrated de %onstrated $ith eery intera(tion $ith a (lient* E%)athy is !eeling $hat the (lient !eels as that )erson e)erien(es it* 't is a s-ill that needs to &e(o%e natural and has to &e authenti(* 2y de%onstrating e%)athy to a (lient ' a% sho$ing that ' understood the (lient* ' $ill de%onstrate e%)athy &y re!le(ting $hat the (lient has shared $ith %e* 'n order to get a &etter understanding o! the situation6s7 the (lient is going through ' $ill use 0uestions and )atient listening s-ills* Another te(hni0ue that is i%)ortant to de%onstrate $ith (lients in eery intera(tion is un(onditional )ositie regard* 't is i%)ortant that ' sho$ the (lient that %y o!!i(e is a .udge%ent !ree 4one+ it es)e(ially (riti(al that ' de%onstrate un(onditional )o sitie regard $hen the (lient is sharing so%ething that is di!!i(ult to tal- a&out* ' $ould de%onstrate un(onditional )ositie regard and a((e)tan(e & y en(ouraging the (lient to share their story* ' $ould also er&ali4e %y  )ositie regard &y )raising the% !or sharing their di!!i(ult di!!i(ult story and than-ing the% !or sharing it $ith %e* Relaation training is a thera)euti( te(hni0ue that ' $ill use o!ten* ' $ill use relaation training !or (lients that are dealing $ith stress+ aniety+ and )ho&ias* Many )eo)le go throughout their li!e $ithout eer %a-ing ti%e to rela* Through (ounseling and relaing training ' $ill &e a&le to train (lients ho$ to rela and gain &etter (ontrol oer their lies* Relaation training $ill also &e &ene!i(ial in the &eginning o! the (ounseling relationshi) to hel) ease the aniety that (an  &e )resent* 'denti!ying and (hallenging (ognitie distortions is a te(hni0ue tha t ' $ill use 0uite o!ten* Many )eo)le a(t and &ehae a (ertain $ay $ithout really -no$ing $hy they are doing so* 2y $or-ing $ith the (lient and $or-ing &a(-$ards &a(- $ards !ro% their auto%ati( thoughts and identi!ying the (lient,s (ognitie (ognitie distortions ' $ill &e a&le to hel) the (lient get to the root o! their (ognitions

PERSONAL THEORY 8 and their &ehaior* ' $ould use this te(hni0ue !or (lients that $ant to gain a &etter understanding o! the%seles* 't $ould &e a great te(hni0ue to use !or (lients that hae lo$ sel!9estee% to (hange the auto%ati( thoughts to %ore )ositie ones* Indicators for Success!ffecti"eness ' $ill -no$ that thera)y is e!!e(tie $hen the (lient is sel!9assured and (on!ident* /hen the (lient enters %y o!!i(e loo-ing !or$ard to (ounseling instead o! dread ing it $ill &e an indi(ator that )rogress is &eing %ade* The (lient,s %anner o! s)ee(h $ill sho$ signs o! (on!iden(e and deter%ination to ta-e (ontrol o! his or her o$n li!e* The (lient $ill hae an understanding o! ho$ the )ro&le% deelo)ed+ dee lo)ed+ $ill hae $or-ed $ith %e in setting goals+ and no$ is $ell into i%)le%enting the )lan* 't $ill &e o&ious that ra))ort and trust has deelo)ed* The (lient $ill no longer sho$ signs o! aniety and $ill ehi&it e!!e(tie (o)ing strategies* Een su&tle (hanges $ill &e noted su(h as a (hange in )osture or (on!iden(e $hen s)ea-ing* ' $ill use assess%ent tools su(h as s(ales to note their ) rogress* ' $ill share $ith the (lient ho$ their sel!9re)orted ratings on the s(ale hae (hanged as the (ounseling has )rogressed*

Theoretical Influences Theory That #ligns $ith %y &wn Beliefs The theory that aligns the %ost $ith %y o$n &elie!s is (ognitie9&ehaioral thera)y*

Cognitie 9&ehaioral thera)y is the (o%&ination o! &oth (ognitie thera)y and &ehaior thera)y* Cognitie9&ehaioral thera)y is anti9deter%inisti(* Peo)le (an gro$ and (hange* Peo)le (an (hallenge their thoughts and (hange their &ehaiors* Cognitie9&ehaior thera)y does not see )eo)le ) eo)le as good or &ad* As ' stated a&oe+ '  &eliee that $hat %a-es so%eone $ho they are is deter%ined &y a (o%&ination o! &oth geneti( and eniron%ental !a(tors* Aaron 2e(-+ the !ounder o! (ognitie thera)y+ suggests that there is a geneti( )redis)osition to so%e e%otional res)onses* Cognitie thera)y suggests a diathesis9stress %odel o! %ental disorders $hi(h %eans a geneti( gen eti( )redis)osition under stress!ul (ir(u%stan(es

PERSONAL THEORY  %ay (ause a %ental disorder* 2oth &ehaiors and (ognitions are (onditioned su&tly and )lay a role in the deelo)%ent o! &oth nor%al and a&nor%al &ehaior* Cognitions and &ehaiors go hand in hand* Our (ognitions in!luen(e ho$ $e a(t* '! $e (hange the $ay $e thin-+ $e (an (hange our &ehaior or &y (hanging our &ehaior $e (an also (hange the $ay $e thin-* Cognitie9&ehaioral thera)y sho$s that the (lient has (ontrol oer their li!e and (an ena(t (hanges* (ha nges* 2y learning te(hni0ues &ased in this theory+ the (lient $ill &e a&le to identi!y $hat they thin- and $hy they a(t in (ertain $ays $hi(h is the !irst ste) to$ards %a-ing (hange* On(e the (lient is a&le to identi!y his;her (ognitions+ they (an (hallenge and (hange the%* Theory That Contrasts $ith %y Beliefs Psy(hoanalyti( theory is the theory that %ost (on trasts $ith %y &elie!s* This theory is deter%inisti(+ %eaning that a )erson,s )ersonality is sha)ed at a young age and it 0uite di!!i(ult to ena(t any (hange u)on* The !o(us o! this ty)e o! thera)y is on the un(ons(ious instead o! !o(using on the here and no$* Psy(hoanalysis o!ten re0uires that the (lient (o%e in %ulti)le ti%es a $ee- and so%eti%es lasts !ie or %ore years* 't is di!!i(ult to -no$ i! an y )rogress is a(tually &eing %ade $ith the (lient* An issue ' hae $ith this theory is that the (lient really does not hae %u(h )o$er $ithin their o$n li!e* A((ording to this theory+ they are not li-ely to (hange and the only things the (lient (an do is try to analy4e anal y4e their un(ons(ious %ind or analy4e their the ir drea%s* This ty)e o! thera)y does not e%)o$er the (lient+ ( lient+ &ut instead !o(uses on the )ast* Sin(e the !o(us is so %u(h in the )ast it does not allo$ the (lient to %a-e (hange in order to &etter their !uture*