Counseling has been defined variously as “a unique relationship in which the counselor’s job is to hold up a mirror for the client to see him/herself in” (gsu. com 2003). In our lives, there are instances where one can not see individually things without a mirror. Whether it is an ugly pimple on the cheek, some dirt at the back of our heads or a cut on our back side, the joining thread to all is that we would need someone to hold a mirror so we could see things in hard to see places.Not only do we need mirrors held in certain angles, but a counselor understands it would take us quite sometimes to see things the way they are, especially the things we do not want to see. We are our own worst critics, judging our selves so harsh others do not understand why.
The counselor, would thus hold the mirror such that, we can see ourselves in a more sympathetic, caring and supportive way – positive prospect (gsu. com 2003). It is in actual sense a conversation between two people.The counselor helping us to realize the problem is the problem and not us. That we have the strength and resources to make the required changes in out lives is without a doubt.
It is only we need a little nudge to realize this. The counselor will assist us open up possibilities for positive change, by tapping into our strengths (kidshelpphone. ca). Let me be very clear, a counselor is not a there to tell us what to do or where we are wrong, but by understanding both concepts of conversation and mirror image we appreciate the counselors contribution to our lives.A counselor helps us identify our problem, think about what is important and figure out what to do next.
He/she helps us express our needs and feelings while examining our own unhelpful habits, coping methods, self-defeating beliefs values and attitudes. A counselor helps us gather all the relevant information; consider the different points of view, while understanding how our behavior and emotional reactions affect those around us and vice-versa. Most importantly the counselor helps us begin to make decisions based on what we have learned.Given that the emphasis placed on different components determine the distinctions among the various schools of psychotherapy, it is probably safe to define it as a process whereby psychological problems are treated through communication and relationship factors between an individual and a therapist. This is much more that talking about ones problems.
Remember family and friends can assist one feel better and even offer good advice for change. A psychotherapist’s relationship with the client is one based on therapeutic principles, structures and techniques (Herkov 2006).It is important to point out that this relationship has certain precepts that make it different from other relationships. To begin with, this relationship is strictly professional.
Secondly, all communication is in confidential i. e. nothing spoken in session can be shared by a third party without the express consent of the client. A client need not worry about offending others or their feelings been broadcasted. This allows for total honesty on the part of the client. We thus content that counseling and psychotherapy are relationships that build confidence.
Post Modern Approaches: This is a new school of therapy. It is more of an attitude towards therapy. Practitioners are actually trained conventionally. They then choose to be integrative in their approach to therapy not glorifying one practice over the others, instead blending in different schools to a tailor made approach to client needs and in compliment to the counselors personal talents.
As a counselor, am expected to be well conversant in all aspects of therapy and be willing to seek help to best assist my client.The challenge will be to the right attitude and adequate skill in brief therapy to use this technique successfully. I will also be required to make quick assessments, goals and interventions without the luxury of a set agenda/formula the therapy to assure the clients outcome. In the post modern approach therapy, the therapeutic goals will be two fold.
Solution-focused goals will zero in on the client been able to establish the own goals and preference, while creating a climate of mutual respect, dialogue, inquiry and affirmation. This should be viewed as the therapeutic process.I will also need to ask miracle questions that assist the client identify goals and solutions, and how societal standards and expectations are internalized. For the narrative goal, I will invite the client to describe experiences with new/different/fresh language-see the same situation in new light. For there to be progress in tackling the clients issues, there must exist a therapeutic relationship. This is where the counselor will be a social constructionist-will endeavor to stress the clients’ reality without disputing the accuracy and validity.
The counselor creates understanding so that the client can tap into their inner resources. The counselor counsels with client as opposed to ON client. The counselor will take a naivete stance. This will lead to collaboration which in turn will open opportunities for present or future change.
In achieving this, the client will have interpreted their personal experiences through them appreciating that they are the primary interpreters of personal experiences. This will only be possible one the counselor has been able to show the client how they can use their strengths and resources to construct solutions.In addition the counselor will seek to understand the clients’ experiences, while avoiding predictions, interpretations and pathologizing. It is only through collaboration will the counselor aid the client experience a heightened sense of agency. For progress to be achieved, some central techniques have to be applied. These are future-oriented to solve the problem rather than focus on understanding the cause of the problem.
Since they are solution focused, the counselor will help the client externalize the problem and focus on strengths and unused resources within.The counselor will in addition challenge the client to discovery of solutions that might work. The counselor will help the client initiate pre therapy change by use of exceptional-when did problems not exist, miracle-describe life without problems and scaling-client sees their change/progress, questions. The counselor will also give homework-clients to observe what events they would like to see occur more often, implement resources, strengths and exceptions. Also give summary feedback-genuine affirmations to the client.
For narrative techniques, the counselor has to emphasize the relationship.Help the client separate themselves from their problem through the process of listening, curious, persistent and respectful questioning. The counselor assists the client explore the impact of the problem and what they are doing to reduce effects of the problem. This is best achieved when the counselor and the client co-construct alternative stories. Family theory: This theory is also referred to as systems theory.
This system can also be summed up by the phrase “No man in an island” (therapysearch. net). This theory seeks to appreciate that no one action is independent.All actions are as a result of other counter reactions or lead to reactions. Developed after the Second World War, counselors while treating schizophrenic patients discovered unique reactions depending on the relationship at home.
Those happy and stable at home were reacting positively to treatment. The family members’ behavior had a direct relation with the clients’ condition (helptoheal. co. uk). This theory realizes that when an individual has a problem, the person will be helped to explore the rules of the family of origin, their role in it and hot that impacts their current relationships.Either, the counselor can create a multi generation genogram which explores the functioning of a family as a whole; conduct interviews with the parents; or engage in a boundary sitting exercises to help the person shift dysfunctional family patterning.
As with post-modern approach, the underlying concepts are solution focused and narrative. In both concepts, the emphasis is not on looking for the root cause of the problem by visiting the past, but focusing on providing a way forward into the future.Salvadore Minuchin put it clearly that “When families come to me for help, I assume they have problems not because there is something inherently wrong with them, but because they've gotten stuck - stuck with a structure whose time has passed, and stuck with a story that doesn't work. " (therapysearch. net).
The Family therapy tends to be short-term treatment, usually several months in length, with a focus on resolving specific problems such as eating disorders, difficulties with school, or adjustments to bereavement or geographical relocation.It is not normally used for long-term or intensive restructuring of severely dysfunctional families. In family therapy sessions, all members of the family and both therapists (if there is more than one) are present at most sessions. The therapists seek to analyze the process of family interaction and communication as a whole; they do not take sides with specific members. They may make occasional comments or remarks intended to help family members become more conscious of patterns or structures that had been previously taken for granted.
Family therapists, who work as a team, also model new behaviors for the family through their interactions with each other during sessions. Family therapy is based on family systems theory, which understands the family to be a living organism that is more than the sum of its individual members. Family therapy uses "systems" theories to evaluate family members in terms of their position or role within the system as a whole, hence, problems are solved by changing the way the system works (healthatoz. com).
This theory has some inherent risks.There is a possibility of unsettling rigid personalities defenses in individuals, or couple relationships that had been fragile before the beginning of therapy. When intensive, it may also be difficult for psychotic family members. On the same breadth, one is to expect normal results. This include greater insight, increased differentiation of individual family members, improved communication within the family, loosening of previously automatic behavior patterns, and resolution of the problem that led the family to seek treatment.
For this therapy to be recommended, more often that not the therapist is faced with a homeostatic family system. This is the one seeking to maintain its customary organization and functioning over time. This family will tend to resist change. It is thus the therapists obligations to assist the clients, by explaining why a certain family symptom has surfaced at a given time, why a specific member has become the identified person (one whose symptoms has brought the family into treatment) and what is likely to happen when the family begins to change.
Both the post modern approach and the family approach will be ideal when dealing with individual, school and group counseling; Marriage and family counseling; Relationships problems; Diverse clinical problems (substance and child abuse, depression, sexual abuse, child and spousal abuse, depression and eating disorders) and childhood and adolescent-related issues.Conclusion: As seen both this approaches are very recent. They have been developed to fill a gap that was left by traditional methods. The realization is that no one way is the best by itself.
Both approaches borrow form each other and complement each other. They can this be used interchangeably or concurrently. Although I have extensively used children as example of how this approaches can be of help to them, let me point out that this approaches will in essence achieve similar results in adults.For there to success especially in adults, there has got to be a basic understanding and undertaking to perform all homework given by the counselor.
This means the will to tackle the demons pursuing oneself has got to be strong. As stated, since the counselor does not tell the client what to do, and instead desires to guide the client to a realization of their potential, the client must appreciate the session are important and appointment are to be kept at all time.Also the client has to realize there are no miraculous curers to problems, but an effort to change and make one better in the long run. Finally, the client need to debunk from their mind that counseling is for real sick people. This will assist the client remove the sick mentality from him/herself.
The client need see the counselor as a friend they are using a sounding board for their life. As a rest station where they get an opportunity to evaluate and make changes where necessary.
