Classical models of psychotherapy although deemed outdated, still have relevance in today’s practice of understanding human behavior. Psychotherapy is a science and art that was established back in the 1800’s with its own style and ideas. Classical models of psychoanalytic theory include psychoanalytic theory, neoanalytic theory, and individual psychology.The psychoanalytic theory founded by Sigmund Freud is the study of human psychological functioning and behavior. The personality theory developed by Carl Jung is the study of personality and individual differences. The individual theory developed by Alfred Adler is the study of human behavior with emphasize on striving for perfection.
These classical models are not extensively used in today’s contemporary counseling practices and agencies however, they laid the foundation for the profession of psychology and the practice of psychotherapy as we know it today (Murdock, 2009) and their influences on counseling is still prevalent.Comparison Initially, Jung, and Adler believed in similar concepts of psychotherapy introduced by Freud. All three believed in the concept of the unconscious as a way to explain dreams and understand human behavior. Although Adler believed that dreams provided insight into one’s lifestyle and social interest, he did not place as much focus on dream interpretations as Freud and Jung. Both Jung’s and Freud’s technique were similar in that therapy is conducted on a one-to-one basis, and emphasis is placed on revealing unknown motivations of behavior (Mayer, 2007).As time passed, Jung and Adler branched out to create their own theories of psychotherapy.
Contrast Psychoanalytic theory is based on the premise that humans are motivated by conflicts between the conscious and the unconscious. Freud believed the conscious and the unconscious were separate entities. Freud is credited for developing the structural model in which he describes the three parts of the psyche as the id, ego, and super-ego. The id is the unconscious personality structure that contains the basic drives of individuals (self-gratification).
The ego is the organized and realistic part of the personality. The super-ego acts as the conscience that maintains the sense of morality. Adler never accepted Freud’s theory of infantile sexual trauma. According to Freud, human behavior is produced by conflicts between genetically built-in drives, the instincts of self preservation, sex, and destruction.
He felt that the dominant force in human behavior is the sexual instinct, which is innate. He furthers asserts that the unconscious is the most powerful source of behavior (Murdock, 2009).Jung’s beliefs were that there are common elements of human experiences called archetypes. The archetypes are self, the regulating center of the psyche; shadow, opposite of the ego; anima/animus, male and female principles that represent the true self; and persona, how we present to the world (Changing Minds.
Org, 2011). He called the psychological make-up of a person the psyche and believed that specific characterizations change over time and across cultures. Jungian therapy stresses the patient's study and acceptance of the archetypes within himself.Only when the first three archetypes are fully integrated can the self begin to be explored and integrated. The self strives for completeness (Mayer, 2007).
According to Jung, successful therapist should understand four principles of psychological functioning (Murdock, 2009): 1. Psyche as a self-regulating system 2. The unconscious protects the ego from painful feelings and thoughts 3. Counseling relationships are vital to successful therapy 4.
Personal growth occurs across the lifespanAs described by this theory, there are three dimensions of a person’s personality; introversion and extroversion; thinking and feeling; and sensation and intuition. According to Jung, everyone is a mixture of these functions however an individual’s personality is determined by the function that is predominant (Mayer, 2007). Adler believed that humans had an innate tendency to strive for perfection and was the motivator of behavior. He contended that an individual’s perceptions determined their views of reality rather than external influences.
Unlike Freud, Adler viewed the personality as holistic and that the conscious and unconscious are not separate (Murdock, 2009). Adler's personality theories emphasized that sexual relationships and unconscious repression was the result of power and not an expression of infant sexuality. Adler's system emphasizes social relationships rather than biological instincts. The school of individual psychology made therapy a shorter process.
Like Jungian therapy, it dispensed with many of the Freudian therapeutic practices (Mayer, 2007).Conclusion The classical models of psychotherapy still have relevance in today’s practice of psychological counseling and the understanding of human behavior. Three highly profiled and compared models of classical psychotherapy are the psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud who believed that the dominant force in human behavior is the sexual instinct, which is innate. Freud's psychoanalytic theory was developed at the turn of the century and supplied therapist with a fundamentally originated spectrum to diagnosing and interventions of unusual adult behaviors.The personality theory of Carl Jung whose belief was there are common elements of human experiences called archetypes. The individual theory of psychology by Alfred Adler who believed that humans were self-determined and that humans were a whole and not a conglomerate of parts.
These classical models are not extensively used in today’s contemporary psychological counseling however, they laid the foundation for the profession of psychology and the practice of psychotherapy as we know it today and their influences on counseling is still prevalent.Referencehttp://changingminds.org/explanations/identity/jung_archetypes
