Approaches to counselling

By Amala mary johny

introduction Goal of counselling are related to providing a curve to

various emotional afflictions in order to improve the mental health of the people.

Role of a counsellor will differ with respect to the place and the manner in which the diagnosis is conducted.

Different approaches to counselling are based on the varying concepts of human personality structure and

dynamics. 3 Approaches;

I. Psychoanalytical Approach

II. Behaviouristic Approach

III. Humanistic Approach / Person- Centered Counseling

Psychoanalytical Approach Originated by Sigmund Freud. Also called Dynamic Theory Based on

unconscious motivation of the individual. Behavior is driven by Libido (life instinct) and

Thanatos (death instinct) The mind has three regions -- conscious,

unconscious, preconscious

People are unaware of much of their mental process.

If the instinctual needs are not satisfied, then unconscious motivators will propel the individuals to satisfy the needs at any cost.

Personality is divided into 3 major systems;i. ID

ii. EGO

iii. SUPER EGO

The ID Ruled by Pleasure Principle

Reduce tension and avoid pain. Drives for the pursuit of personal wants Illogical, amoral and spoiled brat of personality. Doesn’t think, only wishes. Largely unconscious .

The Ego Ruled by the Reality Principle. Does realistic and logical thinking. Controls consciousness and censorship. Seat of intelligence and rationality. It moderates the desires of the ID.

The Super ego Judicial branch of personality. Moral governor of the individual. Strives for perfection. It inhibits the ID impulses. Persuades the ego to substitute moralistic goals

for realistic one. Actions and feelings are guided by moral code

that he/she develops in the course of personality development.

Types of Defense Mechanisms Denial: Closing ones eyes to the existence of threatening reality

Projection: Attributing to others ones own unacceptable desires and impulses

Displacement: Directing energy towards another object or person when original object or person is not available.

Regression: Coping with anxiety by cling to immature behaviors

Rationalization: Involves explaining away failures/ losses

Sublimation: Diverting sexual/ aggressive energy to socially acceptable form

Therapeutic Goals

Make the unconscious conscious Identify and correct old patterns of

behavior Develop new insight-based behaviors Restructure personality

Treatment Procedures

Therapy is long-term and focuses on exploring unconscious issues.

Free association, dream analysis, projective tests, play therapy etc.

Behaviouristic approach

Focusing on the client’s current problems. To help people change maladaptive to adaptive

behaviors. The therapy is largely educational - teaching

clients skills of self-management. Treatment goals are specific and measurable. Based on principles of learning.

Four Aspects of Behavior Therapy1. Classical Conditioning

A neutral stimulus is repeated paired with a stimulus that naturally elicits a particular response. The result is that eventually the neutral stimulus alone elicits the response.

2. Operant Conditioning Focuses on actions that operate on the environment to

produce consequences.

3. Social Learning Approach Gives prominence to the reciprocal interactions between

an individual’s behavior and the environment.

4. Cognitive Behavior Therapy Emphasizes cognitive processes and private events (such

as client’s self-talk) as mediators of behavior change.

Assumptions Behaviour is conditioned: Clients behaviour is

conditioning. Primary learning comes from experience. Behaviour changes when certain favorable conditions exist.

Behaviour is predictable: Each individual reacts in a predictable way to any given situation or stimulus, depending on what the person has learned.

Therapeutic Goals General goals: Increase personal choice and

create new conditions for learning To eliminate maladaptive behaviors and learn

more adaptive behaviors Client and therapist collaboratively decide the

concrete, measurable, and objective treatment goals

Teach concretion skills Motivate to change

stepsa) Identify the undesirable, unwanted, maladjusted

and maladaptive behaviour.

b) Careful analysis of maladaptive behaviour into small units.

c) Eliminating the maladaptive units by appropriate method.

Usually of short duration and collective effort of both client and therapist.

Humanistic Approach Also known as Person- Centered Approach /

Client- Centered Approach. According to Roger, the basic theme is helping

the relationship in all human interactions. Rogers’ work is regarded as one of the principle

forces in shaping current counselling and psychotherapy.

Assumptions Behaviour consistent with self- concept: Roger

says that when an individual believes that they are acting in a manner that suits their image, then they feel satisfied.

Threat and Defense Mechanism: When an individual has to act in a manner which he feels inconsistent with his image, then he tends to feel threatened any may feel pressurized to adopt certain defense mechanism, which adds to the feeling of insecurity.

process Rogers believed that the most important factor in

successful therapy was not the therapist's skill or training, but rather his or her attitude.

Three interrelated attitudes on the part of the therapist are central to the success of person-centered therapy: congruence unconditional positive regard and empathy.

Congruence: The therapist's openness and genuineness—the willingness to relate to clients without hiding behind a professional facade.

Unconditional positive regard: The therapist accepts the client totally for who he or she is without evaluating or censoring, and without disapproving of particular feelings, actions, or characteristics. The therapist communicates this attitude to the client by a willingness to listen without interrupting, judging, or giving advice. client feels free to explore and share painful, hostile, defensive, or abnormal feelings without worrying about personal rejection by the therapist.

Empathy: The therapist tries to appreciate the client's situation from the client's point of view, showing an emotional understanding of and sensitivity to the client's feelings throughout the therapy session.

These three attitudes conveyed by a therapist help clients freely express themselves without having to worry about what the therapist thinks of them.

Based on the principle of self-actualization, this undirected, uncensored self-exploration allows clients to eventually recognize alternative ways of thinking that will promote personal growth.

results The expected results of person-centered therapy

include improved self-esteem; trust in one's inner feelings and experiences as valuable sources of information for making decisions; increased ability to learn from (rather than repeating) mistakes; decreased defensiveness, guilt, and insecurity; more positive and comfortable relationships with others; an increased capacity to experience and express feelings at the moment they occur; and openness to new experiences and new ways of thinking about life.

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