Theory Paper Assignment

After studying the different counseling theories over the last sixteen weeks, I have discovered that each theory is valid and there are ideas and techniques that I would use out of each of them. However, there are some theories I feel that I will use more than others in my daily counseling sessions. First, I would like to address the Psychoanalytic Theory. I agree with Freud on the power of the unconscious is influencing how we think, feel and behave and that dreams are powerful tools in helping people recognize their internal conflicts, central struggles, wants, hopes, and visions of the future. He also acknowledges the power of the past and early traumatic childhood experiences in preventing people from living a happily, healthy, and well-adjusted life. However, I agree more with Erikson’s psychosocial perspective than Freud’s psychosexual stages in that people continue to develop socially throughout their lives and that there are specific events to be resolved in each stage of life.
I will also use Adler’s lifestyle assessment to reveal their family background and early childhood experiences which may have influenced their (the clients) life. I will also use the Adlerian Theory to guide how I counsel my clients and their attitudes toward self, difficulties, others, or life. Adler believes that emotions and behaviors are largely influenced by ones beliefs and thinking processes. I want my clients to understand that they are entirely responsible for what they make of themselves.
Unlike Freud, Adler stresses choice and responsibility, meaning in life and the strivi...

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...they need or want. The Reality Theory understands the importance of a positive, satisfying therapist-client relationship. The therapist should be caring, mildly confrontational, yet not critical, blaming, or complaining. Glasser also believes that we choose everything we do, including how we feel. Other people can’t make us miserable; we choose to be that way. So I would help the client decide which of their needs weren’t being met satisfactorily.
Finally, if none of the above theories works I would then give them a variety of behavioral and cognitive coping techniques to try such as acquiring and rehearsing a new set of self-statements, relaxation training, and time-management instructions.