According to Monakes (2011), one form of Adlerian therapy, sand tray therapy, asserts that the therapy will allow individuals access to core beliefs and the root of our rational for behavior and as such, gives insight into one’s personal beliefs and types of behaviors. This therapy was researched and practiced with a male prison population by Monakes (2011). Sand tray therapy encourages individual’s access to their inner most thoughts and feelings through a form of symbolic expression (Homeyer & Sweeney, 2005). This type of therapy encourages the expression of language and subconscious thoughts (Monakes, 2005). In sand tray therapy, clients use miniature figurines symbolizing people and things ranging from good to evil (Monakes, 2005). As the story progresses, clients are able to create a life journey and therefore, gain insight into the self (Monakes, 2005). According to the offenders in Monakes (2005) study, sand tray therapy was more effective and positive than the work they were doing at their treatment center. They felt it was it was a valuable tool regarding personal insight and allowed them to reflect on past and current experiences in an effort to improve self-efficacy. According to Adler, the therapist’s initial approach to a client is identifying the underlying cause of feelings of being inferior (Overholser, 2010). Sand tray therapy allows just that by allowing symbolic interpretations of what the client needs to express in order to further his or her recovery. Adler insists that clients not feel pressured to disclose personal information (Overholser, 2010). The importance of the client-therapist relationship is allowing the client to strengthen his or her courage (Overholser, 2010). Attempting to view an i... ... middle of paper ... ... this sense of being and connectedness reached beyond human beings and into everything around us, including, nature, animals, and inanimate objects, possibly reflective of the higher power concept in twelve step groups. Adler’s purpose was the idea that our ability to love and be loved rests in our ability to see beyond ourselves, to heal from being healed, and to receive by giving back (Pienkowski, 2012, Williams, 2011). Adler felt if people were to view the world and its connectedness in this way, perhaps some of the human created problems of life such as, war, poverty, feminine, prejudice, persecution, and discrimination might no longer exist. Essentially, we are of our own making. And to that end, we decide the fate of our individual selves and our ability to persevere, whether it is regards to the recovery from substance abuse or other maladies we may face.
In the short story “a demotic dilemma” written by Carson Mccullers deals with how a parent has to be responsible and must sacrifice their wants and need to take care and provide for their family. As well as the negative effects of a dysfunctional family on a young child. Therefore, it talks about a woman by the name of Emily's that has two children a boy named Andy and a girl named Marianna. Moreover, in the short story Emily's husband Martin has his job translocated by the company he works for to a big city away from the southern life away from family and friends. Which, resulted in Emily losing her stability and social life causing her to relieve this stress and life of isolation by drinking her sorrows away causing her to stumbles down
Drawings and other self-generated forms of visual art produced by people suffering from mental illness sparked the interest of psychiatrists around the end of the 19th century. They were considered “outpourings of the mind in turmoil” (Rubin 6). Fascinated by these samples of artwork, psychiatrists began to study them in an attempt to better understand the creator and the illness. Art therapy is a fluid, adaptable and evolving field. Today art therapists employ a variety of methods and work in a variety of rehabilitation settings, but the focus of this paper is the use and benefits of visual art therapy in correctional settings. Unfortunately, there has been little research to measure the effectiveness of art therapy in prison. Researchers are still in the early stages of understanding what art therapy does, how it does this, and why it is effective. Through art therapy programs, prisoners are able to more fully come to know themselves and are therefore fore able to authentically participate in life and community as well as develop an ongoing motivation towards recovery.
Alfred Adler was the founder of Adlerian Counseling. He was born in 1870 in the country of Austria. who gave his theory the name Individual Psychology, because he wanted people to see that his theory and methods were designed to help clients help themselves. He believed that everyone had and internal need to be a part of society, and a desire to contribute to that society. That everyone strives for perfection, and everyone initially feels inferior to everyone else. He believed that when that feeling is not overcome, inferiority complexes develop, and if a person tries to overcompensate for inferiority, the develop superiority complex.
The multi-causal model of drug abuse takes into account social and individual causes of addiction, both distant and immediate, that lead to a disposition to using drugs, drug use and the social and individual consequences. Why a person becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol is different for everyone. Some are genetically predisposed, some learn it from their environment (i.e. family or friends), and still others use it to avoid a trauma they have experienced. The case history describes a client that had both social and individual causes for her alcohol use and subsequent dependence.
In this paper I will be comparing and contrasting the Psychoanalytic formulations of addiction and the Cognitive models of addiction. According to Dennis L. Thombs, “people tend to get psychoanalysis and psychotherapy mixed up. Psychotherapy is a more general term describing professional services aimed at helping individuals or groups overcome emotional, behavioral or relationship problem” (119). According to Thombs and Osborn, “Cognitive refers to the covert mental process that are described by a number of diverse terms, including thinking, self-talk, internal dialogue, expectations , beliefs, schemas and so much more” (160). I believe these two factors play a major part in an individual’s life that has an addiction.
An Adlerian is any person who applies the ideals and principles of Alfred Adler into their work; this does not restrict to just psychologists or counsellors, but instead applies to several occupations such as teachers or doctors. I’m an Adlerian because studying at Adler School of Professional Psychology I can rest assured knowing that once my degree is complete I will have a deep understanding of bringing together Adlerian principles into my counselling profession. Adlerian principles according to NASAP's (2004) newsletter “Adlerian Psychology-Theory of Human Behavior” can divide into different components: lifestyle, social embeddedness, phenomenology, teleology, creativity uniqueness, inferiority feelings, striving for superiority, vertical and level striving, and holism entrenched within all these components. As one notices, Adler had various principles and ideals, therefore if I was to pick just one that I hold dearly, it would be difficult to choose. Yet, in this paper, I will narrow my focus on addressing a few special components that are dear to me and finally select one that is most meaningful. I hope to use this as a base representation of the ideals I will apply in my work as an Adlerian practitioner.
Next, we will discuss key concepts involved in Reality Therapy. Then it will explain the various techniques used in this form of therapy. It will then analyze the target population. Finally, it will develop a scenario, using reality therapy, as a basis to present a hypothetical patient, as a counselor discussing the strategies that would be used to counsel this client. Thesis Statement: Does one’s past define his or her future?
To begin, Adlerian theory is a therapeutic approach that is focused on the individual’s background. The founder of Adlerian Theory is Alfred Adler, a contemporary of Freud and a member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society. After years of working with Freud, Adler split from Freud due to his theory of individual psychology; his theory was that a holistic approach must be used to treat individuals. He believed in the psychosocial rather than the psychosexual, which means a focus on the whole human and their connection to the world rather than pleasure-seeking energies (sexual impulses) of the individual.
Burton, A. (1959). Case studies in counseling and psychotherapy (Prentice-Hall psychology series). Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall.
Freud, Jung, and Adler each contributed essential concepts in accordance to one’s personality and environment. Focusing on one’s personality, each theorist assisted in the understanding of personality and each theory is still being used today throughout many therapy sessions. Throughout one’s education, one will go through personal development, seeking to find who he/she is and along the way react to life’s events accordingly. Academic success and developmental are hand in hand, allowing persons to set goals and develop plans to reach each goal. Each theory provides a different aspect in one’s personality which leads to the behaviors of that individual. According to Richard E. Watts, “Adlerian counseling theory affirms that humans are characterized by unity across the broad spectrum of personality-cognitions, affect, and behavior. Style of life, the Adlerian term for personality, is a cognitive blueprint
Clients are encouraged to face the facts about oneself, and learn that in order for others to accept them, they must learn to love and appreciate themselves. Gestalt therapy would help Joan realize that she needs to focus on the now and her current relationship with Hal, as her disapproving relationships in the past are not an important factor in the mending of her current relationship. Furthermore, Gestalt Therapy is a strong form of counseling in how it is personally tailored to each individual, making it applicable across cultures. However, this could cause difficulties in Joan. She seems to contribute much of her self worth as a human to the acceptance she receives from her relationships. It could be a strength, by teaching her how to become more self reliant and self accepting, but it could also be difficult to start with as she is so reliant on others opinions. It’s level of creativity can emphasize nonverbal behaviors, such as with the exaggeration exercise. By exaggerating movements or gestures, it intensifies the feelings the client associates with that gesture. Gestalt Therapy also has its limitations. It can be hard for clients that are not able to think abstractly to do some of the exercises of Gestalt. Such as empty chair or role playing. Therapists can also, if not careful, abuse their power. Some of the techniques used can be forceful and therapists that have not been
Within Gestalt therapy, “the initial goal is for clients to expand their awareness of what they are experiencing in the present moment. Through this awareness, change automatically occurs” (Corey, 2013). This philosophical foundation aligns with my beliefs that people possess the ability to make their own changes when they are fully aware of their circumstances. Additionally, my concept that people, who accept outside sources without sifting through beliefs and standards that may be applicable in their lives parallels with Gestalt’s contact of introjection. People within this stage, willingly assimilate what the environment is feeding them, without dissecting what they need or want (Corey, 2013). Nonetheless, Gestalt’s unfinished business correlates with my opinion that unresolved issues can linger and clutter the present moment, resulting in maladaptive behavior and thinking. When emotions are not fully experienced, “they linger in the background and are carried into present life in ways that interfere with effective contact with oneself and others” (Corey, 2013). Within a counseling context, my beliefs that there should be a partnership between the client and therapist is one of the main goals in Gestalt’s therapeutic process (Corey, 2013). Similar to my idea that the counselor is more of a facilitator to help clients
Performing a background evaluation on my client using the theories of Erik Erikson, Sigmund Freud, and Lawrence Kohlberg are an accurate assessment of what stage of life the client is experiencing. At some degree, it is a valuable tool in examining where a person’s life should exist at certain stages. It is a guideline to moving forward with a treatment and helping an individual lead a normal productive life as much as conceivable.
The concept of Adlerian family therapy was theorized by Alfred Adler and is one of the first psychiatrists to embark on family therapy. The principle of Adlerian family therapy is an individual and social system is holistic and inseparable in nature, behavior is interactive and with a purpose and the individual seeks meaning by acceptance in a social system. A family is generally the social system which an individual seeks acceptance. A principle of Adlerian family therapy is subjective, each person generates their own meaning from their experiences. The life roles and life meaning is greatly influenced by family environment, which individuals form their own private logic or their view of the world. The family problems can be related to faulty private logic and discouragement within the family. Adlerian family therapy incorporates the additional concept, parents and children tend to get locked into negative interactions which are repetitive and grounded on mistaken goals, resulting in motivation for family members. The key theories of Adlerian family therapy is family atmosphere, family constellation, and mistaken goals.
Gestalt therapy helps clients focus on the here-and-now experience and helps them recognize their awareness by using different techniques during therapy. The reason why I decided to focus on this theoretical orientation was because in contrast to other therapies, the client is deeply involved in the therapy; coming up with their conclusions and discovering their self-awareness in the process, which helps them recognize their self, instead of continuing to focus on their ideal self. With the client being aware of their emotion, thoughts, and their environment, they will be able have insight on what they can do to resolve their current problems and have a holistic view of life. The therapist’s goal is to facilitate the therapy, focusing on the clients verbal and nonverbal behaviors, assisting them to be more self-reliant, and helping them focus on the present. During therapy, there is a continuous dialogue between the client and the therapist, in which the therapist shows warmth and acceptance (Jones-Smith, 2012).