Psychotherapy theoretical orientations This paper will address my personal inclinations regarding therapy. Discussion about the merits of cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, integrative, feminist, and social justice therapy will take place. Theoretical summaries, the strengths, and the weaknesses of these orientations will be discussed. In addition, approaches that I do not resonate with will also be addressed. In all, the paper will discuss my current gravitation toward a technical eclectic therapeutic orientation. Aligned Theoretical Orientations Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one orientation that appealed to me. According to Wenzel (2017), cognitive-behavioral therapy is a problem-solving approach to therapy that mainly …show more content…
This therapy, according to Connors (2017), is a theoretical orientation emphasizing a client’s recurring patterns. These patterns can involve affect, relationships or problematic beliefs. I believe that many people adopt recurring themes that may prove problematic. Addressing these themes in therapy can be valuable. Similarly, I resonate with the ideas surrounding feminist and social justice therapy. According to Connors (2017), feminist therapy emphasizes the influences of society upon the individual. Empowerment, an egalitarian therapeutic relationship, and identity are cited as important components of this orientation. An appeal of feminist therapy is its versatility. It can be utilized to examine many people’s roles in society and how it may affect their psychological …show more content…
For instance, I personally did not find psychodynamic therapy as an orientation appealing. According to Connors (2017), psychodynamic therapy aims to facilitate the expression of repressed material and bring the unconscious into awareness. Insight is stated to be an important mechanism of change in psychodynamic therapy (Connors, 2017). I believe that fostering insight is valuable. It can help a client gain more perspective on their lives. However, I do not think that psychodynamic therapy’s stringent focus on insight is sufficient. I believe that additional steps, such as behavioral modification, are needed to facilitate change. Psychodynamic therapy also has a focus on exploring unresolved conflicts in a client’s childhood (Connors, 2017). Providing context to a person’s patterns of behavior or cognitions can be useful. However, I think that focusing excessively on the past can instead be detrimental to therapeutic work. I personally believe that focusing on the present is typically more useful than the
Psychodynamic approaches often come under a lot of criticism as they fail to be explicit about the underlying bases of the theory. Cognitive theories are not very comfortable with explaining emotions and behavioural theories have difficulty explaining the mechanisms of improvements.
Our text book, Systems of Psychotherapy, describes psychotherapy as “…the informed and intentional application of clinical methods and interpersonal stances derived from established psychological principles for the purpose of assisting people to modify their behaviors, cognitions, emotions, and/or other personal characteristics in directions that the participants deem desirable.”
The psychotherapies that I most support are a hybrid of two therapies, Carl Rogers’ nondirective Person/Client-Centered Approach and Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Approach. To put it simply, I call it the Person-Centered Cognitive Approach to psychotherapy. A collaboration of these two approaches is what I feel to be the most effective way to help clients achieve homeostasis and growth. I believe the client/therapist relationship is important, and this is why I support the Roger’s Person-Centered therapy and feel it is effective. If the client/therapist relationship is agreeable the atmosphere of the therapeutic relationship will allow for the client to open up, trust the therapist, and allow them to aid the client to move in a constructive direction (Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy). Beck’s Cognitive Therapy also puts great emphasis on a collaborative therapeutic relation, but the reason I support this approach opposed to behavioral approaches is because it says we are what we think (Corsini & Wedding, 2008), and in order for us to be able to change we have to become aware and evaluate our thoughts (Rosner, 2012).
In several ways, solution-focused therapy reminded me of behaviorism. This is especially true from the aspect of not examining the past. Norcross and Prochaska state in Systems of Psychotherapy: A Transtheoretical Analysis (8th ed), “We can never know the “reality” of personality and psychopathology. There are respected empiricists, such as many behavior therapists, who reject the entire domain of personality and psychopathology. After a century of searching, personality theories have accounted for relatively little human behavior” (2014, p. 408). In my opinion this is too dichotomous of a view, however, in many instances the client already knows how they got where they are or they no longer care about the journey, they are simply looking to find solutions in order to have a better quality of life. In such a case, solution-focused therapy can benefit the client.
Roth, A., Fonagy, P. (2005). What works for Whom? A Critical Review of Psychotherapy Research. US: Guilford Press.
From a psychoanalytic perspective, the goal of counseling is to bring unconscious information to the conscious and strengthen the ego by bringing forth the clients energy to conscious processes (Murdock, 2013). Rasmussen & Salhani (2010) states the following regarding the goal of psychoanalytic theory which further supports Murdock’s statement, “we turn to psychoanalytic theory to understand not only the individual’s conscious, rational thinking, but also the unconscious dynamics and motivation” (Rasmussen & Salhani, 2010).
Feminist therapy dates back to the 1960’s, and is derived from the realities that lie outside, beneath, and at variance from the visions of the dominant patriarchal mainstream (Brown, n.d). Feminist therapy incorporates a worldview that no one should be constrained to stereotypical roles on the basis of their gender. As well as creating a setting where clients can work towards their own empowerment, as well as learn how to relate to others in ways that are responsible, healthy, and caring (Corey, 2013).
Psychodynamic therapy, focuses on unconscious mind and how past experiences, inner thoughts, fears, and emotions The main goal of psychodynamic therapy is for clients to be self-aware of the past and how it effects who they are in the present. This type of therapy focuses on the underlying problems and emotions that influenced the client’s behavior. (Psych Central, 2016)
My theoretical orientation can best be described as a mixture of Person-centered therapy and feminist therapy. Where person-centered therapy is all about being aware of oneself and feminist therapy encourages personal empowerment. Those two together create a great theme of evolving to become something greater in life. I believe that human behavior is a result of feeling like you, have a sense of belonging in the world. Similar to what Maslow’s hierarchy, people need to feel a sense of love in order to be happy and confident in one’s self. Once they are content with themselves as result, they will project that same love towards others. When considering my approach, I want clients to be authentic and confident in who they are. The individual
Fonagy, P. (1999). Relation of theory and practice in psychodynamic therapy. Journal Of Clinical Child Psychology, 28(4), 513--520.
The case would be approached with the notion that a persons' way of thinking affects their feelings and actions regarding any particular situation. Approaching the case from this perspective forms the basis for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The CBT approach allows the individual to develop a positive response to life challenges even though the situation may tend to remain similar. CBT focuses on learning, unlike other psychotherapeutic approaches which rely in abundance on analyzing and exploring individual's relationship with their immediate environment. The therapist’s role in CBT is to guide the patient through a learning process on how to develop and implement new methods of thinking and behaving throughout
Therapy is as unique and diverse as the people who seek it. There are many types of therapy that are used to treat different kinds of problems. There is no perfect or absolute form of therapy, because therapy varies for each person. One of the branches of therapy is humanistic therapy. This therapy is considered an insight therapy, along with psychoanalytic therapies. However, there are differences between humanistic and psychoanalytic therapy. Humanistic therapy focuses on self-development, personal growth and responsibilities. This type of therapy guides the client to find their own answers. The therapy focuses on emotional awareness: how the person feels versus why that person feels that way (Oltmanns & Emery, 2012).
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy developed from Behaviorism Theory—a theory that individuals are programmed to respond to stimuli in particular patterns which are both adjustable and often predictable (Maguire 2008). Cognitive Behavioral Theory and Behaviorism Theory, and how it relates to understanding and treating underlying problems, is the logic that a client’s intelligence is an evolutionary, biological adaptation to their environment and that reaction to stimulation shapes behavioral learning (Overview of Theories of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 2008). This means, by utilizing CBT and its underlying theory, clients can successfully learn adaptive behaviors (positive thoughts and better behavioral choices) in reaction to previously problem-inducing environments or
mental problems. Psychodynamic is a form of therapy. This type of treatment is used to
Behavioral Therapy is considered a major landscape of psychotherapy consisting of a wide variety of therapeutic techniques that impact the change in a person’s problem behavior. Behavior has four defining themes in behavior therapy; scientific, action-oriented, present-focused, and