Compare and contrast the ways in which the psychodynamic and cognitivebehavioural approaches to counselling understand and make use of the counselling relationship. In the following discourse I am going to look at ways in which two approaches to counselling, namely psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural, work within a counsellor client relationship. I will be looking at the differences between the two approaches, looking at how the two models have been used in therapy in the past and how they contrast within the counselling relationship. The main similarities of the two approaches lies within the fact that both are used by the counsellor or therapist with the aim of treating the problems of the client, i.e stress, bereavement, addiction. However the theoretical differences are more apparent.
This essay will compare and contrast the three main core theories of counselling by considering the following: Concept of person, Origins of problems, Formulation of the problem, and Counselling techniques. Within Psychodynamic theory the ‘concept of person’ is that a person’s behaviour is determined by unconscious processes. Psychodynamic counselling has its origins in psychoanalytic theory, from which it has drawn basic assumptions about human growth and development. Freud’s view of human beings, based on his clinical observations, was negative and pessimistic in that he perceived them as being inherently selfish, impulsive, and irrational. His view of human behaviour was deterministic- that is, he saw behaviour as predetermined by biological instincts and drives along with previous life experiences.
For example, one psychologist may use descriptive psychopathology to which will strive to provide answers for symptoms or mental illness. Either way, psychopathology is formally used to study mental illness or the distresses which may be affecting an individual. The issues of the abnormal psychology will assist in the study by the way we would use it in the attempt to capture interest, trigger concerns, and demands our attention. It also brings us to form and ask certain questions pertaining to any study. Psychopathology is not the same as psychopathy, which has to do with antisocial
Abstract An ideal form of the therapeutic process for individual counseling is comprised of techniques and theories taken from the Psychodynamic Approach, Cognitive-Behavioral Approach, Person-Centered Approach and behavior modification techniques that are found in Operant Conditioning. These individual counseling techniques were chosen based on how effective and relevant to the client, they were deemed to be. Techniques taken from the psychodynamic approach is to allow the client to become conscious of all unconscious or subconscious concerns through the use of transference and working alliance. Techniques taken from the cognitive-behavioral approach is to help the client identify any irrational beliefs and thinking that is the cause of the client’s emotional disturbance. In the person centered approach, the therapy focuses on an important human characteristic - the client’s natural ability for growth and development, through the use of self actualization.
The psychodynamic perspective focuses on the unconscious mind and how it interacts and affects behaviour whereas the behavioural perspective looks at how the environment as observable stimuli affects behaviour. This essay will look at both perspectives, focusing on the assumptions they make and how they contrast. The psychodynamic perspective was developed by Sigmund Freud in the nineteenth century whilst he was working with patients who showed observable symptoms but lacked any corporal origins. Freud’s treatment of his patients through hypnosis and free association led him to believe that behaviour can be largely influenced by the unconscious mentality. Passer et al.
The patient believes that A causes C but the therapist’s job is to show them that B – their irrational thoughts cause C – their mental distress. Therefore, the therapy works by helping the client change their irrational belief system (B) to improve the emotional consequences (C). This is done by disputing the belief system and proving their thoughts to be irrational – for example logical disputing, where the client must ask themselves “does thinking this way make sense”. The client and therapist must have a strong relationship to encourage the client to be open with the therapist who must show unconditional positive regard – be encouraging and positive towards the client to ensure they start to believe in themselves. The effort of RET is that irrational thoughts are restructured to more positive rational ones and as a
Explain how mental ill health may be indicated through an individual’s emotions, thinking and behaviour. Unit CMH 302 Understand Mental Health Problems Outcome 2 Know the impact of mental ill health on individuals and others in their social network Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1. Explain how individuals experience discrimination due to misinformation, assumptions and stereotypes about mental ill health. 2. Explain how mental ill health may have
Compare and contrast the ways in which the psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural approaches to counselling and make use of the counselling relationship This essay will consider the psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural approaches to counselling and how each approach uses the counselling relationship. It will compare and contrast the ways that each method uses. It will first consider the theoretical understanding of the counselling relationship of the two approaches, it will then considering the way that this relationship is then used within counselling. The psychodynamic approach to counselling places most importance on using the relationship between the counsellor and the client to explore and consider the emotions and feelings that are creating a difficulty in the client’s present situation (McLeod, p.90). The psychodynamic approach evolved from psychoanalysis, founded by Sigmund Freud, who considered that people’s behaviours are influenced by their motives or dynamics.
Associate Level Material Appendix C Psychotherapy Matrix Directions: Review Module 36 of Psychology and Your Life. Select three approaches to summarize. Include examples of the types of psychological disorders appropriate for each therapy. |{Insert type of therapy approach} |{Insert type of therapy approach} |{Insert type of therapy approach} | |Summary of |Psychodynamic Approaches to Therapy-helps protect |Behavior Approaches To Therapy-are principles that help |Cognitive Approaches to Therapy-teach people how to think | |Approach |individual from unacceptable unconscious impulses. Such |back up people behavior, whether good or bad.
As a result there are a variety of theories of personality which try to describe the cause and effect of the human personality. This essay will briefly compare and contrast two of these theories which include the psychoanalytic and humanistic theories of personality. It is important to have an in-depth understanding of the various types of theories with respect to personality because such a discourse enables psychologists to discover more about social behaviours in daily life (Fiske et al, 2010; 365). Both theoretical viewpoints, while being substantially different from each other, do share some common comparisons as we shall examine below. Psychoanalytical theories of personality stress the individual’s unconscious motivations which can be identified through dreams, slips of the tongue and fantasies (McCrae & Costa, 2003; 21).