Analyzing Counseling Theories

By: honeybooboo • July 19, 2018 • Research Paper • 1,523 Words (7 Pages) • 1,063 Views

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No Name

Walden University

Analyzing Counseling Theories- Instructions

	Theory 1: Feminist Theory	Theory 2: Transpersonal Theory
Background Theory: Who? When?	Evolved in the 1960’s and into 1970’s Betty Freidan most early vocalist Notable for changes in understanding human development are Carol Gilligan, Jean Baker Miller, Ellyn Kaschak and Sandra Bem	Introduced in late 1960’s Developed by psychologists such as Abraham Maslow and Victor Frankl Early work roots from William James and Carl Jung
Human Nature For example: Positive view of human beings; all behavior is learned; People have freedom to choose etc.	Traditional theories of human nature & development are not totally applicable Important to understand that men & women socialize differently Gender-roles take place across a life span and are multifaceted Men & Women should not be limited or will have lifelong consequences	Consciousness is always evolving Healthy development is labeled as changes are made from inner to outer self As client’s progress to next stage previous stage is resolved Personal functioning (PF) occurs when one is fully competent & has healthy ego PF is controlled by ego and higher than pre-personal Transpersonal functioning is most ideal
Major Constructs: As listed in your chapters and essentially what the theory will focus on for effective change. For example, a PC Counselor will attend to empathy and congruence etc.	Focus is on individual and social change Response in a client is not dysfunctional but response of coping Environmental factors affect pathology therefore need to be changed or change to take place in the client Counselors help clients change psychologically and internally but also encourage participation in political groups for social change Counselors are committed to founding of egalitarian relationships Clients are viewed as equal partners Counselors respect voice of women and ways of knowing Counselors help clients test androcentric norms The voice of women and their experiences are diverse and shaped by other identities Counselors see all types of oppression	Everyone is ultimately and fundamentally a part of the whole Counseling seeks integration of spiritual and psychological development Maintains different philosophical viewpoint; consists of 4 paradigms Reductionistic Humanistic Dualistic Monastic Considers expanded views on human nature to include behaviorism, humanism, Jungian analysis and psychoanalysis Viewed as eclectic and encompassing due to incorporated viewpoints
Applications: Which Population is this theory used with? Age groups and specific issues depression, PTSD, anxiety, developmental issues, substance abuse etc. This information can be found in the overview section	Geared towards female population Evolved from women with gender-based issues Sexual assault Sexual harassment Domestic Violence Eating disorders Confronts sexism Works with individuals, families and couples Works with other identity issues such as race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, ability & generational status Counseling is highly personal Effective with mental disorders diagnosed among women	Resolves interpersonal conflict Fosters higher human development The client finds true healthiness when everyday functioning levels have occurred Dimensions include content, process & context Anxiety Depression Addictions Phobias Behavioral issues Works
Evaluations: What does the research indicate?	Studies do show encouraging results Validity of effectiveness however still presents challenges Comparisons show distinct modality Narrative approach helpful to treat anorexia Further research needed to see effectiveness in traditional empirical methods as well as qualitative techniques Not as identified as other traditional theories and adequate training is difficult to obtain	Studies that examined techniques of the theory are aged and sparse All 3 approaches to the theory shared firm groundings as compared to other theories Transpersonal theories were more accepting of other theories More accepting of client’s spiritual issues Current research focuses more on transpersonal counseling rather than concepts

Part II: Reflections: Target Population

Active duty service men and women often experience circumstances and situations unlike other individuals around them; these individuals are often on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Soldiers can be deployed on average of twelve months at a time, they participate in strenuous field activities and exercises, they generally spend two to three years at one base before moving to the next and they will average anywhere from two to six years on active duty status. To be a soldier in the U.S. Army means being a part of the strongest fighting forces in the world and it often leads to inability to maintain a lot of the typical relationships and such that would take place in a civilian world. Because of these circumstances and so much more it is easy for things such as substance abuse and alcoholism to be a big problem. For this assignment I consider the following person:

Age: 35-year-old

Gender: Male

Specific Issue: Alcohol addiction

Theory Choice

The ability for an individual to move back and forth throughout different stages of consciousness, and learn to exist forever in one specific state, transpersonal theory uses influences that are positive rather than those that are negative within the human psyche to model understanding of human development (Carrier & Mitchell, 2016). Transpersonal theory studies human growth and development and it will encourage a person to see their innermost capabilities; for a person that is healthy, the stages of development can produce the highest of human qualities. For a person who lacks healthy ego development, such as an alcoholic, their experiences can lead to psychosis so transpersonal theory can help to differentiate between the conditions (Carrier & Mitchell, 2016). Alcoholism does not contain gray areas, a person is either an alcoholic or not; behavioral issues, personality conflicts and family issues can all be underlying symptoms (samhsa.gov). Generally consumed so an individual can try to forget about a terrifying event or disguise triggers of trauma, they often binge drink which can cause rewiring of the brain. It will then build the tolerance an individual has and over time increase dependency; research also shows causes of alcoholism are biological, physiological and hereditary (samhsa.gov). Other than offering a unique perspective on human development, transpersonal theory emphasizes spiritual aspects of human functioning (Carrier & Mitchell, 2016). Because it incorporates defining processes such as biological, physiological and even social aspects of human functioning, transpersonal theory can be used as a framework for treating alcoholism.

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