Questions
Answers should be at least 100-175 words and reflect critical thought. Whenever possible, please try to relate the course content to real-world applications from your work experience. Be sure to cite all sources as well.
1. How do your own personality traits affect your choice for a therapeutic approach?
2. Which therapeutic approaches might you combine in your counseling practice? Why?
3. As a counselor you should be able to be yourself without imposing your views or values on a client. Also, if a client feels as though their therapist is fake they will either be fake or not continue therapy. As humans we all have a way of sensing when someone is being genuine with us and when they're not.
Being genuine is an important part of person-centered therapy and in my opinion all therapies. As a therapist/counselor you have to be genuine with your clients in order to build or increase rapport. Consider the following: what would happen in therapy if there is no rapport between the client and the therapist/counselor?
4. You indicated that you will pick a theory that is fair to everyone. Do you feel that some theories are not fair to everyone? In my studies I have come to find that some theories may not be applicable to everyone or situation. However, I was able to find a theory that I felt most closely matched my views on human behavior. For example when I pursuing my doctoral degree I was researching reviews on new theories for treating trauma. One particular theory I found would not be applicable to African-American culture based on one of the main ideas of the theory.
I reached out to the founder of the theory at the University of Cincinatti and informed me that he was aware of the issue and offered me a chance to do some research with him and his team to improve the theory to make it applicable to all cultures. Consider the following: what will you do if you find a problem with a study or a theory?
5. According to the text, a trait approach to personality has many implications for psychotherapy. Given that traits contribute to the expression of symptoms of common psychiatric disorders, are moderately heritable, and relatively stable (yet also dynamic to some extent), long-term change in symptoms is possible but is likely to be limited. Analogous to the manner in which genes set the reaction range for phenotype, standing on certain traits may set the patient's "therapeutic range."
On the other hand, some of the same traits that may limit the depth of therapeutic benefits might also increase their breadth. In addition, taking the patient's standing on different traits into account can inform the choice of therapeutic strategy and targets and can affect the formation of the therapeutic alliance and compliance with self-help exercises. Finally, other aspects of personality beyond traits, such as ego development and narrative identity, also appear to have important implications for psychotherapy. Fellow classmates, what are your thoughts?
6. I do feel that some theories do not take into consideration all the facts concerning a client's background, potential issues, phobias, or beliefs. That is why I believe that it is best to be knowledgeable in multiple approaches that will fit within your scope of alignment.
As far as what I would do if I found a problem with a study or theory, first let me say, I like that you had the tenacity to reach out to the founder of the theory! I would probably try to find ways to improve the issue, fix the issue if possible, and if that didn't work, maybe I would reach out to the founder if that was a possibility, more than likely I would call on my friends in the field to get their thoughts and opinions on how best to address the issue, and maybe start a professional focus group on how to improve the theory because if I have an issue it is quite likely that others will as well. Your thoughts?
7. I believe that our personality traits will greatly affect our choices regarding a therapeutic approach. I believe that we tend migrate toward an approach that "feels right" because it is in line with our personality traits. I believe in universal fairness, so I have no doubt that I will migrate toward an approach that is fair for all clients. Others in the class may have different traits that will lead them toward other approaches that are in line with their own personalities.
One of our reserved readings for this week discusses a study where they could predict what therapeutic approach students would choose based on their personalities, and the results were not shocking. Yes, we want to learn and grow into the best counselors that we can be, but if we go completely against who we are into an area that we do not fully believe, or are not completely comfortable, who would benefit? Your thoughts?
8. I was wondering how did the feminist theory apply to straight European men? I know historically the euro male gets most of the criticism for the necessity for feminism but discrimination comes in many forms.
Even though ironically Alfred Adler and his masculine protest was the genesis of the feminist movement. If you pay attention to the current Alt Right movement, they believe the new discrimination and genocide is aimed at the straight euro male.
I am pretty sure this opinion has been raised against the feminist therapy/theory and I wonder what the push back could have been. Isn't there enough theories out there to get one that applies to nearly everyone? And if we, as new counselors are not proficient in the right one for the client we should pass them on to another professional.
9. What did you learn from this course that you think will help you in your counseling career?