CNPS 365 FINAL

Gestalt Therapy

Founder: Fritz Perls (1893-1970) German-born, immigrated to USA.

Family Systems Therapy

Communication (strategic) family therapy

deficiency model of motivation

Experiencing motivation when in deficit (e.g. pain, lacking basic needs). Organism strives to return to state of comfort

self actualization model of motivation

Motivated by realizing one's full potential. The client strives to fulfill their potential

nomothetic

Emphasis on developing general/universal laws of behaviour.

idiographic

emphasis on one's own private mark or uniqueness

Tension reduction model

the individual is motivated to reduce tension (deficiency) and feel more comfortable (pleasure)

tension production model

focuses on self-actualization. an individual may choose to experience tension to meet higher needs (e.g. curiosity, personal fulfillment)

Holism / holistic view

Views the individual as a whole, focusing on all parts/aspects of the self. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Atomistic view

View of the individual breaks them down into sub-parts

bracketing

the counsellor "holds back" their own values to avoid contaminating the therapeutic process. Opposite of value imposition

Mandatory ethics

Minimum standards of practice, often legally obligated

Aspirational ethics

striving towards doing what is best for the client, beyond what is obligated

CPA's ethics principles

- Respect for the dignity of persons and peoples: treating all individuals with inherent respect for their rights, autonomy, and dignity - Responsible caring: duty to provide competent and effective care that promotes the well-being of individuals, while minimizing harm - Integrity in relationships: importance of honesty, transparency, and fairness in all professional relationships - Responsibility to society: uphold the ethical duty to your client and society, advocate for social justice, uphold principles of fairness and equality

CCPA's ethics principles

- Beneficence, fidelity, nonmaleficence, autonomy, justice, societal interest

3 dimensions of standards in multicultural counselling

- Beliefs and attitudes (recognition of bias, strive for cultural awareness and respect) - Knowledge (of clients' worldview and cultural background) - Methods (consistent w lives and values of the client)

Swanson's 4 guidelines for assessing ethical actions of counsellors

1. Personal, professional and honest (no hidden agendas/resentment) 2. Client's best interest (avoid value imposition) 3. Without malice or personal gain 4. Must justify actions as the best option

difference between the CPA and CCPA ethical principles

- CPA (2017) prioritizes the weight that should be given their four principles, which can help practitioners' ethical decision-making process in cases when two ethical principles appear to be in conflict - CCPA (2020) does not conceptualize their six ethical principles as inherently hierarchical, but proposes that different weights could be given to different principles depending on the specific situation

CCPA's principles in more detail

- beneficence: being proactive in promoting the clients' best interests - Fidelity: honouring commitments to clients and maintaining integrity in counselling relationships. - Non-maleficence: not wilfully harming clients and refraining from actions that risk harm. - Autonomy: respecting the rights of clients to self-determination. - Justice: respecting the dignity and just treatment of all persons. - Societal interest: respecting the need to be responsible to society.

Psychotherapy

a process of engagement between two people, both of whom are bound to change through the therapeutic venture

characteristics of an effective counsellor

- established identity - self-respect - openness to change - authentic, sincere, honest - good interpersonal skills - passion

3 ways personal therapy contributes to the therapist's professional work

1. offers a model of therapeutic practice in which the trainee observes a more experienced therapist at work and learns experientially what is helpful or not helpful 2. can further enhance a therapist's interpersonal skills, which are essential to skillfully practicing therapy 3.

Value imposition

Counsellors directly attempting to define a client's values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour.

Beliefs and attitudes

Examine and understand the world from the vantage point of the client, accept diversity.

Knowledge

Understand the dynamics of oppression, racism, discrimination, and stereotyping.

Skills

Use methods and strategies and define goals consistent with the life experiences and cultural values of their clients.

Ethical Considerations in Counselling Practice

The most productive form of self-disclosure.

Mandatory ethics

A level of ethical functioning at the minimum level of professional practice.

Aspirational ethics

Focuses on doing what is in the best interests of clients - highest standards of thinking and conduct.

Concern-based ethics

An ideal set of ethics over fear-based ethics.

Positive ethics

An approach taken by practitioners who want to do their best for clients rather than simply meet minimum ethical and legal standards to stay out of trouble.

Self-monitoring

A better route for professionals to take than being policed by an outside agency.

Client's right to informed consent

Involves the right of clients to be informed about their therapy and to make autonomous decisions pertaining to it.

Confidentiality

It is the legal duty of therapists not to disclose information about a client.

Privileged communication

A legal concept that protects clients from having their confidential communications revealed in court without their permission.

Exceptions to confidentiality and privileged communication

Cases involving child abuse, abuse of the elderly, abuse of dependent adults, and danger to self or others.

The purpose of diagnosis in counselling

To identify disruptions in a client's present behavior and lifestyle, followed by collaboratively establishing the goals of the therapy process, and then a treatment plan tailored to the unique needs of the client.

Issues with the concept of diagnosis

Based on the medical model, it is a label with no capacity to describe the totality of a human being.

Evidence-based practice (EBP)

The use of specific interventions for particular problems or diagnoses based on empirically supported treatments.

Inclusive evidence-based practices

Incorporate the three pillars of EBP: looking for the best available research, relying on clinical expertise, and taking into consideration the client's characteristics, culture and preferences.

Dual/multiple relationships

Occur when counsellors assume two (or more) roles simultaneously or sequentially with a client.

Boundary crossing

A departure from a commonly accepted practice that could potentially benefit a client.

Boundary violation

A serious breach that harms the client and is therefore unethical.

Basic theory assumption

Human beings determined by psychic energy and by early experiences.

Unconscious motives and conflicts

Central in present behavior.

Early development

Of critical importance because later personality problems have their roots in repressed childhood conflicts.

Personality structure - topographic model

Includes unconscious, preconscious, and conscious aspects.

Unconscious

Instincts, fears, selfish motives; believed to be the largest & most significant part.

Preconscious

Thoughts & memories not currently in conscious awareness but can easily be brought back (e.g., thinking about what you ate for breakfast).

Conscious

Thoughts, perceptions, and feelings we're aware of.

Id

Impulsive, selfish, primitive part of personality.

Ego

Realistic mediator of personality.

Superego

Moral & ethical component that internalizes societal rules & norms.

Eros

The life instinct or libido; drives behaviors related to survival, reproduction, and pleasure.

Thanatos

The death instinct or aggression; drive toward aggression and self-destruction.

Oral stage

Occurs during the first 1.5 years of life; main conflict is weaning.

Anal stage

1.5-3 years old; main conflict is toilet training and self-control.

Phallic stage

3-5 years old; main conflict is the child's relationship with parent and morals/ideals.

Latency stage

6-puberty; believed to be a period of psychological rest.

Genital stage

Begins at puberty and lasts throughout lifetime; can only be reached if earlier conflicts are resolved.

Free association

Individuals express their thoughts and feelings without censorship, allowing unconscious material to surface.

Analysis of resistance

The patient's unconscious defense mechanisms that prevent repressed memories or feelings from coming to consciousness.

Analysis of transference

Allows the client to re-enact early patterns of relating and thus bring them into awareness.

Interpretation

The process of identifying possible links among the client's thoughts, feelings, and patterns of psychological functioning.

Countertransference

The therapist's emotional reactions to the patient, often rooted in the therapist's own unconscious processes.

Oedipus complex

Occurs in the phallic stage (ages 3-6), where a boy develops unconscious desires for his mother and rivalry toward his father.

Realistic anxiety

A reaction to external danger, proportionate to the degree of threat.

Moral anxiety

Arises from conflicts with the superego, often involving guilt or fear of doing something morally wrong.

Neurotic anxiety

Fear that id (instincts) will seize power, causing behaviour that will get the individual punished.

Projection

Attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts/feelings onto others.

Reaction formation

Adopting behaviours/attitudes the opposite of one actually feels, to counteract anxiety or guilt.

Regression

Reverting to earlier stages of development.

Repression

Blocking disturbing thoughts or memories from conscious awareness.

Denial

Refusing to acknowledge an external reality or unpleasant emotion.

Displacement

Redirecting emotions from the original source of distress to a safer target.

Sublimation

Channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities.

Rationalization

Creating logical explanations.

Intellectualization

Using excessive reasoning or logic to distance oneself from emotional experiences.

Deterministic

Nothing happens by chance.

Constant dynamic interplay

Conscious vs unconscious, instinctual gratification vs moral prohibitions, life vs death forces.

Bases for psychopathy

Difficulties at various stages of psychosexual development, inappropriate use of libido, absence of adaptive coping strategies, insufficient ego strength, presence of repressed needs, wishes, and conflicts in the unconscious, unrealistic methods of controlling the anxiety.

Bases for healthy personality

Resolution of transference.

Heredity

Lays down basic framework - life and death instincts (libido vs aggression).

Environment

Interacts with heredity, resulting in either normal or abnormal personality development.

Constitutional factors

Innate factors governing changes in mental energy.

Predisposing factors

Developmental factors governing changes in mental energy.

Precipitating/exciting factors

Immediate factors governing changes in mental energy.

Primary process thinking

Conceptual organization of memories.

Secondary process thinking

Memory of satisfying experiences, basis for wishes.

Eros and Thanatos

Motives and life and death instincts.

Time orientation

Focus on the past; treatment of neurotic disorders is historically based.

Holistic vs atomistic

Holistic - psyche as a dynamic energy system where all parts affect each other.

External vs internal determinants

Both are considered; internal determinants are life and death instincts and unconscious conflicts.

Nomothetic vs idiographic

Mostly idiographic due to Freud's heavy focus on the case study.

Longitudinal vs cross-sectional

Both, with emphasis on longitudinal (long-term effects of early experience, developmental aspects of personality).

Tension production vs reduction

Initially tension reduction, but including aspects of tension production as time went on due to the aspect of catharsis in therapy.

Second order change

Significant increase in self-awareness and an understanding of the deeper motivations and purposes behind overt behaviour.

Ego defense mechanism

Perceive people/situations in extreme black and white terms, categorizing them as either entirely good or entirely bad (e.g. loving vs cruel).

Introjection

Uncritical acceptance or 'swallowing' of the beliefs/values/standards of others, but not internalizing/assimilating them into one's own personality.

Personal unconscious

In Jungian analysis, it refers to the individual's mental content that has been repressed and cannot be easily recalled; it comprises personal associations, complexes, and the unconscious functions and attitudes.