_Person Centered + Psychoanalytic (1)

Introduction to Therapy Theories

• Person Centered + Psychoanalytic

  • Course Code: PY 250

Key Concept

• Theories Overview

  • The theories discussed will be fundamentally different from each other.

Person Centered Therapy (PCT)

Carl Rogers

• Pioneer of Person-Centered Approach

  • Believes the client is the expert in their own experience.

• Rogers' Quote (1961)

  • Emphasizes that the client knows their pain and direction.

Focus of Rogers' Work

• Therapist Role

  • Rogers was primarily a therapist focused on facilitating client growth towards positive change, rather than solely developing a theoretical framework.

Authentic Development

• Importance of Authentic Growth

  • Children should grow in an authentic manner, free from judgment and societal pressures.

  • Conflict arises when societal norms hinder personal development, leading to disconnection and self-doubt.

Rogers' Theory in Development

Key Insights

• Infants as Learners

  • Babies absorb experiences and categorize their world through organismic sensing.

• Parental Impact

  • Development can be disrupted when parental needs overshadow the child's growth.

Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR)

• Definition

  • Full acceptance of someone regardless of agreement; crucial for personal growth.

• Necessity of UPR

  • It validates the individual's inner world and fosters healthy development.

Conditional Acceptance

• Impact of Conditional Acceptance

  • Acceptance based on approval leads to incongruence, anxiety, and rigid beliefs.

  • It can cause self-doubt and emotional instability.

Goals of Person-Centered Therapy

• Client-Determined Goals

  • Therapy goals are set by the client.

  • The therapist's role is to provide UPR and create a safe environment.

Mechanisms of Person-Centered Therapy

Key Components

1. Psychological Contact

   • A strong therapeutic relationship is essential.

2. Incongruence

   • Clients experience distress due to a disconnect between self-perception and external perception.

3. Congruence and Genuineness

   • Therapists must respond authentically to clients to facilitate genuine self-experience.

4. UPR and Empathy

   • Validating the client's worth contributes to effective therapy.

Introduction to Psychoanalytic Theory

Historical Context

• Foundational Role

  • Psychoanalytic theory is considered the precursor to all other therapeutic approaches.

• Beyond Freud

  • Although Freud's theories dominate, there are additional concepts including Ego Psychology and Object Relations.

Core Elements of Psychoanalysis

Fundamental Concepts

• Emphasis on Drives

  • Focus on the dynamics influencing relationships and awareness (unconscious and conscious).

• Types of Drives

  1. Eros - Sexual drives and energy.

  2. Thanatos - Aggression and death instincts.

Consciousness Levels

• Three Levels of Awareness

  1. Conscious - Presently aware sensations and thoughts.

  2. Preconscious - Content that can be recalled with effort.

  3. Unconscious - Content outside of awareness, often influencing behavior indirectly.

Freud's Drive Theory

• Unconscious Influences

  • Important thoughts and feelings reside in the unconscious and often surface through symbolic expression like dreams or slips of the tongue.

Structural Model of Personality

Id, Ego, Superego

1. Id

   • Operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification.

   • Exhibits cathexis by channeling mental energy towards desires.

2. Ego

   • Mediates between the Id and reality; operates on the reality principle.

   • Engages in secondary processes to meet needs pragmatically.

3. Superego

   • Represents internalized societal values; acts as a moral compass and seeks unattainable perfection.

Defense Mechanisms

• Purpose

  • To alleviate anxiety stemming from the conflicts between Id, Ego, and Superego.

• Types include:

  • Repression, Denial, Projection, Displacement, Rationalization, Sublimation, etc.

Psychosexual Stages of Development

Stage Overview

1. Oral Stage (Birth - 1 year)

   • Focus: Mouth

   • Conflict: Dependence vs. independence.

2. Anal Stage (1-3 years)

   • Focus: Bowel/bladder control.

   • Conflict: Toilet training; outcomes can lead to traits like orderliness or messiness if unresolved.

3. Latency Stage (6-12 years)

   • Focus: Social skills development; less emphasis on psychosexual conflicts.

4. Genital Stage (12+ years)

   • Focus: Mature sexual relationships and identity.

Freud Fun Facts

1. Freud's cigar addiction: Smoked 20 cigars daily despite health issues.

2. His superstition about the number 62: Avoided hotels with this number.

3. Analyzed his own dreams: Developed psychoanalysis using personal dreams.

4. Considered cocaine a "miracle drug" at one point.

5. Had a tumultuous friendship with Carl Jung.

6. Owned a pet dog, Jofi, who attended therapy sessions.

7. His psychoanalytic couch was a gift from a patient.

8. Nominated for the Nobel Prize multiple times but never won.

9. Had a close relationship with his daughter, Anna Freud.

10. Fled Austria due to Nazi threats and censorship.