The Importance of Counseling Theory

Amy Fann

EDUC660

October 14, 2013

Introduction

The counseling relationship is one that will quickly become established with students,

especially those with more critical needs. Students look to counselors for advice, support,

and most of all trust. The counseling relationships that are established will be long term and

serve a great influence on a student’s future. As stated by (Patterson, 1988) “ thus, I often

begin my discussion of empathy by telling my students that I am attempting to teach them a

new way of getting involved: a way of postponing or delaying judgment- of trying to

understand the behavior of another in his or her own phenomenal world.” (page 195-202)

Once the relationships are established are even early in development Counselor’s will

use theories as a foundation to establish and begin to understand the students own

“phenomenal world”. We will continually use and build off these theories as we continue to

guide students and make those connections into their own world. As experience grows so

will the ability to associate the proper counseling theory according to student’s unique

situation for the most effective means for support. “As responses become more automatic,

listening improves, and the capacity for the higher order task of empathically understanding

the client is developed.” (Miller, 1989, page 350)

The strongest statement in this lesson (Shoben, 1962) “theories in counseling are

inevitable as necessary tools to being orderliness into the chaotic world of the counseling

interchange and to promote the counselor’s understanding of his clients” (Page 618) I do

think that counseling theories are valuable to new and experienced counselors and will

continue to serve as a strong foundation to help us guide students in a positive path. They

will also assist in understanding our ever changing culture and environment that are

students will be evolving from as well.

When theories are implemented and data is collected as a support to the theory then

the school counseling program is more credibly. The prepare the counseling program and

the counselor to be more effect the American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

developed the School Counselor’s Competencies. As stated in the school counselor’s

competencies, “School counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities, skills, and

attitudes necessary to plan, organize, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive,

developmental, results-based school counseling program that aligns with the ASCA National

Model.” (ASCA, 2008)

Table 1

Review of 15 Counseling Theories

Theory Founded By Decade Founded

Details

Existential Therapy Soren Kierkegaard

1840’s Individuals facing life transitions or developmental crisis may benefit from the use of existential therapies in both group and individual settings (Corey, 2011). For example, the theory may be applied to Individuals “making choices, dealing with freedom and responsibility, coping with guilt and anxiety, making sense of life, and finding values” (p. 468)

Psychoanalysis / Psychoanalytic Therapy

Sigmund Freud

1890’s A therapeutic method, originated bySigmund Freud, for treating mental disorders by investigating the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements in the patient's mind and bringing repressed fears and conflicts into the conscious mind, using techniques such as dream interpretation and free association (Oxford University Press, 2011).According to Corey, “Psychoanalytic therapy is a theory of personality development, a philosophy of human nature …that focuses on unconscious factors that motivate behavior (2009, p. 9).

Constructivist Theory John Dewey 1890’s Constructivist Theory – Constructivist theory may be considered “as much as aphilosophy as a counseling approach” (Rochlen, 252). The philosophy states,“Reality is not an objective entity, but a reflection of observation and experience(Gladding, 2005, p 212). Constructivism may be linked to multiple theories includingcognitive behavioral therapy and solution focused therapy. Linked to cognitivebehavioral therapy, constructivist theory emphasizes the development and corebeliefs of the individual (Corey, 2009).

Analytic Psychology Dr. Carl Gustav Jung

1910’s The psychoanalytical system developed and practiced by Dr. Carl Gustav Jung, the Swiss leader of the school of analytic psychology (also known as Jungian analysis). The theory is concerned with the analysis and origin of ideas. A theory of psychoanalysis (Oxford University Press, 2011).

Behavioral Theory Edward Thorndike

1910’s Behavioral Therapy: Behavior may be viewed as a product of learning. Behavioraltherapy considers that the individual is both the product of and producer of his or herenvironment (Corey, 2009). Behavioral therapy focuses on “overt behavior,precision in specifying goals of treatment, development of specific treatment plansand objective evaluation” of therapeutic outcomes” (p. 457).

Adlerian Psychology Alfred Adler 1920’s Psychologist Alfred Adler describes a pattern of reactions and behavior that is established in childhood and remains characteristic of an individual. A personal, often unconscious, dissent or attempted dissociation from one's self or circumstances due to feelings of inferiority. A theory of psychoanalysis (Oxford University Press, 2011). Corey defines Adlerian therapy as, “A growth model that stresses assuming responsibility, creating one’s own destiny, and finding meaning and goals to create a purposeful life (2009, p. 9). Contemporary theories include Adler’s views (Corey).

Gestalt Therapy Fredrick Perls

1940’s Gestalt Therapy is for individual and group counseling, it supports myriad client issues and diverse populations including but not limited to teaching and learning, children’s behavioral problems, and psychosomatic disorders.

Family Systems Theory Dr. Murray Bowen

1950’s Family Systems Theory – Family Systems therapy considers the impact of a family’semotional systems on the personality of an individual (Gladdings, 2005). Eight basicconcepts are employed: Triangles, Differentiation of Self, Nuclear Family EmotionalSystem, Family Projection Process, Multigenerational Transmission Process,Emotional Cutoff, Sibling Position, and Societal Emotional Process (2005).

Rational Emotive Therapy

Albert Ellis 1950’s Rational-Emotive Therapy: Founded by Albert Ellis, the goal of RET is to assistclients in the identification of rational and

appropriate emotion in response to achallenging situation or issue (Capuzzi & Gross, 2011; Rochlen, 2007). “RationalEmotive Behavior Therapy is one of the first cognitive behavior therapies … Thebasic assumption of REBT is that cognitions, emotions, and behaviors interactsignificantly and have a reciprocal cause-and-effect relationship” (Corey, 2009, p.275).

Client/Person Centered Therapy

Carl Rogers 1950’s Person centered therapy has “wide applicability to individual and group counseling” (2009, p. 468). The therapy is uniquely suited for crisis counseling. The approach is helpful for “teaching, parent-child relations, and working with groups of people from diverse cultural backgrounds”(p. 468).

Cognitive Therapy Dr. Aaron T. Beck

1960’s Cognitive Therapy: As cognitions generally determine how individuals feel and act.Individuals may integrate faulty thinking which may lead to emotional or behavioraldisturbance (Corey, 2009). Cognitive therapy is “oriented toward cognition andbehavior, and it stresses the role of thinking, deciding, questioning, doing, and redeciding” (p. 455). The theory combines both behavioral and cognitive principals(Corey).

Feminist No single individual

1960’s Feminist Counseling Theory – The goal of Feminist therapy is for the client tobecome aware of her or his gender-role socialization and the accompanyinginternalized messages, replacing inhibiting messages with functional messages(Gladding, 2005). Corey posits, “A central concept in feminist therapy is theimportance of understanding and acknowledging the psychology oppression ofwomen and the constraints imposed by the socio political status to which womenhave been relegated” (2009, p. 341).

Reality Theory William Glasser

1960’s Reality Theory – The focus of reality therapy is the present. Clients deal with the

“here and now” and take responsibility for actions and behavior. The counselor/clientrelationship is active, direct, and practical (Gladding, 2005). Reality theory considershuman learning to be a life-long process (2005). Reality therapy “provides a deliverysystem for helping individuals take more effective control of their lives” (Corey, 2009,p. 317).COUNSELING THEORY. August –December 2013 Page 6 of 15

Choice Theory William Glasser

1980’s Choice Theory – Choice theory is a “tenant” of reality therapy. It is a “newpsychology of personal freedom (Gladding, 2005). Choice theory posits thatindividuals are born with five primary needs: survival, love and belonging, power orachievement, freedom and independence, and fun (Corey, 2009). Choice theoryexamines how and why individuals function (2009).

Choice Theory

After completing the above chart of the theories and placing them in chronological

order I find it interesting that the theory I find myself reflecting back to is choice theory which

was developed in the 1980’s. Dr. William Glasser developed choice theory after his

development of reality theory and they both seem to go hand and hand to me. I am drawn to

choice theory because I am a strong believer in you are responsible for your choices and

actions.

The Ten Axioms of Choice Theory

1. The only person whose behavior we can control is our own.

2. All we can give another person is information.

3. All long-lasting psychological problems are relationship problems.

4. The problem relationship is always part of our present life.

5. What happened in the past has everything to do with what we are today, but we can

only satisfy our basic needs right now and plan to continue satisfying them in the future.

6. We can only satisfy our needs by satisfying the pictures in our Quality World.

7. All we do is behave.

8. All behavior is Total Behavior and is made up of four components: acting, thinking,

feeling and physiology

9. All Total Behavior is chosen, but we only have direct control over the acting and thinking

components. We can only control our feeling and physiology indirectly through how we

choose to act and think.

10. All Total Behavior is designated by verbs and named by the part that is the most

recognizable.

Choice theory is based on we are internally, not externally motivated. Outside events

may cause us to behave in certain predictable ways; they never actually “make” us do

something. The Choice theory website states: “What drives our behavior are internally

developed notions of what is most important and satisfying to us.” (choicetheory.com).

Furthermore, we always have a choice about how we behave.

Limitations of Choice Theory

The limitation of choice theory is when the client may have mental or psychological

problems that limit the amount of decision making they can be responsible for. As in all

theories there are limitations, but this one seems to correlate directly with a school counselor

setting as well. Not only would you have to take into consideration students that mentally are

not capable of making the right choices, but also the students that have not been in a home

environment to rationally recognize wrong from right in all cases. While we are humans have a

basic concept of doing the right thing, more and more in today’s society children are not raised

in households that exhibit these behaviors and therefore it is not necessarily instilled in them.

As a school counselor the relationship you establish in these cases become even more

significant because you not only guide the student to recognize they are responsible for their

actions, but also teaching them they have the option to do the right thing in the future.

Label and stereotypes is also another obstacle to overcome in choice theory. While the

student may be aware of the choices they are making and that they are not the right choices

they may also be affected be affected by stereotypical labeling and think I have always been the

troublemaker so I must continue to be the troublemaker. The development of relationships

with these students is extremely important to be able to show them how they do have control

of their choices and there are options available to them to improve and change in the future.

Conclusion

While all the theories presented seem to provide relevance in some cases it comes

increasingly important for the counselor to establish a foundation of knowledge that will align

with experience over time and help them present the proper theory depending on the situation

at hand. At this point in my studies, I tend to lean toward client responsibility and ownership. I

currently work in public schools and feel that it is not only our responsibility to help these

students deal with their issues currently, but we must prepare them for the future when they

are out of school and don’t have a counselor to talk to or come to for advice and answers. I feel

that the theories that teach students to become responsible for their actions and teach them to

make better decisions will benefit them and prepare them for a more successful future. I also

see a large significance in the theories that involve student/clients in the process of goal setting

and future behavior. Once again allowing them to learn and become involved will only make

them stronger for the future.

References

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