Extra Credit

Viktor Frankl

(1905 – 1997)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Viktor Frankl was born into a Jewish family. He studied medicine in college and grew very fond of Psychology. As he got older he trained as an analyst prior to World War II.  As the war progressed Frankl was transported along with his family to a concentration camp where he was an inmate through World War II. While a prisoner Frankl saw something within man that truly inspired him. This revelation was a desire to live.

During this time, Frankl’s entire family passed away through various brutal acts. After regaining his freedom, Frankl could have done many things, including giving up. Frankl chose a more positive and productive route. He wrote a book entitled, Man's Search for Meaning. This book described his horrendous experiences throughout his time in a concentration camp, and his remarkable revelation of man’s desire to live. Frankl declared that the meaning of life is found in each and every moment. He believed a person’s life is never without meaning, even if pain and suffering was involved. 

“During and partly because of his suffering in concentration camps, Frankl developed a revolutionary approach to psychotherapy known as logotherapy (Scully, 1997).” His incredible contributions to existential theory were awe inspiring. As Hitler rose in power and World War II breathed down his neck, Frankl was on Journey that would lead him to play a huge role in Existentialism. It is from these experiences that Frankl found his way to being a key figure within the Existential circle.

 “At the core of his theory is the belief that humanity's primary motivational force is the search for meaning, and the work of the logotherapist centers on helping the patient find personal meaning in life, however dismal the circumstances may be (Scully, 1997).”

References: 

Scully, M. (1997).  A great man has left the earth; let us not forget him or his message: Retrieved on June 18^th from http://www.rjgeib.com

Postmodern

Postmodern Approaches:

Postmodern approaches are based on the understanding that there are a number of realities and multiple truths. Postmodern therapists often reject the idea that reality is external. These approaches avoid defining clients as abnormal or unhealthy and avoid searching for underlying causes to the problems, and place a high value on discovering a client’s strengths and resources. People do not need fixed, but rather the problem needs fixed. In this kind of therapy, the clients are able to create a new meaning for their lives.

Key Figures: 

Steve De Shazer

 

















Insoo Kim Berg

Michael White

David Epston

Types of Therapy:

1. Narrative Therapy - is the idea that people’s lives and relationships are shaped by the stories that people engage in to give meaning to their experiences, and these practices make up the ways of life associated with their stories. 
2. Solution-Focused Therapy - emphasizes the construction of solutions to problems. This approach has the belief that clients can solve their own problems by focusing on their own successes.   
3. Collaborative Language Systems - solves problems through conversation and emphasizes a collaborative conversational partnership between therapist and client.

Goals:

• Change the way a client looks at their problems
• Alter how they address their problems and concerns
• Change problem saturated stories for new positive outlooks
• Help clients create a self-identity, recreate ones self
• Support the client in seeing themselves in a positive manner

 Techniques:

• A questioning dialogue to support self exploration
• Solution focus therapy
• Change talk
• Miracle question
• Scaling questions
• Letter writing

References:

Corey, G. (2009).  Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (eighth edition). Belmont, Ca: Thomas Higher Education.

Fiminist Therapy

Feminist Therapy:

Feminist Therapy is a central concept that the concern for the psychological oppression of woman. Focusing on the constraints imposed by the sociopolitical status to which woman have been relegated, this approach explores woman’s identity development, self-concept, goals and aspirations, and emotional well-being (Corey, 2009).

Key Figures:  

Jean Baker Miller

Carolyn Zerbe Enns

Oliva M. Espin 

Luara Brown.  

Key Concepts:  

1. Viewing women's experiences from a woman’s perspective rather than those of white males
2. Viewing problems in a sociopolitical and cultural context rather than on a individual type of level
3. Addressing oppressive aspects of the world and the environment
4. Encouraging clients to get involved in social action

Goals: 

• Both females and males to recognize and embrace their individual power

• Influence society as a whole so that the female voice is valued 

• Gender Equality 

Techniques:

• Gender role analysis and intervention,
• Power analysis and intervention,
• Demystifying therapy,
• Journal writing, therapist self-disclosure,
• Assertiveness training,
• Re-framing and relabeling,
• Cognitive reconstructing,
• Identifying and challenging untested beliefs,
• Role-playing,
• Psycho dramatic benefits,
• Group work
• Social action

References:

Corey, G. (2009).  Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (eighth edition). Belmont, Ca: Thomas Higher Education.

Family Systems Therapy

Family Systems Therapy:

Family Systems Therapy is a systemic approach that is based on the assumption that the key to changing the individual is by both understanding and working with the family (Corey, 2009).

Key Figures: 

Alfred Adler

Murray Bowen

Virgina Satir

Carl Whitaker

 











Salvador Minuchin

Jay Haley

Cloe Madanes

Goals of Therapy: 

To help family members gain awareness of patterns of relationships that are not working well and create new ways of interacting (Corey, 2009).

Key Concepts:

 

• Verbal and nonverbal communication
• Power coalitions 
• Family of origin dynamics 
• Functional versus dysfunctional interaction patterns
• Dealing with the here and now 

Techniques: 

A variety of techniques may be used, depending on the particular theoretical orientation of the therapist. Techniques include genograms, teaching, asking questions, tracking sequences, initially directives, using countertransference, family mapping, setting boundaries, reenactments, and joining the family (Corey, 2009).

References:

Corey, G. (2009).  Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (eighth edition). Belmont, Ca: Thomas Higher Education.

Reality Therapy

Reality Therapy:

Reality Therapy is a short-term approach that is based on choice theory and focuses on the client assuming responsibility in the present.  Through the therapeutic process, the client is able to learn more effective ways of meeting her or his needs.

Founder:

William Glasser

(1925 - Current)

 

Key Figure:

Robert Wubbolding

Key Concepts:

• There are five basic needs (power, love, freedom, fun, and survival)

• Help one face with reality

• Taking and not running from personal responsibility

• You are only responsible for you

• Teach better alternatives of getting wants and needs met

• Teach client that he doesn't have to be a victim to past events

• Help client to understand the many options that are available for change

Key Techniques:

• Dream facing

• Future Planning

• Experience new things  

 
  References:

• Corey, G. (2009).  Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (eighth edition). Belmont, Ca: Thomas Higher Education.

Cognitive Behavior

Cognitive Behavior:

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a type of psycho-therapeutic treatment that helps patients understand the thoughts and feelings that influence behaviors. It’s a pragmatic, action-oriented treatment approach that has become a widely used psychotherapy for major mental disorders. CBT is commonly used to treat a wide range of disorders, including phobias, addiction, depression and anxiety.

Key Figures:

Albert Ellis 

(1913 – 2007)

Aaron. T. Beck 

(1921 - current)

Methods & Approaches:

• Socratic Method
• Inductive Method
• Rational Emotive Therapy
• Cognitive Therapy
• Multi-modal Therapy

Key Concepts:

• Behavioral interventions

• Activity scheduling

• Graded task assignments

• Exposure and response prevention

• Desensitization of physiological symptoms

• Efforts to improve coping

• To minimize self defeating attitudes

• Acquire a realistic outlook on life

• Teach client to think more "rationally"

• Examine outcomes. Are they really catastrophic?

• Homework to deal with specific fears

• Role playing

• Humor and modeling

• focus on cognitive and behavioral dimensions

• Client learn constructive "self-statements", "self-talk"

• Client learn new coping skills - practice in and out of sessions (Wright, 2006)

General procedures:

• A collaborative relationship is established

• Clinician and patient work together as a team

• Help patients effectively define problems

• Gain skills in managing these problems

• Uses of illustrations

• Readings and other educational aids 

References:

Corey, G. (2009), Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (eighth edition). Belmont, Ca: Thomas Higher Education.
 

Jesse H. Wright, M.D., Ph.D., (2006), Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basic Principles and Recent Advances: Retrieved on June 10^th from http://focus.psychiatryonline.org

Behavior Theory

Behavior Theory:

Behavior Theory is an approach that applies the principles of learning to the resolution of specific behavioral problems. Results are subject to continual experimentation, the methods of this approach are always in the process of refinement (Corey, 2009).

Key Figures:

B. F. Skinner

(1904-1990)

Albert Bandura

(1925 – Present)

Arnold Lazarus

(1932 – Present)

 

Key Concepts and Procedures:

Emphasizes current behavior

Various therapeutic strategies

Procedures are declared clearly, and tested regularly

Particular behaviors are measured before and after the treatment

Therapeutic Goals:

Client-therapist collaboration

Establishes concrete and measurable goals at the beginning of the treatment

Goals to help enhance one’s personal choices

To help create new conditions for a person’s learning environment

A focus on eliminating maladaptive behaviors and other learn effective behavior patterns

Techniques and Procedures:

Methods of relaxation

Self-management programs

Systematic desensitization

EMDR

Assertion training

Multimodal therapy

References:

Corey, G. (2009).  Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (eighth edition). Belmont, Ca: Thomas Higher Education.