shawnette_reid_u05a01_Theoretical Orientation

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Theoretical Orientation Shawnette Reid Capella University COUN6321: Mental Htlh Coun Clin Inshp 1 Professor Crystal Neal August 13, 2023

Theoretical Orientation The professional effectiveness of one counselor may be different from another based on the counseling theories adopted per the case handled in a therapeutic encounter. This analogy hints at the need to acclimatize with at least one theoretical framework that guides and provides counseling insights when exposed to such platforms. Professional counselors must, therefore, learn, grow and develop to provide exceptional counseling services in the long run as stipulated by Hodges (2021). This paper will explore the writer’s theoretical orientation by expounding on two theoretical constructs, Person-Centered Therapy (PCT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), applicable in a professional counseling platform. The writer will also describe the motivational perspectives that have influenced the choice of the two theories. Person-Centered Therapy Leading a therapeutic session is a vital aspect of all counseling platforms. In most cases, it is a norm that the counselor guides the proceedings of any given counseling process (Zarbo & Compare, 2016). However, when a counselor opts for Person-Centered Therapy (PCT), the client non-authoritatively takes the lead, hence motivating them to center the problem-solving process in the long run. According to Morgan and Yoder (2012), client-centered therapy was pioneered by Carl Rodgers in the early 1940s with therapeutic concepts inherently grounded on the fact that people consistently strive to achieve positive psychological functioning. The mentioned analogy refers to the essentials of self-actualization where the client fully rekindles the potential to uphold self-efficacy in finding the best solution to avert their current mental health condition. It is important to note that the therapist is part of the counseling process. However, they participate by acknowledging the client's strengths, supporting them to continue with self-discovery, and correcting where necessary (Morgan & Yoder, 2012).

Motivation for PCT One aspect that makes PCT outstanding is the fact that the client confidently leads the general direction of the therapy while the counselor takes a non-directional role throughout the sessions. Therefore, based on the effectiveness of the client in understanding and acknowledging the therapeutic progress based on the psychological problem presented, the therapy may be as short as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or relatively longer to ensure full recovery is achieved. The success rate is, however, dependent on the magnitude of motivation the client has from the beginning to the end. I consistently got motivated to embrace the constructs of PCT before enrolling in my undergraduate mental health counseling program. As a teenager, I accompanied my cousin who was an alcoholic to a group session that comprised other addicts. I realized that throughout the 12 Step Programs for Addiction Recovery, the clients led the discussion with little input from the facilitator. In the process, my cousin gained tremendous change through Alcoholics Anonymous which we expected. Rodgers made the concepts of PCT unique. Instead of viewing people as significantly impacted by their problems that require treatment, PCT acknowledges that every client has the capacity and desire for personal growth and change (Taylor et al., 2018). It is expected that a client receives counseling from the therapist for full recovery. However, PCT breaks this norm and instead incorporates a new concept of self-actualization that makes the counseling outcome more effective. Before my residency programs, I did various case studies using the PCT where most hypothetical clients benefited from the therapy. I, therefore, developed an interest in PCT further making it ideal for my practice in different counseling platforms, especially in cases where it would guarantee maximum benefits in the long run. It is imperative to note that PCT

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gives the clients a chance to identify what is truly important and meaningful to them and gain the skills how to achieve what they already identified as important in therapeutic exposure. Key Characteristics, Assumptions, and Goals of PCT As a counselor embarks on person-centered therapy, they aim to integrate emotional intelligence while allowing the client to acquire the same skills. PCT capacitates the clients involved to build better working relationships with others at a professional or personal level because of the confidence gained attributed to improved emotional intelligence (Morgan & Yoder, 2012). The mentioned analogy is further compounded with the insights of creating value in their role as a client. This value gained over time will be further reflected in their normal and professional encounters after recovery from the immediate psychological situation. In one way, PCT teaches the clients coping mechanisms that will be more beneficial in future endeavors. One major principle that client-centered therapy is founded on is congruence. The therapist is always congruent with the client (Morgan & Yoder, 2012). A client enters therapy in a state of incongruence making it a professional role for the counselor to reverse the situation and initiate a self-discovery and self-actualization atmosphere for the client. Note that the client has vast resources for self-understanding. The genuineness attributes of the therapist throughout a PCT session are an important attribute that differentiates the therapy from others like in psychoanalysis because it makes the therapist authentic (Morgan & Yoder, 2012). The second most significant concept in PCT is unconditional positive regard. Rodgers explained that recognizing a client’s self-worth helps them gain the confidence and self-esteem needed to embrace therapy. The therapist is assumed to accept the client the way they are despite possible disapproval of the client's actions. Keeping a positive attitude to the client throughout therapeutic engagements helps the client achieve self-realization faster to enhance recovery.

Another concept that guides the therapeutic proceedings in PCT is empathy. Diversity makes people different. The attributes and capacities harbored by people are also different. Rogers expected the counselors to understand what the client is feeling sensitively and accurately without sympathy as the latter may compromise professionalism in the long run (Taylor et al., 2018). When a client feels appreciated, they face the problems with a lot of vigor and determination. The basic goals of person-centered therapy emanate from the three major principles of empathetic understanding, acceptance and unconditional positive regard, and congruence. Rogers focused on increasing the client’s self-acceptance and self-esteem (Taylor et al., 2018). Secondly, the therapist strives to ensure the client integrates a better understanding, appreciates, and trusts their potential and self-worth. This ensures the client benefits from the therapy beyond the interventional goals. Additionally, PCT encourages personal growth and self-expression. The confidence bestowed on the clients alongside perfect emotional intelligence sustains them in different social niches. Lastly, PCT helps clients combat negative feelings such as guilt and regret that jeopardize their normal selves (Taylor et al., 2018). Dialectical Behavior Therapy The second therapy the writer acknowledges especially when used with children and adolescents is dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). In most of my encounters with the children and adolescent populations, their emotions speak for them. Everyone is exposed to different types of emotions such as anger, happiness, fear, or sadness among others. The back born of the mentioned concepts relates to the constructs of dialectical behavior therapy. According to DeCou et al. (2019), people who experience emotions very intensely benefit from the constructs of DBT that go deeper into the issue of emotional imbalance to examine the stressors. DBT focuses on

mindfulness techniques that help in offsetting stress in a client. In summary, dialectical behavior therapy resists oversimplification and promotes freedom, flexibility, and balance (DeCou et al., 2019). Oversimplification occurs when the counselor assumes that the problems presented have a similar magnitude and impact on the client’s emotional breakdown. DBT expounds on these limits created through hypothetical assumptions. Freedom is needed in all therapies. DBT provides a better avenue for clients to identify and understand their emotions during therapy. The therapist, therefore, strives to bestow this freedom by upholding emotional intelligence (Lynch, 2018). A flexible and balanced therapeutic process provides a more effective environment for the client to thrive throughout the treatment period. Motivation for DBT My main motivation for choosing DBT is my view of human emotions. Over time, I believed that human emotions are dynamic (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2017). This means that the perception of good or bad emotions will depend on the person affected by it. Dialectical behavior therapy attempts to explain emotional imbalance in a more significant way making it easier for us to understand how to carry out ourselves during counseling sessions. Dialectical behavior therapy, like in PCT, escalates our emotional intelligence which helps a counselor to build professional relationships with clients, reduce therapeutic stress and defuse conflicts that may accrue during and after therapy. Helping children and adolescents has always been my passion since the onset of this course. The innocence associated with the respective age group makes it ideal to learn more about dialectical behavior therapy. Key Characteristics, Key Assumptions, and Goals of DBT

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As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, dialectical behavior therapy integrates mindfulness techniques that help in emotional imbalances associated with various psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. This analogy points out that DBT teaches that our experiences are real and valid hence the need to embrace them as such. Notably, DBT is founded on four major components which form the basis of the skill-learning process that identifies the therapeutic function of the modality. Firstly, mindfulness is key to the implementation of DBT. Mindfulness helps a client to live the present moment with a here-and-now approach to life events (Lynch, 2018). Mindfulness helps clients appreciate that what happens at the moment is all they have control over hence eliminating the feelings of regret of the past and fear for the unknown while reflecting on the future yet to come. Secondly, emotion regulation is an imperative aspect of DBT. As a major skill, the client’s ability to regulate their emotions before they impact their thoughts and behaviors is a significant step towards managing several mental health problems. Usually, when a person successfully processes a negative emotion as a normal emotion, the second emotion that arises becomes harmless hence reducing their suffering. This is a skill that is further compounded with emotional intelligence that clients acquire with time. Another component of DBT is interpersonal effectiveness. Consider a youthful population consisting of children and adolescents. This age group is quite sensitive to any emotional breakdown and may suffer more than their adult counterparts. Interpersonal effectiveness ensures people maintain self-respect and healthy relationships despite disputes arising from different thoughts or contrary opinions on a given subject (Lynch, 2018). The client and therapists are prone to disagree on several occasions especially when the client is resistant and defiant. The ability to assert oneself amidst controversies makes us outstanding in overcoming several issues that affect interpersonal relationships. Similarly, acknowledging other

people’s needs is imperative. Lastly, distress tolerance is an important attribute learned through DBT. When clients learn to cope during a crisis, especially where there is no hope of a positive outcome, they build more confidence and strength for faster recovery (Lynch, 2018). Not everybody is tolerant when exposed to chronic stressors. This means that through appropriate therapeutic measures, such clients gain momentum toward hardship and will inculcate mechanisms to avert and live with such situations in the future. The main therapeutic goal of dialectical behavior therapy is to provide patients with coping skills to manage negative situations and emotions on their own (DeCou et al., 2019). Managing the mentioned life-interfering behavior bolsters emotional stability. Emotional imbalance forms an integral part of the therapeutic goals that the counselor focuses on. The theoretical constructs assume that when a client has stable emotions, their cognitions, and behavior are easily rationalized in the long run. The second goal of DBT is to help the clients manage distress despite the frequency and magnitude. Categorically, the therapist focuses on therapy-interfering behavior. Looking into disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and depression, clients are exposed to severe distress emanating from emotional setbacks. The clients get frustrated making them vulnerable to irrational actions that may compound their problems instead of helping them. Therefore, DBT aims at helping such clients gain the momentum and confidence of approaching negative emotions as normal before countering them with the most appropriate response. Lastly, in the wake to reduce life- threatening behavior, DBT attempts to eliminate irrational advances such as suicidal thoughts associated with a section of mental health problems such as depression. Overall, DBT ensures that clients are in the present, react less intensely to distress, acquire more satisfying personal

interactions, and harbor great control of their emotions irrespective of the situation they are exposed to as stipulated by DeCou et al. (2019). Cultural Factors and Ethical Issues Associated with PCT and DBT Various cultural differences occur between the clients and therapists including religion, gender, race, socioeconomic status, age, language, and sexual orientation among others. These factors all apply to person-centered therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy. One thing that emerges as common in the two mentioned therapies is the need to have self-control no matter the situation by understanding self-emotions. Culturally sensitive counselors observe cross-cultural expertise while maintaining permanent mental flexibility toward clients to deter silent biases (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2018). Both PCT and DBT are successful treatments in diverse populations. There are no significant limits put along racial, ethnic, gender, age, or sexual orientation among other aspects. Therefore, acknowledging the cultural understanding or perspectives of a given mental health condition is imperative in maintaining culturally sensitive counseling platforms in both PCT and DBT. Client values and therapeutic goals are very important in any counseling engagement. According to the American Counseling Association (2014), section A.4.b of the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics asserts that counselors should be aware of the client’s values to avoid imposing their values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Respecting the clients’ diversity bolsters the therapeutic engagements to foster recovery. Conclusion This paper explored the constructs of person-centered therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. Both therapies are applicable in diverse populations despite having different approaches

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to counseling. Person-centered therapy focuses on the client’s recovery from the client’s perspective allowing them to lead the counseling sessions. On the other hand, dialectical behavior therapy integrates skills that help clients manage their emotions in the wake to avert the present mental health conditions.

References American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA Code of Ethics. Alexandria: ACA DeCou, C. R., Comtois, K. A., & Landes, S. J. (2019). Dialectical behavior therapy is effective for the treatment of suicidal behavior: A meta-analysis. Behavior therapy, 50(1), 60-72. Hodges, S. (2021). The counseling practicum and internship manual: A resource for graduate counseling students (3rd ed.). Springer. ISBN: 9780826143020. Lynch, T. R. (2018). Radically open dialectical behavior therapy: Theory and practice for treating disorders of overcontrol. New Harbinger Publications. Morgan, S., & Yoder, L. H. (2012). A concept analysis of person-centered care. Journal of holistic nursing, 30(1), 6-15. Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2017). Clinical interviewing (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2018). Counseling and psychotherapy theories in context and practice: Skills, strategies, and techniques. John Wiley & Sons. Taylor, C., Lynn, P., & Bartlett, J. (2018). Fundamentals of nursing: The art and science of person-centered care. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Zarbo, & Compare, A. (2016). Integrative psychotherapy works. Frontiers in Psychology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4707273/

shawnette_reid_u05a01_Theoretical Orientation

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