EXTRA CREDIT (GESTALT)

Gestalt Therapy

What is Gestalt Therapy:  Humanistic therapy technique used that focues on gaining awareness of emotions and behaviors in the present rather than the past.  The therapist does not interpret experiences for the patient but rather the therapist and patient work together to help patient understand him/herself.  ("Gestalt therapy," 2004)

Key Individuals:

Fritz Perls                                                                              

Laura Perls

Ralf Hefferline

Paul Goodman

Max Werthheimer  ("Gestalt therapy," 2004)





The Goal of Gestalt Therapy:  The major goal is self-awareness.  Patients work on uncovering and resolving interpersonal issues during therapy.  ("Gestalt therapy," 2004)

Technique:  Gestalt Therapy works by engaging in dialogue rather than by encouraging or manipulating a patient toward a therapeutic goal.  The contact is done in a caring, warm, and accepting manner.  The therapist says what he/she means and encourages the patient to do the same.  (Yontef, 1993)

Four characteristics of Gestalt dialogue:

1. Inclusion - Putting onself as much as possible without judging or analyzing while still obtaining an autonomous presence.
2. Presence - The therapist expresses him/herself to the patient with discrimination indicating feelings, experiences, preferences, etc.
3. Commitment to dialogue - Allowing contact to happen rather than manipulating it.
4. Dialogue is lived - Dialogue is done, not talked about.  Can be done through dance, song, words, etc.  (Yontef, 1993)     

Risks:  Individuals with severe mental illness may not be good candidates for Gestalt Therapy.

Results:  There is limited scientific documentation regarding the effectiveness of Gestalt Therapy.  For this reason evidence suggests this type of therapy may not be reliably effective.  The approach can be anti-intellectual and discount beliefs and thought patterns.

Fritz and Laura Perls - Their Life

         The Perls originated and developed Gestalt Therapy. Fritz gained much of his knowledge from working as a doctor in World War 1  with soldiers who suffered from brain damage.  Although Fritz had worked on psychoanalytic theory he had difficulty believing in repression influences which came from early childhood influences as well as the so called "mechanistic" theory of Freud.  Fritz believed that individuals split off from their experiences that are uncomfortable which creates a somewhat fragmentation of their personality.  Fritz focus became more on assisting people in owning their experiences and having/developing a healthy wholeness.  Laura shared in Fritz's beliefs and together they founded Gestalt Therapy in the early 1940's.   

My Choice as Favorite and/or Most interesting -

        When I began researching Gestalt I began to not only see much of myself but also recognize characteristics that many of individuals exhibit throughout their lives.  Too often individuals tend to place blame on others instead of taking responsibility.  I believe that is important to think of today, the present.  Many individuals would relate or say yes as to whether their are issues from our past that have not been dealt with (unfinished) but it is not always a simple matter.  I think that Gestalt is a great way to break away from those issues to that hold us back providing an almost since of independence.    

       

  

References

Yontef, G. (1993). Gestalt therapy: an introduction.  Retrieved from             

          http://www.gestalt.org/yontef.htm

Gestalt therapt.  (2004).  Retrieved from http://medical-/

          dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Gestalttherapy

FAMILY SYSTEM THERAPY

Family System Therapy

DEFINITION:  "Family therapy is a form of psychotherapy that involves all members of a nuclear or extended family.  It may be conducted by a pair or team of therapists.  In many cases the team consists of a man and woman in order to treat gender-related issues or serve as role models for family members. Although some forms of family therapy are based on behavioral or psychodynamic principles, the most widespread form is based on family systems theory.  This approach regards the family, as a whole, as the unit of treatment, and emphasizes such factors as relationships and communication patterns rather than traits or symptoms in individual members." ("Family therapy," 2008)

KEY FIGURES:

Alfred Adler

Murray Bowen

Virginia Satir

Carl Whitaker

Salvador Minuchin

Chloe Madanes

GOAL:

To help family members improve communication, solve family problems, understand and handle special family situations, and create a better functioning home environment.  Family theraoy is often used when the child or adolescent has a personality, anxiety, or mood disorder that impairs their family and social functioning, and and when a stepfamily is formed or begins having difficults adjusting to the new family life.  Families with members from a mixture of racial, cultural, and religions backgrounds as well as families made up of same-sex couples who are raising children, may also benefit from family therapy.  ("Family Systems theory," 2012)

CONCEPTS:

8 interlocking concepts:

Triangles - Smallest stable relationship system.  Traingles usually have one side in conflict and two sides in harmony, contributing to the development of clinical problems.

Differentiation of self - Variance in individuals in their susceptibiliy to depend on others for acceptance and approval.

Nuclear family emotional system - Four relationship pattersn that define where problems may develop in a family.

1. Marital conduct
2. Dysfunction in one spouse
3. Impairment of one or more children
4. Emotional distance 

Family projection process - Transmission of emotional problems from a parent to a child.

Multigenerational transmission process - Transmission of small differences in the levels of differentiation between parents and their children.

Emotional cutoff - Act of reducing or cutting off emotional contact with family as a a way of managing unresolved emotional issues.

Sibling position - Impact of sibling position on development and behavior.

Societal emotional process - Emotional system governs behavior on a societal level, promoting both progressive and regressive periods in a society. ("Family Systems theory," 2012)

TECHNIQUES:

Family systems theory is more than a therapeutic technique.  It is a philosophy that searches for the causes of behavior, not in the individual alone, but in the interactions among the members of a group.  The basic rationale is that all parts of the family are interrelated.  Further, the family has properties of its own that can be known only by looking at the relationships and interactions among all members. ("Family Systems theory," 2012)

References

 Family therapy. (2008). Retrieved from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Family  

             systems therapy

Family systems theory. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.genopro.com/genogram/family-systems-

             theory/





POSTMODERN APPROACHES

Postmodern Approaches

 Michael White                                                             David Epston

 Steve de Shazer

KEY FIGURES/FOUNDERS:

Insoo Kim Berg                                               

Steve de Shazer

Michael White

David Epston

CONCEPTS:

Solution-focused Brief Therapy - Positive orientation, what is working, assumptions of guiding practice.  Avoids dealing with past versus present and the future.  What is possible not impossible. 

Narrative Therapy - Being open minded when listening.

GOALS:

Making a change in order to reach the ultimate goal. Individuals are able to solve their own issues/problems on their own.  Goals are set by therapist which are at first small and achievable.

In turn this gives the client a more positive position making them stronger when addressing their issues.

TECHNIQUES:

Eight techniques.

Pretherapy change

Exception questions

Miracle question

Scaling question

Formula first session task

Therapist feedback to client

Application to group therapy

Termination to group therapy

NARRATIVE THERAPY:

1.  Therapist should be conscious and aware of what the client notes about times in their life that were positive.

2.  Role of stories - As individuals our life is influenced by stories which can then make a difference in how we feel and even what we do.

3.  Open-minded when listening - Make no judgement when listening to client.  Be open-minded.

GOALS:

The goal in this type of therapy is to get the client to relate their past in a different way.  With a more positive health attitude.

TECHNIQUES:

Not specifice.  Dependent more on the attitude of therapist themselve. 

REFERENCES

Corey, G. (2012). Therory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th edition).

           Bellmont, CA

           Brooks/Cole. 



FEMINIST THERAPY

FEMINIST THERAPY

KEY FIGURES/FOUNDERS:

Jean Baker Miller

Carol Enns

Oliva Espin

Laura Brown (Corey, 2012)

CONCEPTS:

View of human nature - Most therapist consider this type of therapy to be gender-fair as well as

        flexible-multicultural.

Feminist perspective on personality development - Expections of gender role affect/influence an

        individual's identity throughout their lives.  Our gender reflects how we perceive ourselves

        of male of female.

Principles of feminist therapy - Six principles in this therapy. (personal is political, commitment to

       social change, couseling relationship is egalitarian, girl's and women's voices and how it is  

       valued, focus on the strengths , all areas/types of oppression which are recognized. (Corey, 2012)

GOALS:

Social change, empowerment, valuing diversity, working towards leaving the typical stereotype that

       have been placed on woman throughout time.

TECHNIQUES:

The therapist feel that culture, gender, race, etc. influence symptoms.  The therapist, although not following DSM, use different approaches depending on the gender.  There are not specific types of techniques that are used but rather depend on client's needs for techniques to be used.



Jean Baker Miller



Carol Enns

Oliva Espin

Laura S. Brown

                                                                                             REFERENCES

Corey, G. (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th edition).

           Bellmont, CA

           Brooks/Cole.

   



REALITY THERAPY

Robert Wubbolding



           William Glasser           

KEY ROLES/FOUNDERS:

William Glasser

Robert Wubbolding

CONCEPTS:

View of human nature -

       We are not born with a clean slate. We are born with five basic needs of survival.

Choice of theory explanation of behavior -

       From birth until death death everything we do is chosen and all we ever do is behave.

Characteristics of reality therapy - 

       Deals with whatever is not satisfying in a relatiobship.  The five characteristics of reality therapy are emphasize 

       choice and responsibility ( we are free to choose what we do but should take responsibility for the consequences),

       reject transference (the therapist should be themselves with helps the client deal with others), therapy in present    

       (client to be focused on the present rather than the past),  avoid focus on symptoms (focus on past as well as   

       symptoms are similar.  Client does not focus on the present), challenge traditional views of mental illness (This type

       of therapy there tends to be more of a rejection to the theory wherein an individual has a mental illness as they

       are receiving therapy). (Corey, 2012)

GOALS:

      Help client to become more connected and/or reconnected with those they place value.  Less about the past and

      more about the present.  Clients tend to chose therapy on their own. (Corey, 2012)

TECHNIQUES:

   

      Two parts:  Providing a counseling environment which provides a supportive positive atmosphere that helps

      the client to make positive healthy changes in their life.  Introducing procedures that lead a client to change. 

      (Corey, 2012)

REFERENCES

Corey, G. (2012). Therapy and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th edition).

         Belmont, CA

         Brooks/Cole.

  

     



Cognitive Behavior Therapy

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY



Key Figures/Founders:

Albert Ellis 1913-2007
Aaron T. Beck 1921-
Judith S. Beck 1954-                                   
Donald Meichenbaum 1940 



Donald Meichenbaum

                                                      

Albert Ellis                    

        



Aaron T. Beck

Judith Beck

CONCEPTS:

View of Human Nature

           Based on the idea that humans are born with both straight crooked thinking.

View of emotional disturbance

           REBT is the basic idea that we learn our crooked beliefs from other people in our life during our childhood and

           continue to re-create these beliefs throughout the rest of our life.

A-B-C framework 

           A = activating event, B = belief, C= emotional and behavioral consequence.  The reaction to the client can be both 

           healthy and/or unhealthy.  A can effect C. (Corey, 2012)

THERAPEUTIC GOALS:

Ellis has the belief that as individuals we tend to rate ourselves as either good or bad and further that we rate our total self based on our performances. (Corey, 2012)

TECHNIQUES:

Cognitive methods - Including disputing rational belief, cognitive homework, psychoeducational ethods, etc.

Disrupting irrational beliefs - The therapist educates the client on how to do self-challenging on themselves with irrational beliefs.

Cognitive homework - Therapist has client make list of their issues and their beliefs and then dispute those beliefs.

Bibliotherapy - An adjuntive type of treatment due to costs.

Psychoeducational - Introducing the client to educational resources.

Role playing - Therapist interrupts client to indicate what the client is really telling themselves. This creates a different way of thinking and shows the clients belief is unhealthy.

Shame-attack exercise - Technique used to help client reduce their level of shame and/or guilt about their life.

Behavior technique - Used in real life situations and are most often done by clients doing homework.  (Corey, 2012)

References

Corey, G. (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th edition).



            Belmont, CA

            Brooks/Cole.