Viktor Frankl and Existentialism

Suffering in and of itself is meaningless, we give our suffering meaning by the way in which we respond to it. - Viktor Frankl, Mans Search for Meaning

Viktor Frankl was on of the founders of Existential Theory. He was born in Aurtria in 1905, and was a victim of the Nazi concentration camps. Surviving was a way of life for him. Ironicly, although he published many books in his career, "Mans Search for Meaning" which documented his experiences in the concentration camps as it effected his and others psyche, was his most famous and was also supposed to be publish as an annonomous author. Frankl did not want the recognition for his survival, but on the other hand he did not want to seem as though he was hiding from his experiences either. On the urging of friends, he ended up publishing the book under his name.

Frankl was led into Auschwitz, the most notorious and most feared concentration camp. The men were seperated from the women and children, brought out by other prisioners who were seemingly happy and well fed. It was a ploy, a way to work the prisioners into a false sense of hope. Once brought from the train, they had to form lines, and were told to go either to the right or left. A vast majority were led to the right, which was death. Frankl made it to the left line, and ended up spending 4 years of his life in this camp.

It was his experiences in these camps, and his ability to find meaning in his life regardless of his circumstances that helped him to form his theory of logotherapy, which broken down from greek actually means "Meaning" therapy. Existentialism is all about looking at the present and the future. Finding meaning in everything. Life and death, love and hate, meaning and nonmeaning, alone and togetherness. A person has to look within themselves to find the strengths to cope with and understand these basic concepts.

Frankl lost his entire family to the Nazi concentration camps. He endured experiences that would break most men. He suffered humiliations and punishments that would kill most men. But his will for meaning surpassed his suffering. He is an amazing figure within the psychological world and a person who I have found a great deal of meaning and strength from. You see, I have always believed that a person can overcome their circumstances with the right frame of mind and will. Existentialism is, to me, one of the most amazing and meaningful theories that we have studied in this course. I got my information about Frankl from his book "Man'sSearch for Meaning". I am in the process of readin it and look forward to getting the detailed experience from Frankl himself and how he developed his theory from these experiences.

Reference

Frankl, V. (2006). Man's Search for Meaning with a new forward by Harold S. Kushner. Boston,
Massachusetts: Beacon Press.

Family Systems Therapy

There are several therapist that founded the family systems therapy approach, starting with the originator, Alfred Adler. He was the first person to innitiate family therapy with a systemic approach. Other founders include Murray Bowen, Virginia Satir, Carl Whitaker, Salvador Minuchin, Jay Haley, and Cloe Madanes.

Deep inside us we know what every family therapist knows: the problems between the parents become the problems within the children.

-Roger Gould

There are several different forms of family systems therapy. The six viewppoints are:

Adlerian Family Therapy

Multigenerational Family Therapy

Human Validation Process Model

Experiential/Symbolic Family Therapy

Structural Family Therapy

Strategic Family Therapy

Each model has it's own founders and specific goals, processes and techniques. Though they are all slightly different, the main goal of family systems therapy is to help families see what is not working in their relationships with eachother and guide them to creating new was to interact.

The key concepts of this therapy method differ between approaches, but include differentation, triangles, power coalitions, family of origin dynamics, functional vs. dysfunctional interaction patterns, and dealing with the here and now. communication patterns are focused on within all constucts of this therapy method, both verbal and nonverbal.

Techniques are also different between the different viewpoints. Adlerian may look at goal disclosure, and natural/logical consequesnces. Multigeneraltional will look at the genograms and family of origin issues. Human Validation focuses on empathy, touch, and communication. Experiential/Symbolic uses a self as change agent ad focuses on co-therapy, confrontation, and self-disclosure. In structural therapy, you'll see enactments, boundry making, and tracking, and joining and accomodating. Strategic family therapy will use reenactments, pretending, amplifying, and reframing.

OK, so this clip is not at all indicative of what family therapy should be...but it was funny, I was in a bad mood, and it made me laugh!

Reference

Corey, G. (2013). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, C.: Brooks/Cole,
Cengage Learning.

Postmodern Therapy

The founders of this therapy are much like the Feminist Therapy model. There are many, and it was a collective effort. Our text points our co-founders of the two therapy theraputic approaches for this method; solution-focused therapy and narrative therapy.

Solution-focused therapy:

 Insoo Kim Berg, and Steve de Shazer are two of the pioneers and developers of this form of postmodern therapy.













Narrative Therapy:

Michael White and David Epston are the cofounders of this form of post modern therapy.

Postmodern therapy is based on social constructivism, which "values the clients reality without disputing whether it is accurate or rational....our knowledge about reality is socially constructed" (Corey, 2013, pg. 397)

The goals of Postmodern therapy are to assist the client collaboratively in finding very specific, clear and realistic goals that lead to positive change. A renewed self identity with these changes include a higher level of competence and resoursefulness in dealing with current and future problems. A positive outlook on life and the means to promlem solve are established so the client is not so focused on the problem itself.

The key concepts of this approach are that it is brief and focuses on the present and future only. Clients need to externalize the problem, make the problem it's own thing, nt something that is about them. Theclient and therapist work together to find a tie when the problem did not exist and work toward creating a solution and new life from that point.

The approaches in postmodern therapy differ between techniques. In solution focused therapy, change-talk, and different forms of questioning are the main techniques. In narrative therapy, listening and externalizing the problems that are described by the client are the main focus. The therapist will also write a letters to the clients and help them find people who will support them and their changes, creating a new story.

This song/video shows, for me, the concept of postmodern therapy. That we are to live in the current time, to learn to appreciate what we have, where we are going, and what we are doing NOW. That we can use the now to let go of our problems and find solutions to move on in a better way, and on a better path.

Reference

Corey, G. (2013). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, C.: Brooks/Cole,
Cengage Learning.

Feminist Theory

To start off, this may be my least favorite of the therapy's studied in this course. I know that it is not "just for women", but anything that goes on a premis that one gender, minority, group, or anything needs a special kind of therapy bothers me, and as I read about this it really seems to focus more on and for women then anything else. Just my thoughts on it.

I am omitting pictures from this blog for one reason, it states in our text that there really isn't a "founder" for this therapy. Though several women have been significant contributors, such as Jean Baker Miller, MD, Carolyn Zerbe Enns, Olivia M. Espin, PhD., Laura S. Brown, PhD. There are many more that may have done as much as these women for this theory as well.

The goals of this therapy are to help the client as well as society in their narrow views of gender role socialization. If aims to minimize discrimination and oppression on any basis.

The key concepts of Feminist Therapy are that the personal is political. Woman should be valued and honored in all aspects. The counseling is egalitarian, meaning that all people have equal rights. All types of oppression are addressed and the point of therapy is to focus on strengths and a reformulated definition of distress.

The techniques used for clients are varied. Traditional approaches are used, but mainly the therapist is trying to get the client to see the impact of gender role socialization. To do this the therapist uses such things as intervention, journeling, gender role analysis, assertiveness training, demystifing therapy, bibliotherapy, role playing, social action, and several other techniques to reach their goals.

Reference

Corey, G. (2013). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, C.: Brooks/Cole,
Cengage Learning.

Reality Therapy



William Glasser

 

Robert Wubbolding

"Good or bad, everything we do is our best choice at that moment."
- William Glasser







William Glasser and Robert Wubbolding are the fonders of Reality Therapy. Control theory is the basis of this therapy. It states that there are five basic needs that we have to have met to be happy. Those needs are survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.

The goals of Reality Therapy are to teach people the concept of choice theory and to connect with the people they have chosen in their lives to meet these five basic needs. Therapy methods help clients become more effective at meeting these needs.

The key concepts of Reality Therapy are basicly to get clients to focus on what they are doing presently to have their psychological needs met, and if it is working. Clients are motivated to satisfy their needs, especially where relationships are concerned.

The techniques of Reality therapy are active, directive, and didactic. Questioning is a central technique, and if the client realizes their current methods ar not working, then a plan is developed to make changes to their current behavior and the client is required to make a committment to follow through with this new plan.

Reference

Corey, G. (2013). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, C.: Brooks/Cole,
Cengage Learning.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy





Albert Ellis

 





Aaron Temkin Beck

 



Judith S. Beck

 

Donald Meichenbaum



  







The main contributors to this therapy method are Albert Ellis, who designed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Aaron and Judith Beck's Cognitive Therapy (CT), and Donald Meichenbaum's Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).

The goals of this form of therapy are to lead clients to realize their faulty beliefs, and through evidence that has been gathered and reviewed, they can confront and change these beliefs. Automatic thought is also looked at, reviewed, and changed.

The key concepts of Cognitive Behavior Therapy focus's on the disorders that formed a person's faulty belief system. Though they may have started in childhood, these beliefs and disorders are what mold present day thinking. These misconceptions in the clients belifs are what needs to be replaced to form more accurate and positive beliefs for a healthier outlook on their self and thie life.

The techniques used in therapy are many, and focus on cognitive, behavioral, and emotive thechiques that are suited to the individual client. It is active, direct, and structured. The client will most likely have homework, have to keep records, change their thought and language in regard to negative behavior patterns. Role play, imagery, confronting, Socratic dialog, gathering data, self-instructional and stress inoculation training are a handful of the techniques used, but certainly the list is extensive as to the needs of the client.

Reference

Corey, G. (2013). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, C.: Brooks/Cole,
Cengage Learning.

Behavior Therapy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejjZZNGfIOM

You have to watch this clip. It is titled "Cognitive behavioral Therapy"...which is not correct. I see this as Behavior Therapy more so then Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Either way, wow is it funny! Now that we've had our laugh for today, let's get on to the matter at hand!

B.F. Skinner

 

Albert Bandura

Arnold Lazarus

Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.

-B.F. Skinner

B.F. Skinner, Arnold Lazarus and Albert Bandura are the primary originators of Behavior Therapy.

The Primary goals of this form of therapy are to have clients eliminate bad behaviors and learn better replacement behaviors. Clients to this by identifying what causes their behaviors and find ways to corrent the poor behaviors in their lives. Clients take a very active role in their therapy, treatment, and evaluation.


The key concepts of Behavior Therapy are heavily based on therapy and treatment. The specifying of goals, development of treatment plans, and evaluation of therapy outcomes are focused on and the clients present behavior is given the most attention.

Therapy techniques include "reinforcement, shaping, modeling, systematic desensitization, relaxation methods, flooding, eye movement and desensitizaion reprocessing, cognitive restructuring, assertion and social skills training, self-management programs, mindfulness and acceptance methods, behavioral rehearsal, coaching, and various multimodal therapy techinques" (Corey, 2013, p. 484). The therapist will concentrate on questions like how, what and when, but not why to diagnose and find treatments. It is also common to have contracts and homework in the course of the treatment.

Reference

Corey, G. (2013). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, C.: Brooks/Cole,
Cengage Learning.

Gestalt Therapy

Frederick "Fritz" and Laura Perls

Our dependency makes slaves out of us, especially if this dependency is a dependency of our self-esteem. If you need encouragement, praise, pats on the back from everybody, then you make everybody your judge.
- Frederick "Fritz" Perls

Frederick "Fritz" Perls and Laura Perls are the founders of Gestalt Therapy. His outlook on therapy, and the quotes I found during research, hit such a chord with me. I sat and read his quotes for about 20 minutes thinking...wow, I wish he were around to counsel me!

The goals of Gestalt Therapy are to help the client focus on the moment instead of focusing on the past. Therapy helps the client learn how to make choices and also to enhance their sense of self abd self esteem.

The key concepts of this therapy method are holism, figure-formation process, awareness, unfinished business and avoidance, contact, and energy. The client is urged through these methods to experience the here and now of life and accept all the parts that make them who they are.

Sincere apologies for Abe Lincoln giving you the finger...but the video is great and helped me to connect how Gestalt Therapy can be seen in different ways. A client is asked to look at themselves as a whole, all aspects of themselves. It is the same with many of the images and pictures in this clip. Most, when looking at just a piece of the picture, you can not see what the whole picture reveals. But when you step back and look at the entire picture, you can see images that can not be seen otherwise. It is the same with an individual, if you look at just one aspect of a person, you do not get a full understanding of who that person is. Perl was looking to show clients that they need to look at all sides of themselves and appreciate their self worth for the whole person that they are.

The techniques of this therapy are formed through the relationship between the therapist and the client. In counseling, situations that come up will help to give both the client and the therapist ideas on exercises and experiments that will advance the sessions and assist the client in their self awareness.

Reference

Corey, G. (2009). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, C.: Brooks/Cole,

Cengage Learning.

Person-Centered Therapy

The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then i can change.

-Carl Rogers

Person-centered therapy, founded by Carl Rogers, is close to existential therapy. Rogers is a revolutionary figure in modern day therapy techniques, as many current methods are shaped by his theories for this form of therapy.

 

The goals of therapy are to give the client the safety and freedom to discover themselves by finding what blocks them, what images of self are real and which are distorted, and to help the client progress to a higher level of openness, trust, and self-direction. Clients are guided toward enjoying life to the fullest and having a great ability of spontaneity.

 

The Person-centered therapy key concepts include clients being aware of their ability to solve their own problems through self-direction. Identifying ideal self vs. real self, and what you want to be as opposed to what you are.

 

 

 

In therapy, the technique used is basicly listening, being there for the client, focusing on their experiences, and asking them their feelings. There is no probing, testing, or diagnosis with this therapy and the therapist is there to pay attention to the client.

 

 

Existential Therapy

Man who as a physical being is always turned toward the outside, thinking that his happiness lies outside him, finally turns inward and discovers that the source is within him.
-Soren Kierkegaard

There are many men who shaped the philosopy of and the therapy of Existentialism. The forefathers of the philosphy include such men as Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, Martin Buber, Ludwig Binswanger, Medard Boss, and Jean-Paul Satre. The Key figures of the modern concepts of Existential Psychotherapy are Viktor Frankl, Rollo may, Irvin Yalom, and James Bugental.

Viktor Frankl

Rollo May

Irvin Yalom

James Bugental 

The goals of therapy are to teach clients to see that they are free to take charge of their lives, that they are responsible for what happens to them, and to see what is blocking them from being free.

The key concepts of Existential therapy are to get people to look within themselves and see that they are the masters of their own fate and their life circumstances. Therapy helps people look for the mean, learn about being alone and with others, and coping with life and death.

There are really no specific techniques to this therapy, since it is more about self discovery and understanding before technique. Clients are guided to address the ying and the yang of core life concepts, such as freedom and responsibility, life and death, meaning and meaninglessness, and being alone and being in relationship with others. Testing and diagnosis are not important.

Reference

Corey, G. (2009). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, C.: Brooks/Cole,

Cengage Learning.

Alderian Therapy

It is always easier to fight for one's principles then to live up to them.

- Alfred Adler

Alfred Adler's story is an interesting one to me. In my studies so far, I always believed that nature far succeed nurture in the human psyche. Adler is just one of the many stories that I have heard that prove this. He was not nurtured to be what he was. In fact, he was told repeatedly that he would not amount to much either as a healthy individual or an intellect. He used his own inner strength to achieve his future and succeed what was expected of him. This is the part of a human psyche that I am most intrigued by.

 

The Alderian Therapy method is one that is very different from Freud's psychotherapy technique. He focused on consciousness, personal experience, choices, responsibilities, and personal struggles.

The key conceps of this theory are things like taking responsibility for your life and your actions, creating your own future by choices you make, and working on personal goals to find meaning in life.

 

The techniques of this theory are based on various types of group and individual counseling, where the counselor and the client discuss issues with the persons lifestyle and work to discover goals and how to reach those goals for a better lifestyle through personal choice.

Reference

Corey, G. (2009). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, C.: Brooks/Cole,

Cengage Learning.



A Psychoanalytical Approach

"Dreams are often most profound when they seem the most crazy"

- Sigmund Freud

The psychoanalytic approach to therapy is based on childhood development, unconscious thought, and repressed problems. Sigmund Freud was the founder of this theory and therapy methods. Although highly controversial, his theories and practice paved the way for many modern day versions of psychotherapy and personality development.

Those who don't know Freud's Psychoanalitical approach to counseling in depth will remember it for the constant references to sex. Concepts such as libido, unconscious sexual love between children and their parents, and oral fixations based on breast feeding are ideas that are only a part of what freud conjured through his thoughts, studies, and writings. His ideas on personality structure may be one of the most well known, and to me the most insightful, aspects of Freuds theories.

The ID: This is the side of our personality that is out of control. It see's what it wants and doesn't care how it gets it. The ID part of our personality is controlled by pleasure, or as Freud put it "the pleasure principle". This pleasure principle is "illogical, amoral, and driven to satisfy instinctual needs" (Corey,2013, pg 65).

The EGO: This is the rational, conscious side of a persons personality. It is controlled by the "reality principle" which "does realistic and logical thinking and formulates plans of action for satisfying needs" (Corey, 2013, pg 65).

The SUPEREGO: This part of the personality is kind of a middle ground for the ID and the EGO. Morality and consequences rule the superego. It goes off of societal standards and life lessons to make decisions basid on morals, attempting to trump the reality and peasure principles of the ID and EGO.

I focus on the ID, EGO, and SUPEREGO mainly because I really think it makes sense. Though Freuds contribution to psychotherapy was far greater, entering into conscious and unconscious thought on a level as never before. Azalyzing dreams, slips of the tongue, techniques that use free association, and projection. All of these ideas have brought forth a way to analyze the human inner psyche.

Psychosocial stages is another part of the psychoanalytical approach that was loosly established by Freud, but elaborated on by Erik Erikson. This theory states that the personality needs to go through stages in life, and each stage needs to be masterd before the next stage can effectively start. If a stage is not successfully completed, the personality disorders in adulthood would ensue.

Carl Jung was also another name in Psychoanayltical approach, and was a favorite of Frued' suntil he went in another direction from Frued's theories on Personality development. He tended toward outside influence of society making a marked inpression on personality development, which brought a whole new outlook and aspect to the approach. He took many of Freud's ideas, but looked at them on a conscious and unconscious level, giving something like dream analysis a whole new outlook.

Though Psychoanalysis can get a bad rap because it focuses , it does benefit on many levels. The stages of development can help a therapist look at the different stages of life and see where something may have gone wrong to see where to start therapy for healing. It also requires therapists to go through intensive training and psychoanalysis, because in this type of therapy the problems of thetherapist can be transfered to the patient unconsciously, so any bias's or issues the therapist have may be transfered into the patients therapy.

Reference

Corey, G. (2009). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Belmont, C.: Brooks/Cole,

                Cengage Learning.