Introduction
Creating a framework for comprehending and approaching clients’ requirements requires developing a personal theory. Two well-known counseling theories, person-centered counseling and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), are frequently employed by counselors as a foundation for their practice. In this piece, I will discuss my personal theory and consider how I will apply CBT and person-centered counseling in my future practice. I will detail how counselors establish and maintain therapeutic interactions with various client groups, and how biases might affect therapy. The discussion will shed light on my approach and how I can effectively utilize various counseling techniques to support patients.
Values and Worldviews
Biases, whether they are conscious or unconscious, can harm the therapeutic relationship, making it difficult for patients to feel secure and comfortable disclosing their experiences and emotions. Counselors must, therefore, continually assess their attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs to identify any biases that may emerge. In the sections that follow, I will discuss the value of self-awareness and continuous education in ensuring effective counseling techniques and building an accepting environment for patients.
Background
In my opinion, my background can positively affect the counseling process. I come from a large family and have firsthand knowledge of mental health problems, as some of my loved ones have battled anxiety and depression all their lives. My understanding of struggles with mental health concerns has given me an essential perspective on the patient’s difficulties. As a result of this experience, I can be more sympathetic and understanding with my clients. My understanding of the challenges associated with mental health conditions will enable me to establish a secure environment where clients feel free to express their worries and emotions.
My background and family history may also negatively impact my practice. To ensure I am providing my patients with the best care possible, I will continually strive to enhance my self-awareness and seek guidance and input from other professionals. By drawing on my experiences to understand and connect with my clients, I am confident I can offer helpful counseling to my future patients.
Biases and Values
The counselor’s biases and values can undoubtedly impact the therapy relationship and the counseling process. I must be aware of my prejudices to deliver non-judgmental, client-centered treatment. My upbringing, cultural background, and personal experiences might be the causes of my prejudices. For instance, I may have biases based on sexual orientation and gender. Unaddressed biases could affect how I engage with clients, leading to miscommunication that may jeopardize our therapeutic relationship.
To prevent this, I will frequently engage in self-reflection and introspection to ensure my biases do not obstruct my practice. I will constantly consider how my attitudes and beliefs about various racial and ethnic groups may affect my job as a counselor. I will also seek out diversity-related education and training to deepen my understanding of various cultures. Recognizing that each client brings unique experiences and perspectives, I will maintain an open mind.
Therapeutic Relationship with a Diverse Group of Clients
It takes cultural sensitivity and competence to establish therapeutic relationships with diverse clients. I intend to establish such a connection by demonstrating empathy, engaging in active listening, and building rapport with clients. By doing so, I can provide a secure environment where patients can freely express their thoughts and feelings.
To sustain the therapeutic relationship, I will continue to show compassion. I will uphold my clients’ confidentiality and boundaries while incorporating their cultural, religious, and personal values into our counseling sessions. Understanding and appreciating diverse cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds will enable me to tailor my approach more effectively to meet each customer’s specific needs and preferences.
Theoretical Orientations
As the name implies, person-oriented therapy is applied in individual patient treatment, focusing on the patient’s personality. The purpose of this method is to actualize inharmonious behavior and destructive reactions in the patient, which lead to neurotic disorders. CBT is one of the most effective psychotherapeutic methods. It aims to correct the distorted perception of current events and the environment, which leads to destructive behavior. These models are essential for therapeutic interaction and help improve the situation; as such, they should be considered in relation to my personal theory.
Personal Theory
Based on the humanistic and existential approaches to counseling, my personal theory shapes my beliefs about how people change and develop during therapeutic relationships. Self-actualization is something everyone has an innate desire to do. Internal and external obstacles, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and societal pressures, can, however, obstruct this urge. As a counselor, it is my responsibility to establish a secure and accepting atmosphere where clients can examine their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to overcome these obstacles.
For me, the therapeutic relationship, grounded in empathy, trust, and sincerity, is where growth and transformation occur. In the secure and supportive environment of the therapeutic relationship, clients can express themselves freely, feel heard and understood, and receive feedback and direction on their path to self-actualization. In particular, exploring and analyzing the present moment leads to development and change. By focusing on the present, patients can address their immediate concerns and gain a deeper understanding of themselves.
Person-Oriented Theory
Consultations with psychiatrists in person-oriented therapy are not doctor appointments but rather a way to build relationships with patients. By engaging in dialogue with the patient, the psychiatrist collaborates to identify the problem and its solution (Smits et al., 2019). Thus, the psychiatrist becomes not a doctor but an equal partner, which contributes to the actualization and re-experiencing of those relationships in the patient, leading to the emergence of a neurotic state (Capuzzi & Gross, 2018). A person-centered approach in therapy confronts the client with their problem, making them realize and live through it again while finding a way out of the current traumatic situation.
The primary task of personality-oriented therapy is to study the concept of personality as a system of relationships between the individual and the environment. In the therapy process, the psychiatrist helps the patient identify destructive forms of behavior and suggests new, harmonious forms that will lead to productive relationships, which have not previously been encountered in human experience. Additionally, the approach studies a system of person-centered individual and group psychotherapy, with the primary goal of achieving positive personal changes. For this, a comprehensive study of the patient’s personality and the specifics of their social network is necessary.
Connection to Personal Theory
The person-oriented theory of counseling and my personal theory are highly compatible, particularly in their shared conviction that people can change and evolve. As outlined above, the fundamental tenet of the person-oriented theory is that people can progress if they have the resources to handle their challenges. This viewpoint aligns with my conviction that people naturally desire self-actualization, and that inquiry and analysis of the current moment, along with clients’ ideas, lead to growth and transformation.
I enjoy listening to patients and drawing insights from my life experiences. Considering the patient’s psychological characteristics and personality, I can develop an individualized, tailored approach to improve their condition. It will depend on the type of fear the patient experiences, whether subjective or objective, and whether one worries about real things or memories/future.
CBT
Classical conversational psychotherapy is based solely on identifying the source of past problems. CBT simultaneously seeks to identify distorted thoughts and behavioral patterns rooted in the subconscious mind, thereby helping us control our reactions in certain situations (Bieling et al., 2022). Realizing their destructive effects, one strives to respond differently to specific events, abandoning established counterproductive patterns. CBT helps to eliminate stereotypes and preconceived ideas that deprive a person of freedom of choice and push them to act according to a pattern.
The client recognizes the problem, as there are numerous unconscious moments in his story, including white spots, unexperienced feelings, and unfinished relationships. The therapist helps him realize, live, and complete these aspects (Beck, 2020). The method allows, if necessary, the correction of the patient’s unconscious, automatic conclusions (Craft, 2020). One perceives them as truth, but they can significantly distort actual events. These thoughts often become the source of painful emotions, inappropriate behavior, depression, anxiety disorders, and other illnesses.
Therapy is based on the joint work of the therapist and the patient. The therapist does not teach the patient how to think correctly, but instead helps them understand whether their habitual thinking helps or hinders them (Craft, 2020). The key to success includes the patient’s active participation, who will not only work on exercises during sessions but also complete homework.
Initially, therapy focuses solely on the patient’s symptoms and complaints, gradually moving on to address unconscious aspects of thought. Namely, deep-seated beliefs and childhood events that influenced their formation. The principle of feedback is essential, and the therapist constantly checks how the patient understands what is happening in therapy and discusses any potential errors with them. All this forms the basis of cognitive-behavioral therapy, namely, correcting the situation together with the client.
Connection to Personal Theory
The core tenet of CBT is that people’s emotions and behavior are influenced by their thoughts about circumstances. People can alter their emotions and behaviors by recognizing and altering negative or unreasonable beliefs. CBT supports my conviction that people can alter their ideas, feelings, and behaviors.
My conviction that growth and change occur through investigating and evaluating people’s ideas, values, and attitudes aligns with recognizing and challenging negative or unreasonable thinking. Moreover, CBT’s emphasis on the present moment and addressing people’s current issues is one of its most significant features. This aligns with my view that the therapy relationship should focus on helping clients meet their current needs and address their present-moment concerns.
Conclusion
To conclude, two of the most effective consulting models were analyzed: person-centered and cognitive behavioral therapy. These principles share a similar basis of work, as they aim to identify the client’s underlying cause of anxiety. However, cognitive-behavioral therapy involves a joint search for the cause with the patient. At the same time, the person-centered model is based on empathic warmth in interaction with the client while maintaining a professional character. These models align with my personal beliefs and theory, as they correlate with my practice.
References
Antony, M. M., McCabe, R. E., Bieling, P. J. (2022). Cognitive-behavioral therapy in groups. Guilford Publications.
Beck, J. S. (2020). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond. Guilford Publications.
Capuzzi, D., & Gross, D. R. (2018). Introduction to the counseling profession. Routledge.
Craft, D. (2020). Cognitive behavioral therapy: Guide to becoming free of anxiety and depression. David Craft.
Otto, M. W., Smits, J. A. J., Powers, M. B. (2019). Personalized exposure therapy: A person-centered transdiagnostic approach. Oxford University Press.