The purpose of this paper is to analyze a video entitled Psychodynamic-Interpersonal Counseling & Psychotherapy (Brooks-Harris &Oliveira-Berry, 2004). The video features Dr. Jeff Brooks-Harris and Dr. Jill Oliveira-Berry demonstrating sixteen skills drawn from psychodynamic and interpersonal approaches to psychotherapy.
Essential Elements of Psychodynamic and Interpersonal Approaches to Psychotherapy
Psychoanalysis is a unique form of psychological treatment founded by Sigmund Freud and later modified by his followers including Alfred Adler, Carl Jung, and Harry Stack-Sullivan (Wedding & Corsini, 2013). Although there is no one psychoanalytic theory Wedding and Corsini (2013) tell us that there are basic principles that tend to be found throughout different psychoanalytic perspectives. They note that psychodynamic perspectives emphasize ideas of the unconscious and the ability to increase choice by facilitating an awareness of unconscious motivations. Psychodynamic perspectives tend to focus on the client’s use of defense mechanisms like projection, reaction formation, splitting, intellectualization, repression, transference, and resistance as a way of avoiding painful fantasies, feelings, and thoughts (Wedding & Corsini, 2013). Such perspectives embrace the assumption that people are ambivalent about change and emphasize the importance of exploring that ambivalence (Wedding & Corsini, 2013). In addition, the therapeutic relationship is viewed as a vehicle of change; one that can be used for exploring both unconscious (primary) and conscious (secondary) self-defeating processes and actions (Wedding & Corsini, 2013). Transference and countertransference are viewed as essential therapeutic tools (Wedding & Corsini, 2013). Psyc...
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...ed. In fact, they responded with exclamations like, “I guess that could be true.” The interpretation seemed like a stretch by the therapist even in a training video about psychodynamic therapy! I had to wonder what it might look like in real life. Overall, I felt like this therapy might work on clients like the ones portrayed, i.e. clingy self-doubting ones. The techniques seemed to huddle in the arena of suggestibility. In the end I couldn’t help but wonder how such techniques would work on more self-aware strong-willed people like myself.
Works Cited
Brooks-Harris, J. & Oliveira-Berry, J. (2004). Key Strategies for Multitheoretical Counseling & Psychotherapy Vol. IV: Psychodynamic-Interpersonal Counseling & Psychotherapy [video]. Farmingham, MA: Microtraining Associates.
Wedding, D., & Corsini, R. (2013). Current Psychotherapies: Cengage Learning.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) is a short-term psychotherapy that was developed by Myrna Weissman and Gerald Klerman in the 1980’s. It focuses on the interpersonal relationships in the client’s life, instead of on past or biological causes. The therapy is kept fairly structured by the clinician’s use of a manual and aims to help the client recover from their current episode of depression. Interpersonal Psychotherapy has been used in conjunction with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in research studies, with promising results. Though initially developed for the use of depression, IPT has also been effective with other disorders, such as anxiety and eating disorders. Interpersonal Psychotherapy continues to be researched, as well as modified for use with other client populations such as adolescents. Clinicians, especially those who work with mood disorders, should learn more about IPT and decide if it is something they would like to incorporate into their practice.
Nugent, F. A. An Introduction to the Profession of Counseling (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,
Coined by theorist Sigmund Freud, the psychodymanic approach to therapy revolves around the interaction between the conscious and the unconscious. It is believed that the mind is made up for three entities; the Id, Ego,& Superego. The id is known for its pleasure seeking drive and impulsiveness. Often referred to as the “devil on your shoulder” the id exhibits very little self control and is often linked with the unconscious mind. Driven by sex, violence, and impulsivity, the id has been known to encourage risky behavior that normally would not occur. If the id were dominant, a person would behave in a devious, and socially unacceptable manner. Contrary to the id, the superego acts as the “angel on ones shoulder”. As stated in Day,2008, “when the superego is in charge, we are perfectionistic and uptight and demand too much of ourselves.” The superego acts as the conscience by reflecting social standards learned through observation. When the superego is allowed to take control, it sets such high expectations and demands, that is is too difficult to reach such high standards. The only way to stop the pendulum of the psyche from swinging to either extreme is the presence of the ego. The ego is the mediator between the superego and the id, providing moral reasoning and the principal of reality. The reality principle acknowledge that one must not act out id impulses, but also realizes that one cannot live up to the demands of the superego (Day, 2008). The ego helps moderate between these two extremes with the use of defense mechanisms.
The first theory Psychodynamic theory presented by Sigmund Freud, is based on how a person’s self-awareness and understanding of the past on present behavior. Psychody...
Teyber, E., & McClure, F. H. (2011). Interpersonal process in therapy: An integrative model (6th ed.). California State University, San bernardino: Brooks/Cole.
As the field of counseling continues to progress numerous theoretical orientations have been developed. One theoretical approach to counseling has been coined as person centered counseling or client centered therapy. This type of approach is commonly referred to as Rogerian psychotherapy. Rogerian therapy focuses on the empowerment of individuals with the inner self. These constructs are vital to ensuring and promoting a transparent and honest atmosphere which subsequently results in effective counseling. The behaviors that are found in client centered counseling are valuable as they motivate the client to explore their "hidden feelings" and become aware of where their feelings derive from. Being afforded the rare opportunity to see Rogers
Understanding the counseling session from the client’s perspective is a very important aspect in the development of a therapeutic relationship. A clinician must be an excellent listener, while being to pay attention to the client’s body language, affect and tone. The dynamics in the counseling session that is beneficial to the client include the recognition of the pain that the client is feeling. The detrimental part of this includes a misunderstanding of the real issues, a lack of consideration of the cultural aspects of the client, and a lack of clinical experience or listening skills. In this presentation, we will discuss the positive and negative aspects of the counseling session from the client’s perspective which includes the client’s attitudes, feelings, and emotions of the counseling session. We will next examine the propensity of the client to reveal or not reveal information to the counselor, and how transference, and counter-transference can have an effect on the counselor-client relationship.
Murdock (2013) identifies “free association” as being the best option for a successful therapeutic relationship (Murdock, 2013). Through the use of free association, the therapist encourages Ana to say what comes to mind regardless of the positive or negative emotions as means to open the mind to the unconscious. Strean (1944) identifies that all patients “respond to interventions in terms of transference” (Strean, 1944). With the key role transference plays in the therapeutic process it is important that Ana openly communicates and express her feelings. In doing so, it allows the therapist to interpret similar feeling and root causes. In psychoanalytic theory application, insight provides a look into the emotional and logical thought process (Strean, 1944). The goal through insight is to uncover how Ana’s depression and worries were formed, how they affect her and provide her with the opportunity to deal with these
The second stage in the psychodynamic therapy process is, the transference stage. In this stage the development of treatment is set and now it is the patient’s time to let their feelings out. The patient expresses those feelings, emotions, fears, and desires to the therapist without having to worry about censorship. The feelings and behavior of the patient become more pronounced and become a vital part of the treatment itself. During this stage the therapist could experience and better understand of the patient’s past and how it impacted their behavior in the
Psychotherapy has been Around for many years and has a major role in our world today. It has grown over the years and now there are known many hundreds of different theories about. Clients that use therapy are for different reasons as to cope with a change of life experience or a disorder or for personal development. Integrative psychotherapy has been around for over one hundred years but has really only come into the forefront of therapy since the late 1970’s. “Research has indicated that psycho¬therapy is moving toward an integrated approach to therapy” (Norcross, 2005b). The therapy is a mixture of all theories that are tailored by the therapist professional experience to work with the client in a positive way. This assignment will look at the factors needed to enable the therapist to carry out successful therapy. It will highlight and explain what the five principles of integrative therapy are. Also, with the common factors and how they are important and across all therapies. Also,
...entation, or several, in which they choose to practice in their professional career. Psychoanalysis and Person-Centered Therapy are just two, out of over four hundred types, of counseling approaches in use today. The constructs and theories are extremely different, however, neither can be considered right nor wrong. They are simply based on different beliefs, assumptions and viewpoints of human development and their behavior. Although, however different and unique, there are still similarities between the two types of therapy approaches. Through case examples, such as the case of D and the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, the techniques and outcomes of different treatment approaches can be see in real life examples. Past research and writing support brings about contradictions, criticism and treatment outcomes to the theories and those who developed them.
Corey, G. (2013). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (9th Edition). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing.
While Freud rarely made use of hypnotism, he did not advise against its use on an individual basis as a means of self-analysis. Citing the potential damage resulting from a therapist...
Corey, G. (2011). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. (ninth ed., pp. 291-301). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.