Sociodynamic Counselling: A Critical Review Of Theory And Practice

SOCIODYNAMIC COUNSELLING:
A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THEORY AND PRACTICE

This purpose of this paper is to critically review the theory and practice of SocioDynamic Counselling: an applied constructivist approach for professionals in the helping field. The paper is divided into two sections. Firstly, identifying the founder to this approach then further expanding over the theoretical and philosophical key concepts that support SocioDynamic counselling. The second half of the paper explores and analyses strengths and outcome limitations of this helping approach.
SocioDynamic counselling is a Canadian counselling approach invented and constructed by Dr R. Vance Peavy. Peavy was a Canadian Professor Emeritus and an international leader in the counselling

66) to reveal new dimensions geared towards less restrictive and dominating power relationships between the helper and helper seeker. Peavy hypothesises that the ‘postmodern counselling approach suspends objectivist, positivist, and quasi-authoritarian principles are powerful implications for practice’ (Peavy, 2000, pp. 19-20). Moreover, SocioDynamic counselling as a practical approach to assist with fluent adjustment of modern living and inter cultural mixing, supporting egalitarian ways that foster interconnected practices for helpers and help seekers in a wold that is culturally diverse. Primary counselling categories such as ‘self, relation and meaning’ (Peavy, 2000, p. 19) stands as a praxis for global cultures, institutions, relations and human life. This is an attractive advocate for the practice of SocioDynamic counselling perspective which strongly resonates that cultural knowledge can be used as a guide for solving problems. SocioDynamic Counselling is not grounded in theories of personality, motivation or behaviour, rather it more accurately resinates as an interactive way of thinking, using symbolic skills as applications towards open and progressive

Long-term positive outcomes are reached and often emerge as new dimensions. Instead of the service users seeing their situation as secluded, help seekers can examine and incorporate external concepts such as “the role of family, friends, neighbours; the influence of spirituality religion and belief; the effects of work, social groups” (Rodgers, 2006, p. 229). The service user holds control to re-author their life story, often redirecting and creating opportunities for an alternate life pathway. Ostracised help seekers may find this style of counselling effective because it assumes multiple realties and explores individual life roles across varied social domains, particularly where story is congruent with oral histories that are integral to cultural heritage. In saying that, this approach for the most part view’s the service user’s problems from a strength based standpoint. Encouragement and emphasis is managed from ‘what is right with the individual rather than focusing on what is wrong’ (Stebleton, 2010, p. 69) the developing skills and insight that is supported by the service users understanding for growth and reflexivity that concentrates on using sociological imagination and the awareness that lead to can only be empowering for help