Chapter 16 Mindfulness Approaches & Conclusion

Chapter 16- Mindfulness Approaches

Mindfulness Based Approaches are designed to deliberately focus one’s attention on the present experience in a way that is non-judgmental. Mindfulness has its roots in Eastern techniques, in particular Buddhist meditation. The practice requires that one intentionally directs focus away from states of mind that would otherwise occupy them, such as frightening or worrisome thoughts, and instead observe and accept the present situation and all it has to offer, regardless of whether that is good or bad.

How it relates to CSA: I am a true believer in positive energy, and looking at the glass half full not empty, in a desire to see all situations from an optimistic standpoint. I think this is an approach to some of my helping sessions in which I would use. I will encourage the student no matter what the situation is to look at it with a positive mind, and that anything can happen good or bad, but if you think positively about it, then the situation will be easier to cope with. I often think of the quote “Every day may not be good, but there is good in every day.” Even finding one thing each day that is good, and writing it down can help to self-reflect and realize that there are good things that will happen, and it is important to stay positive through any situation that might happen.

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Chapter 17- Conclusion

The conclusion of the text summarizes the theories that were presented in each chapter, along with stating that cognitive and behavioral approaches are most often used. It is important to consider your assumption about people when choosing a theory because a lot of statements we ask are not testable. It is also important to think of your own goals when counseling, whether it’s focusing on specific behavior change or overall well-being. It is then important to factor in the population of people you will be working with. Some approaches fit children, better than teenagers which fits better than older adults.

How it relates to CSA: The conclusion was a nice was to encapsulate all that was learned about each theory throughout the textbook. It was meaningful in learning these theories when moving into an advising position in just a few short weeks. In knowing that although these may be counseling techniques they can easily be applied to a student affairs position.

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Chapter 14: Solution-focused therapy & Chapter 15 Narrative Therapy

Chapter 14 - Solution-focused therapy

Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is goal oriented, targeting the desired outcome of therapy as a solution rather than focusing on the symptoms or issues that brought someone to therapy. This technique emphasizes present and future circumstances and desires over past experiences. The therapist encourages the client to imagine the future that he or she wants and then the therapist and client collaborate on a series of steps to achieve that goal. This form of therapy involves developing a vision of one’s future, and then determining what skills, resources, and abilities a person already possesses that can be enhanced in order to attain the desired outcome. SFBT was developed by Steve de Shazer, Insoo Kim Berg, and their team at the Brief Family Therapy Family Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the early 1980s. Solution-focused brief therapy contends that people are equipped with the skills to create change in their lives, though they may need help in refining and identifying those skills. SFBT practitioners empathize with the struggles of their clients and guide clients to see what is working for them, to continue those practices that work, and to acknowledge and celebrate their successes. In solution-focused brief therapy, counselors ask specific types of question to guide the session. Miracle questions help people envision a future in which the problem is absent.

How it relates to CSA: This type of therapy emphasize the present and future and the goals they want to attain, and then create those goals while in the session. They may delve into the past somewhat, but the main priority is to realize that the student has the ability and the skills to change their lives. It is the ability to converse with the student and create ways that work for them that might not have been working before. This therapy is also useful in Student Affairs for its focus is on the future, and any decision or choice the student consciously makes will affect their future plans to some degree or another.

Video: Solution-focused Therapy: The client says that if she strongly believes in it and thinks she can do it, she can. The client thinks that eating is a way out, when she worries she eats. Lately she finds herself up late at night snacking, and she thinks it has a lot to do with worrying. When she started smoking cigarettes it was about belonging and being a part of a crowd. She thought the drugs made her more interesting, she always thought she was a boring person because she was shy and introverted and it was hard for her to hold a conversation with other people. She thought the drugs helped her be more outgoing. She then realized she was a fun person without the drugs. This relates to solution-focused therapy because the client in this scenario is able to see that she can take a different approach in losing weight and in quitting smoking. She will continue to use practices that work for her.

Chapter 15- Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy was developed by Michael White and David Epston. Narrative therapy is a method of therapy that separates the person from the problem and encourages people to rely on their own skill sets to minimize the problems that exist in their everyday lives. Throughout life, personal experiences are transformed into personal stories that are given meaning and help shape a person’s identity, and narrative therapy utilizes the power of people’s personal stories to discover the life purpose of the narrator. Narrative therapy was created as an empowering, and collaborative form of therapy that recognizes that people possess natural competencies, skills, and expertise that can help guide change in their lives. Rather than transforming the person, narrative therapy aims to transform the effects of the problem. Narrative therapy can be used for individuals, couples, or families. Practitioners of narrative therapy believe that simply telling one’s story of a problem is a form of action toward change. The therapist also helps people to see what is "absent but implicit" in the presentation of a problem. By exploring the impact of the problem, it is possible to identify what is truly important and valuable to a person in a broader context, beyond the problem. This can help a person identify a common thread to connect his or her actions and choices throughout life. In other words, all the "other" experiences and values from life are "absent but implicit" as people navigate new terrain. This process can help a person better understand his or her experience of life and gain personal agency for addressing problem scenarios in the future.

How it relates to CSA: This concept of narrative therapy, can be very helpful to student affairs professionals because instead of trying to transform the person (which can be a very difficult feat) narrative therapy aims to transform the problem. There will be an array of experiences the student might disclose to me when sitting in my office, and it is important to realize that these experiences have shaped and will continue to shape the students identity. It is vital to evaluate what the student’s values and morals are as they explore ways to fix the problem; this will provide the student with a better idea of how to address or avoid the problem if it surfaces in the future.

Video: Narrative Therapy: The counselor says the client has a loving family, but how will the mom help ward off the taunting. The client says not to pay attention to the taunting, because if you pay attention to it, you’ll just get madder. Another solution is to treat people the way you want to be treated. Also if you taunt people they will taunt you back. This is a young client working with the counselor disclosing the fact that he was taunted and coming up with ways in which the taunting can be prevented. This applies to narrative therapy in that they are creating ways to transform the effects of the problem.

Chapter 12 Feminist Therapy & Chapter 13 Family Systems Therapy

Chapter 12- Feminist Therapy

Feminist therapy puts gender and power at the core of the therapeutic process. It is built on the premise that it is essential to consider the social and cultural context that contributes to a person’s problems in order to understand that person. A central concept in feminist therapy is the psychological oppression of women and the constraints imposed by the sociopolitical status to which women have been relegated. No single individual can be identified as the founder of this approach, and its history is relatively brief. Feminist therapy can be traced to the women’s movement of the 1960’s, a time when women began uniting their voices to express their dissatisfaction with the limiting and confining nature of traditional female roles. Feminist therapists believe gender is central to therapeutic practice, that understanding a client’s problems requires adopting a sociocultural perspective, and that empowerment of the individual and societal changes are crucial goals in therapy. The ultimate goal of feminist therapy is to create the kind of society where sexism and other forms of discrimination and oppression are no longer a reality.

How it relates to CSA: This type of therapy relates to student affairs in that encourages the awareness of gender, which is a prevalent issue. There are offices within student affairs such as ‘Women’s Resource Center’ to help contribute to the advocacy of women and to allow for awareness on a college campus. There might be students who are uncomfortable talking about this topic, yet it is important for student affairs professionals to help create an environment where students feel comfortable and are able to freely talk about a subject that might be avoided. It is vital to make both females and males aware of feminism and how it contributes to discrimination and oppression, and how being aware and advocating for one another can help eliminate this issue.

Video:  Feminist: The client says she feels so mad sometimes and then she hates that anger and how she will yell at one of her kids or it will be inappropriate or get mad about something dumb. She can’t figure out how it can be natural and normal it can all either come out mad which she doesn’t want or nothing. Her reaction to the kids is out of proportion, where is that reaction coming from. The client feels like if her whole life is getting things done for everyone else, she resented those feelings. Women find themselves in “powerlessness” I don’t feel like what I am doing is valued sometimes it’s not about what you are doing but it is about the culture. This relates to feminist theory, in that there is a lack of support in the system we live in regarding women, and using this approach to help women understand that what they are doing is meaningful and just as important as everyone else.

Chapter 13- Family Systems Therapy

Family systems therapy draws on systems thinking to view the family as an emotional unit. When applied to families, systems thinking—evaluating the parts of a system in relation to the whole—suggests that an individual’s behavior is informed by and inseparable from the functioning of his or her family of origin. Family systems therapy is based on Murray Bowen’s family systems theory, which holds that individuals are inseparable from their network of relationships. Like other psychoanalysts of his time, Murray Bowen was interested in creating more scientific and objective treatment processes as an alternative to conventional diagnostic frameworks and pathological language. Bowen believed that all therapists experienced challenges within their family of origin and that this awareness could help therapists normalize human behavior for their clients

How it relates to CSA: This type of therapy can be applied to student affairs in the way that students are coming to a completely new environment that might even seem foreign to them. When trying to become acclimated they will most likely seek out the comfort of family members to help acclimate them to their new surroundings. It is important when building rapport with the student that we ask about their family and the connections and ties they have with each family member. The student may have a strong relationship with his/her mother but have no relationship to his /her father and vice versa. Looking at the emotional connection between the relationships in a family is an important aspect of what shapes a student’s perceptions and how they develop.

Video: Family Systems: The client talks about how she feels that they just are not good for one another that she tends to blame him. She talks about how she wanted him to take care of his kids and for them to not get anything less than what they were used to getting. She felt that when she was looking for the moral support she needed it was not there. In this video it relates to family systems therapy because there is a challenge between her and the way the husband is financially helping the family. There may be different ways of looking at how the conflict can be resolved and the behavior is inseparable because it’s family.

 

 

Chapter 10 Cognitive Therapy & Chapter 11 Reality Therapy

Chapter 10 – Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy (CT) is a type of psychotherapy developed by American psychiatrist Aaron T. Beck. CT is one of the therapeutic approaches within the larger group of cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) and was first expounded by Beck in the 1960s. Cognitive therapy is based on the cognitive model, which states that thoughts, feelings and behavior are all connected, and that individuals can move toward overcoming difficulties and meeting their goals by identifying and changing unhelpful or inaccurate thinking, problematic behavior, and distressing emotional responses.

How it relates to CSA: Although I am not a certified counselor, to some students who begin to build relationships with me, I might be viewed as a counselor to them. In accepting this role, it is important for me to help the student identify why they might be experiencing negative thoughts that are unhelpful to their success. It might be a roommate issue, or an issue that arises from home. No matter what the issue might be, it is important to address the behavior, and figure out ways to control it. Along with this, it is important to reassure the student that although it might be stressful and this is a time of transition it will get better and having open communication of how they are thinking and feeling is what will benefit the student most.

Video: Cognitive: The counselor talks about cognitive being your thoughts and feelings. He talks about what is guiding the client, he is thinking about specific ways he views himself, the world, and other people. Specific ways in which he views alcohol. The biggest view is a “drifter” he thinks that as someone who can’t stay still. The issues that come to mind for the counselor is that the client works hard to escape problems and has a hard time committing. The client’s strategy is to try and escape (through alcohol and drugs). This pertains to college students as well who might present a drinking problem, if they are struggling in class they drink during the week and on the weekends to escape that problem.

Chapter 11- Reality Therapy

Reality therapy, developed by Dr. William Glasser, is founded on the principles of choice theory and has developed into a widely popular and recognized therapy form. Professionals in education, mental health, social services, and even parents have embraced the fundamentals of this therapy. Reality Therapy suggests that all human issues derive from a lack of fulfilling relationships with others. The goal of this therapy is to provide a connection for people, beginning with the therapist-client connection.

How it relates to CSA:When meeting with students, the degree of relationships will vary drastically. There may be students who just meet to go over grades, and then there will be students who disclose their entire life story to you the first time you meet. A student might come in to my office and will disclose that they are having trouble with their roommates, or with making friends. That they have a close-knit group of friends from home, and they have not found that at college. Reality therapy is an effective way to help the student realize that there are ways to ‘put yourself out there’ and to become engaged. As student affairs professionals we have many connections on campus, and many resources. So in order to help a student it would be important for us to tell them about activities and events. They might not get along great with their roommate, but there will be other student on their floor or in their classes that they will be able to connect with, it might just take some time.

Video: Reality Therapy: In the video the client talks about a high school reunion and how some people are out of shape and balding. The counselor wants the client to work on capitalize on the determination and spreading it, to add on to it. And the client says if he could feel larger than life on a daily basis that it would be great. The client talks about having his masters and that it is one less obstacle to deal with. I feel that this relates to reality therapy because the client is ultimately is lacking the fulfillment of relationships around him. That he is also trying to figure out what he wants to do, but still has not completed.

Chapter 8 Behavior Therapy & Chapter 9 Rationale Emotive Behavior Therapy

Chapter 8 – Behavior Therapy

Behavioral therapy is a form of therapy rooted in the principles of behaviorism. The school of thought known as behaviorism is focused on the idea that we learn from our environment. In behavioral therapy, the goal is to reinforce desirable behaviors and eliminate unwanted or maladaptive ones. The techniques used in this type of treatment are based on the theories of classical conditioning and operant conditioning.

One important thing to note about the various behavioral therapies is that unlike some other types of therapy that are rooted in insight (such as psychoanalytic and humanistic therapies), behavioral therapy is action based. Behavioral therapists are focused on using the same learning strategies that led to the formation of unwanted behaviors as well as other new behaviors. Because of this, behavioral therapy tends to be highly focused. The behavior itself is the problem, and the goal is to teach clients new behaviors to minimize or eliminate the issue. Old learning led to the development of a problem, and so the idea is that new learning can fix it.

How it relates to CSA: When talking to “at risk” student through my new assistantship position I will encounter a multitude of reasons why the student is at risk. They might have started here during summer session and were put on academic probation, but they might not have been in the classes that best suited them, or they did not click well with the professor. They might experience anxiety, or have been dealing with personal issues from home. All of these factors can contribute to the “at risk” aspect. But the real goal is to help the student learn new behaviors to eliminate the issue that caused them to do so poorly in summer session. Once they reflect back on what they did and change their behavior they can begin to start new habits to fix it.

Video: Behavior Therapy: They counselor starts off the video by saying “If you act like an addict you are one” and then the client says “If you believe in yourself without drugs or alcohol, that you can be successful.” The client says that he believes he can do anything he sets his mind to and the only thing that stops him is him. He then makes a chart of thoughts and beliefs that lead to addiction. And on the other side thoughts and beliefs leading to freedom from addiction. Some of these thoughts include the client’s circumstances (sensitivity, and idle time) the drugs make the client powerful and people hang around. Then the thoughts and beliefs that lead to freedom is going back to school, settle down, write a book, etc. The counselor says the theme is I am capable and I can. All of what was talked about in this video can be applied to a helping session. For example “things that lead to being academically unsuccessful” on the other side “thoughts and feelings that lead to success and happiness.”

Chapter 9 – Rationale Emotive Behavior Therapy

Rational emotive behavior therapy, also known as REBT, is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed by psychologist Albert Ellis. REBT is focused on helping clients change irrational beliefs. Ellis suggested that people mistakenly blame external events for unhappiness. He argued, however, that it is our interpretation of these events that truly lies at the heart of our psychological distress. To explain this process, Ellis developed what he referred to as the ABC Model: A – Activating Event: Something happens in the environment around you. B – Beliefs: You hold a belief about the event or situation. C – Consequence: You have an emotional response to your belief.

How it relates to CSA: I think this will be an effective type of therapy I can use on my interactions with students as I begin more in depth one on one interaction with students. I think the ABC model is straight forward and can be applied to all students across the spectrum. There is an event that takes place in the environment of the student (college, death, money). The student then holds a belief about the environment (they are uncomfortable, or they have no control). Then there is a consequence, because the student is dealing with all of this they respond in an emotional way. And it is our job as a student affairs professional to help the student the best we can, but then refer them to the resources when it is beyond our expertise.

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Chapter 6: Existential Theory Chapter 7: Gestalt Theory

Chapter 6 – Existential Therapy

Existential therapy or counseling is classified as a humanistic theory by Maslow due to its focus on helping people achieve their full potential in life. It is viewed more as an attitudinal or philosophical approach to counseling rather than a theory of therapy because it is loosely based on existential philosophy and it is not tied to any particular therapeutic technique. Broadly defined, existential therapy encourages clients to develop a full comprehension of their personal meaning of life and purpose of existence in the universe. It is suggested that a counselor develop his or her own personal style of counseling which is based primarily on one theoretical perspective. The American Counseling Association’s (ACA) Code of Ethics (2005) states that counselors should promote their clients’ personal growth and development, including development of healthy interpersonal relationships, while honoring the diversity of their clients’ cultural values. I chose existential therapy as my preferred theoretical base for counseling because this theory fits well with my personal style of counseling which includes the spiritual ‘12-step’ philosophy. Furthermore it is not tied to any particular therapeutic technique but does promote the collaborative therapeutic counseling relationship, which also promotes the clients’ personal growth and development, and helps clients resolve the ultimate struggle of determining their personal meaning (purpose) of life.

How it relates to CSA: This type of therapy relates to student affairs because it relies heavily on getting the client to achieve their full potential in life. It also puts a focus on the development of healthy interpersonal relationships in which the students will be creating as soon as they step foot on campus, with their roommates, community advisors, professors, and other various subjects on campus. If there is a lack of interpersonal communication and confidence in a student this can hinder their experience as a first year student, and contribute to a lack of success.

Video: Existential: The client talks about what she wants to do now. She wants to be a better Mom, she wants to continue spending time with her family which is her mom her dad sister and two brothers and niece. She wants to continue to give in her relationship with her friends since they have done a lot for her. There is a possibility that she wants to get her PhD. She wants to communicate better in her relationships and to tell how she feels. This all relates to the existential philosophy of developing an understanding of their personal meaning and direction in life and that it is important to have strong interpersonal relationships.

Chapter 7 – Gestalt Therapy

In Gestalt Therapy the focus lies on the process of a person’s contacting and withdrawing from contact with his or her human and ecological environment as well as on the awareness of this process. Gestalt Therapy assumes that psychological disorders stem from needs, wishes, emotions and mental fixations of which they are not aware and which haven‘t been brought forth as a contact target. In the psychotherapist-patient relationship, disturbances in a person’s awareness and perception, in contact abilities, modes of action and integration of experiences in the here-and-now are discovered and worked through. The therapeutic relationship is a dialogic process. The patient’s own disturbing experiences (e.g. blocks, fixations, blind spots and split-off aspects of the personality) are brought to awareness with the help of the therapist’s immediate reactions. This is a mutual effort and both therapist and patient are involved in the emotional resonance, reflection and working through processes. This encounter is present-centered. The here-and now principle of Gestalt Therapy emphasizes the phenomenological orientation of our psychotherapeutic interventions. Relational blocks of the past will be re-enacted in the present, in the here-and-now therapeutic relationship with the aim of re-owning a previously unsuccessful intentionality of contact. Therefore the here-and-now principle is in effect focused on the transition between now and next, on the deliberateness which is implied in the present.

How it relates to CSA: A student might approach me and may be telling me about an experience that is very personal to them, it might take me a few times meeting with the student to realize that they have blocked certain aspects of the situation out of their mind. It is important for me to realize that there is a mutual effort between me helping the student, and the student giving me the feedback I need in order to assess the situation and to begin to develop a plan. It is important to re-visit the past only when necessary by focusing on where they were to where they are now.

Video: Gestalt: She is having a reaction to what her mother is saying. She asks her if there is anything she would like to say to her mother about what is going on. She says she wanted her mother to be pleased with her for more than just because she was good, that it wasn’t because she was the one who was getting into trouble or fighting with her. She said her job is to give up her life to please her mother. This relates to the theory in that the client was fixated on trying to be please her mother her entire life and that was her wish.

Chapter 4: Individual Psychology & Chapter 5: Person-Centered Therapy

Chapter 4: Individual Psychology

Alfred Adler’s individual psychology presents an optimistic view of people while resting heavily on the notion of social interest, that is, a feeling of oneness with all humankind. Adler saw people as being motivated mostly by social influences and the striving for superiority or success. Adler believed that people are largely responsible for who they are. Adler’s notion that present behavior is shaped by people’s view of the future. Adler believed that psychologically healthy people are aware of what they are doing and why they are doing it.

The one dynamic force behind people’s behavior is the striving for success or superiority

People’s subjective perceptions shape their behavior and personality

Personality is unified and self-consistent

The value of all human activity must be seen from the viewpoint of social interest

The self-consistent personality structure develops into a person’s style of life

Style of life is molded by people’s creative power

Adler wrote, "Every individual represents a unity of personality and the individual then fashions that unity. The individual is thus both the picture and the artist. Therefore if one can change one's concept of self, they can change the picture being painted." His Individual Psychology is based on a humanistic model of man.

How it relates to CSA: When working with students as a student affairs professional, I feel that this theory will come into play quite often. As students arrive on campus and begin to get adjusted to college life, they have a desire to succeed. If the student begins to struggle, or is not confident in knowing what major to choose, or what career they see themselves pursuing, it would be helpful to use this theory to consistently make them aware of what they are doing and why they are doing it. If there is a disconnect between these two concepts it will be difficult for the student and for the student affairs professional to figure out what direction is best for the student to follow.

Video: Adlerian: In this video the therapist asks the client about external influences and he reassured the client by saying that, it has to be something you ‘tap inside of you’. The therapist says he has a hunch that the client knows what to do, which is finish his PhD. This relates to student affairs in that student might encounter a multitude of external influences but they need to realize that it is the intrinsic motivation, and the internal influence that will help guide the student to success, and out of the problem they are facing. If there is an end goal, whether it is to maintain a certain GPA throughout college, or to be on dean’s list. Whatever the goal might be, it’s reassuring the student that the goals they set need to be attainable and if they are then the external influences will have no way of getting in the way.

Chapter 5: Person-Centered Therapy

A humanistic theory—each of us has a natural potential that we can actualize and through which we can find meaning. Shares with existentialism a focus on respect and trust for the client.

Develop openness to new experiences, trust in themselves, internal source of evaluation, and willingness to continue growing.

A major aspect of person-centered therapy is the belief that the therapist should not chose the goals of the client, but instead help the client define and clarify their own goals.

Goals should be expected to change as the client progresses through counseling.

The relationship between client and therapist is everything in person-centered therapy.

The relationship is characterized by equality.

The therapist need not have any special skills or knowledge.

Diagnosis and collecting background history is not necessary.

How it relates to CSA: I will be working in academic advising this coming fall, and one of my responsibilities is to have one-on-one meetings with students throughout the semester. This is a theory in which I will be using because it focuses on goal setting. The student will have their first meeting with me, and we will be able to set goals; personal goals and academic goals that are realistic and attainable. We will converse and figure out what they project their GPA to be at the end of the semester, and as the weeks go by I will check in to see if the progress is being made. The rapport I build with the student will become essential as it will allow for the student to be comfortable disclosing information, and to be honest when setting goals.

Video: Person-centered: The client was laughing when asked a question, he said he likes to sleep to avoid things to make it go away. The client it is easier for him to avoid it then to say anything because that is the way he was brought up, maybe it had to do with football. The counselor then asks if it is rooted in family, culture or religious. He said definitely not religious but the client was told to communicate, although it is easier for him to not communicate than to communicate. This relates to student affairs situations in which a student might not feel comfortable communicating, and might be “stuck in their ways” but once I build rapport, they might slowly begin to disclose information and begin to feel more comfortable communicating.

Chapter 5: Person-Centered Therapy