Psychology Homework Help

Reply to 2 classmates for each forum. You must explain briefly (200-250 words) why you agree or disagree with your classmate’s view. Your replies must be in response to classmates who answered a different question than you and significantly add to the discussion. Include a biblical worldview. You are required to include at least one reference in each reply. Remember to use APA formatting.

Share with your fellow students what you found most interesting in studying the different theories, which ones made the most sense to you and why, and how they can be applied in your professional pursuits. Simply discuss which theories seem most intriguing for your further study and why. Share the highlights and key aspects you took away from the course.

I am a behavioral counselor who works with elementary age children who suffers from cognitive, emotional, behavioral actions.

Classmate 1:Tracy-Throughout these past few weeks, we have learned many counseling theories and techniques. All have some aspects I believe a Christian counselor can integrate into their counseling sessions. Currently, at work, we use many techniques that are cognitive therapy or REBT. I personally don’t care for cognitive therapies much, however their techniques to work with our population. The basic purposes and goals of REBT and Christianity are different. The goal of cognitive therapy is to help people feel and function better on their own terms, the goal of Christianity is growing in holiness and becoming Christ-like as defined by God. (Jones & Butman, 2011, p. 233) Even though I learned that we can integrate a Christian world view, I worry when therapies emphasize that the person themselves is all that matters. As a Christian I understand that God is ultimately in control of my life. And, everyone in my life, God being first is important when I make decisions. 

The company I work for is a person-centered company. For the population we work with, it is a great therapy. This therapy’s goal is self-awareness. The counselor comes from a place of love, not judging. Another consideration is the genuineness of person-centered therapy can be compared to God’s desire for us to be authentic.  I feel that person centered therapy integrated with Christian Beliefs can be a good source when working with clients. 

For the conceptualization paper, I found that I really would like to use the narrative therapy. The counselor, Jim, used the skills we are all being taught, like minimal encouragers, paraphrasing, summarizing, and reflecting feeling. He asked a lot of questions in a way that encouraged Helen to think and reframe her thoughts. Now Helen’s relationship with her problems were the problem with the narrative therapy reflective influence questioning (Murdock, 2017, p. 489). This externalization led to Helen naming her worries. I loved naming the emotion to externalize. I believe with my case it would be a great therapy for my client to discover his answers if he could name his worries. I also think the letters to reinforce therapy and summarize the latest session would be good idea for my client. (Murdock, 2017, p. 495) The letters could be read throughout the week which would allow the client to use this resource between sessions when needed. 

References

Jones, S. L., & Butman, R. E. (2011). Modern Psychotherapies: A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Murdock, N. (2017). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Case Approach. Upper Saddle Creek, NJ: Pearson.

Classmate 2: Raven- CT is best characterized as adaptive behavior-based around three goals: survival, resources of conservation/expansion and reproduction (Murdock, 2017). The CT theory was launched from the recognition of automatic thoughts. This theory made the most sense to me and is a theory I could apply during my professional pursuits. The techniques used in this theory are straight forward and versatile i.e. automatic thoughts. Automatic thoughts are “brief, fleeting thoughts that are relevant to personal problems without reflection or deliberation” (Murdock, 2017). During AT’s the client is more focused on the emotion (sadness, anxiousness) then the feeling itself. We all can be fine one moment and then something triggers a memory and we suddenly feel a feeling. We focus more on the sadness or even the happiness and less about the memory itself. Those that are suffering from depression can greatly benefit from recognizing the emotion and viewing it in a more effective way to lessen the negative emotion and process more positive ones. This course allowed me to see those with emotional and mental illnesses, from different perspectives. I learned the different techniques that my future clients may benefit from and as a mental health case manager, I have a deeper understanding of the theories used for them during their therapy sessions. 

Individual therapy is focused on helping the patient listen to and understand his or her thinking and how this thinking is influenced by their personal, cultural, religious and social schema (Freeman & Urschel, 1997). Today’s society is filled with negative and some positive presumed notions and expectations. One’s thoughts can become cloudy and dysfunctional when their path is uncertain. IP could help my future clients to see through society’s influences and find their path in life.

References

Freeman, A., & Urschel, J. (1997). Individual psychology and cognitive behavior therapy: A cognitive therapy perspective. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 11(3), 165-179. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/89071137?accountid=12085

Murdock, Nancy. Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy. N.p.: Library of Congress Publication, 2017. https://etext.pearson.com/eplayer/pdfbook?bookid=101994&platform=1030&scenario=1&invoketype=et1&page.