Been awhile, hey?
Sorry 'bout that. Life has been stupidly busy. Now it's slowing down and I'm getting happier...or I've just maladapted well. Either way.
So, in studying for my Personality midterm, I've discovered that I am an existential-phenomenological psychotherapist. How's that for a mouthful? I am "existential" in the same way Rollo May was; the important thing in therapy is not being scientific or scientistic, but rather focusing on the person as a whole being. I am "phenomenological" in that as a therapist, I will have to help people deal with the real world in the way clients experience it, much like Carl Rogers does in his client-centred theory.
I'm not a psychoanalyst like Freud was, but rather a psychtherapist, because I believe that people are capable of changing their points of view without regressing to the oral or anal stage to discover what is wrong with them. I believe that, given the right set of circumstances (the major one of which is the desire to change), anyone can facilitate change within themselves. Those circumstances follow very closely (in fact, they are) Rogers' Conditions for Change:
1) Empathy: This is necessary, but limited. The therapist must see the world as if they were the client, but not lose the "as if".
2) Acceptance: This is so that there are no conditions of worth placed on the client. The idea here is that the client will feel free to discuss all matters with the therapist.
3) Genuineness: Rogers says here that the client is not an idiot. They will be able to tell if you're "faking it".
By doing these three things, the therapist is modeling a "good human being", and (while change cannot be guaranteed) will aid the changing process.
Sheesh, hey? That's what I thought, too. Believe me - it goes on and on and on. But I love it, so it's what I do.
So, in studying for my Personality midterm, I've discovered that I am an existential-phenomenological psychotherapist. How's that for a mouthful? I am "existential" in the same way Rollo May was; the important thing in therapy is not being scientific or scientistic, but rather focusing on the person as a whole being. I am "phenomenological" in that as a therapist, I will have to help people deal with the real world in the way clients experience it, much like Carl Rogers does in his client-centred theory.
I'm not a psychoanalyst like Freud was, but rather a psychtherapist, because I believe that people are capable of changing their points of view without regressing to the oral or anal stage to discover what is wrong with them. I believe that, given the right set of circumstances (the major one of which is the desire to change), anyone can facilitate change within themselves. Those circumstances follow very closely (in fact, they are) Rogers' Conditions for Change:
1) Empathy: This is necessary, but limited. The therapist must see the world as if they were the client, but not lose the "as if".
2) Acceptance: This is so that there are no conditions of worth placed on the client. The idea here is that the client will feel free to discuss all matters with the therapist.
3) Genuineness: Rogers says here that the client is not an idiot. They will be able to tell if you're "faking it".
By doing these three things, the therapist is modeling a "good human being", and (while change cannot be guaranteed) will aid the changing process.
Sheesh, hey? That's what I thought, too. Believe me - it goes on and on and on. But I love it, so it's what I do.
posted by psychdude | 16:58
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