...The expression “I feel depressed” is used normally as a throwaway comment when we are feeling sad or miserable. Normally these feeling will pass us by, and we then continue with our everyday life without another thought. But what if these feeling didn’t disappear over time? What happens when these start to interfere with our everyday life? What if the enviorment around us is the major cause of depression? It’s not really hard to believe when you think about it as we are faced with mass unemployment, and a recession which can put heavy strain on even the most balanced of individuals and their interpersonal relationships around them. There are many interpersonal instances that can have the ability to lead to the onset of depression, such as the family environment, the socialization setting, and the discrimination against gender in certain cultures and instances. Depression has many brothers and sisters in the medical world, ranging from disorders such as Dysthymia, postnatal depression and in some extreme cases of depression such as Bio polar, and major depression (Unipolar). But no matter what the diagnosis is or how serious the depression is, depression is not trivial and is a real health condition contrary to what some people believe. It is not something that you can just snap out of and more importantly it is not a sign of weakness. For many people depression can affect them in different ways to other people with the same condition but normally the symptoms are similar...
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...Ester1 James Ester Dr. Jordan Alexander Psyc 101 25 April 2011 There are five general perspectives on human behavior: biological, learned, social and cultural, cognitive and psychodynamic. These perspectives aid in revealing how relationships begin, develop, and are maintained through the course of a loving relationship. All five behaviors, when studied, play a role in how a healthy relationship works which can maintain itself and stand the course of time. Of course for every positive there is always a negative, thus if some of the five general perspectives are lacking this can also lead to a toxic or negative relationship. As I look back over the past thirteen years of marriage between my wife and myself I can see clearly how each perspective can help to maintain, or lack there of, destroy a relationship. I remember the first time I met my wife. It was in the sixth grade, english class, we shared our first words. As any typical sixth grade boy I poked and made fun of her to hide the awkwardness of situation. You see, I thought she was cute but at such a young age I was only able to express this feeling with four eye jokes. As the year went by the feelings subsided and my parents bought a new house which resided outside the school district. At the end of the year we moved away and I thought I would never see her again but life had other plans for us. “The biological perspective...
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...Contributions to Society For each of the 5 approaches from AS you must know 2 ways in which it has contributed (been useful) to society. For Child, Criminology and Clinical you must know one contribution from each. For many of the approaches this can be therapies that are used for treating different behaviours. Social 1. Understanding Prejudice · Social approach helps us to understand why prejudice occurs. · SIT explains that prejudice occurs by simply belonging to a group– we belong to an in group and those not part of this are considered the out group. We categorise into these groups and identify with in group members by the beliefs we have and what we wear. In order to make our in group look good we display in group favouritism and show a preference for our in group and seeing their behaviours in a positive light. The behaviour of the out group we put down, and this boosts the in group self-esteem. · Realistic conflict theory suggests prejudice between groups occurs when there is competition for resources, and that it is not simply belonging to a group. This can explain why many groups can live alongside each other in harmony, which SIT cannot explain. · An example of SIT in action is football fans as they categorise themselves into teams e.g. either Man U or Chelsea and wear team colours e.g. red or blue. When these teams play they will call the fans of the rival team names to raise their own teams self-esteem. · Prejudice can account for a...
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...Evaluating Psychodynamic psychotherapy Posted March 10, 2006 by Yousif Al Saif • Updated March 13, 2006 Sigmund Freud is one of the founding fathers of modern psychology. He started his work in psychiatry after finishing his medical training in Vienna. He was taught in Paris by one of the most influential psychiatrist in his time Charcot. Charcot tackled hysteria by using hypnosis as a treatment technique. Freud, however, thought that hypnosis is not an effective treatment approach to hysteria and decided to pursue another approach. He later adopted a method of treatment called "free association" where the client says whatever comes to his/her mind and used the resulting stream of strong conscious emotions as a helpful way to his patients (McLeod, 1998). Freud also used dream analysis as a way to enter the subconscious and unveil the suppressed thoughts and memories of patients (Freud, 1900). He also noted key psychotherapeutic phenomenons such as the client-therapist’s “transference” and “counter-transference” and the client’s “resistance”. Freud theories went through considerable modification by the neo-Freudians such as Carl Jung, Otto Rank, and Alfred Adler. Now some psychotherapists base their work broadly on Freud’s work but mainly on neo-Freudians which is called the psychodynamic approach to psychotherapy. The psychodynamic approach gives great importance to childhood experiences and believes that the client’s psychological problems are a direct result of these experiences...
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...Analyze Psychodynamic Theories The psychodynamic approach “views schizophrenia as the result of the disintegration of the ego. It is the ego’s job to keep control of the id’s impulses and strike a compromise between the demands of the id and the moral restrictions of the superego” (Sammons). According to the Freud, “some types of abnormal upbringing (particularly if there is a cold, rejecting ‘schizogonic’ mother) can result in a weak and fragile ego, whose ability to contain the id’s desires is limited” (Sammons) This can lead to the ego being ‘broken apart’ by its attempt to contain the id, leaving the id in control of the psyche. If the ego is broken apart, the person can lose contact with reality and would not distinguish themselves from others and fantasies. They would not be distinguishing reality from fantasy. Some disorder of childhood consists of learning disorders, ADHD, and conduct disorder. With learning disorders, they are helped by identifying the issue and coming up with techniques that can help the problem at hand. Children are encouraged to devise new technique that can help them address the problem. The psychodynamic theory has proven to be effective in many cases. The textbook states that the psychodynamic theory tries to rule out the symptoms of a child before diagnosing the child with ADHD. Psychodynamic theorist will notice that the symptoms will occur in response to overwhelming events. Psychodynamic theorists focus on trying to find the source of distress...
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...Brief Psychodynamic Therapy This paper deals with my preference for Brief Time Limited Treatment vs. open ended treatment vs. open-ended or extended treatment. If I were to enter counseling I would prefer this treatment because it deals with the presenting problem quickly and would not require me to continue to come back and stay in treatment for an extended period of time. I am a person who prefers to deal with the problem head on and not draw it out through continue discussion of my family background and how this effects me today. I feel that this type of treatment promotes mindfulness and keeping me focused on what is pertinent in my life. However, the obvious limitations of this type of therapy would be that in the future I would not be able to engage in counseling again without changing therapist. I would have to start again perhaps, with a new therapist with whom I have no rapport and who is not familiar with my case. Open-Ended treatment would allow me to discontinue treatment when necessary such as during a latent period in my life. When a life crisis arises again I could start back up with a therapist who would understand my case and history without having to repeat these details again. Limitations with this type of therapy would be that there is no formal set goal of termination. I feel that this is so necessary as I have experience so many clients who are dependent on their case managers and clinicians to make most decisions in their life. Extended therapy...
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...Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling WAES April 07 The Case Study Introduction The purpose of this case study is to show process during the time I saw this client at Southwark Bereavement Care. In it I intend to focus on how the psychodynamic approach that I used with my client was effective and helped my client to have an understanding of the way he relates to people and to himself. For this I will cover the first 3 sessions and explore my thoughts on the process. The setting Southwark Bereavement Care is a short term, free counselling service offered to people living in the London borough of Southwark who have been bereaved. It offers weekly one to one sessions up to twelve weeks. This can be extended for a few more weeks in individual cases where both counsellor and supervisor agree it would be beneficial for client. Group supervision is provided by the agency fortnightly. The agency is based on the first floor of an office building in a residential area of south London. Clients are seen in a room towards the back of the house, which is quiet and dimly lit, with 2 sofas and a little table where there is a water filter and a box of tissues. There isn’t a waiting area and part of the contract that counsellors discuss with clients and request them not to turn up for session earlier than their allocated time. This has proven to be challenging at times when clients arrive early and counsellors have to let them in and use the waiting area that belongs...
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...believe that all humans are a sum of their life experience. Every single sound, touch, taste, smell, and emotion that our bodies and souls have ever experienced is a unique part of who we are as individuals, positively and negatively. For this reason I think the sociocultural and the psychodynamic views are a good place to start. I would like to first say that biological explanations for dependency should always be considered when assessing a possible cause(s) and medication should be prescribed in conjunction with other types of therapies if needed. The sociocultural view asserts that people are more likely to use drugs or alcohol to escape the stresses in their life, or perhaps grew up in families where drug and alcohol use is accepted and/or common. Sociocultural treatments include self-help groups such as AA/NA, culture and gender sensitive treatment groups, as well as community prevention programs. Comer, (2011). In the psychodynamic view, people who turn to substance abuse have an excessive dependency needs that can be traced back to childhood. They believe that by maladaptive thinking due to past events or trauma have a direct affect on the way people cope with life. Some psychodynamic theorists also believe that certain people have a predisposition to substance-abuse. Freud and others assert the way we feel, what motivates us, and our decisions are strongly influenced by our past experiences. These impulses and are...
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...Aspects of Psychology Unit 1 SSCI206-1205A-21 Dr. Joanna Oestmann American Intercontinental University – Online November 18, 2012 Abstract This paper is going to discuss three of the various perspectives of psychology. It is going to explain their origins, how they are practiced, and have evolved over time. As with any form of science, there are many different theories and perspectives to Psychology. Among these forms are Cognitive, Functionalism, Psychodynamic and many others but the three that are considered to be the 'forces' of psychology are Behaviorism, Humanistic and Psychoanalysis. The Humanistic approach began as a movement in the 1950's meant to take a healthy, or holistic, method to understanding the nature of what it is to be human. This perspective addresses values important to humans: love, compassion, creativity, etc. It is considered the third force of Psychology, the first being Behaviorism and the second being Psychoanalysis. The founders of the Humanistic theory were Abraham Maslov and Carl Rogers. They concerned themselves with the psychological well-being of a person, it focused on being able to realize your full potential or 'self-actualization'. This concept had a huge impact on psychology as we know it today because it concerned itself with areas of human behavior that other theories ignored. "The humanistic perspective values the integrity of each individual" (Editorial Board, 2011). It is believed that you could lose yourself because...
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...something people can share and relate to with one another. According to Allport, “Personality is about what is unique to the individual, but it is also about what is shared across people” (Allport, 1962). Although there are several approaches to the personality analysis, this paper will specifically focus on the psychodynamic, humanistic and existential approaches. This paper will compare and contrast these theories, explore the characteristics that accompany these theories, and explain the interpersonal relational aspects associated with these particular theories. Psychodynamic Theory The theory of psychodynamics is the basic study of all psychological abilities that place an influence on human behavior (Feist & Feist, 2009). This may especially include the compelling relationships among the motivation of the conscious and unconscious, which were the ideas of Sigmund Freud. Although Freud established the ideas of “psychodynamics” to explain the mind flow of the libido, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, and Melanie Klein should also be accredited for laying the foundation for the psychodynamic theory (Wikipedia Foundation, Inc., 2011). The ideas behind psychodynamics are often divided into two sections. The first is the interaction of emotional forces, which is the correlation between the emotional and motivational impulses...
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...world and since no two people experience the world in the exact same way the definition of normal varies from person to person and culture to culture. In this paper we will examine the field of abnormal psychology, a few common disorders, and the varying methods of therapy from the differing psychological schools of thought. Normal vs. Abnormal Psychology “Defining what is abnormal depends on how one first defines what is normal” (Davis & Buskist, 2008, p. 237). Psychology in general terms is the study of the mind. We study mental processes and human behavior to better understand the human condition. In trying to study the mind and understand the processes of thought there is much overlap from other disciplines; to fully understand behavior we must gain an understanding of all that goes into the process. There are biological, neurological, and evolutionary components to cognition and reaction. There is also a strong philosophical aspect to appreciating the idiosyncrasies of human behavior. In modern psychology there are four main schools of thought: psychodynamic, behaviorist, cognitive, and evolutionary (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Psychodynamic theory is based on emotions (subconscious) dictating behavior. Behaviorists believe that environmental stimuli are the starting place of behavior. Cognitive theorists take a more biologic approach by looking at brain function (cognition and perception) as the key to understanding the mind. Evolutionary proponents assert that human...
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...301.7 Antisocial Personality Disorder Diagnostic criteria “A. There is a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three (or more) of the following: B. The individual is at least age 18 years. C. There is evidence of conduct disorder with onset before age 15 years. D. The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of schizophrenia or a manic episode.” (Psychiatric News) Description Antisocial personality disorder is a condition characterized by repetitive behavioral, patterns that are contrary to usual moral, ethical standards, and cause a person to experience continuous conflict with society. Signs of Antisocial personality disorder include aggression, callousness, impulsiveness, irresponsibility, hostility, a low frustration level, marked emotional immaturity, and poor judgment. A person who has this disorder overlooks the rights of others, is incapable of loyalty to others or to social values, is unable to experience guilt or to learn from past behaviors, is impervious to punishment, and tends to rationalize his or her behavior or to blame it on others. “Antisocial personality disorder, also known as psychopathic personality or sociopathic personality often brings a person into conflict with society as a consequence of a pattern of behavior that is amoral and unethical. Complications that might arise from having this disorder include: frequent imprisonment for...
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...course of time, two of those theories of personality are called psychoanalytical and humanistic theories. This paper will further explain each of them, their strengths and limitations, their assumption, amongst other crucial factors for each approach. Psychodynamic Theories Various psychologists contributed to the formation of psychodynamic theories of personality including Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, Karen Horney, Melanie Klein, Harry S. Sullivan, along with others, yet one of the most influential psychologists in psychodynamic theories was Sigmund Freud. While Freud’s theories were later changed or dismissed, his ideas and research were used by many others and have greatly influenced society as it is currently known; moreover his psychoanalytic theory was the original and primary psychodynamic theory which was adjusted by some of his followers previously mentioned. According to McLeod (2007), the psychodynamic approach see human functioning based upon the interaction of drives and forces within the person, particularly unconscious, and between the different structures of the personality. Basic and Underlying Assumptions There are specific principles and beliefs in which each personality theory is based on. The psychodynamic theory assumes that human behavior and feelings are vigorously...
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...Therapy Laura Carranza Armanda Meadows Quoc Nguyen Andrea Sanchez Julann Wygal PSY/300 May 8, 2012 Mary Madrigal PhD Abnormal Psychology and Therapy The purpose of this paper is to discuss abnormal psychology and therapy. First this paper will define what abnormal psychology is. Then this paper will compare and contrast normal and abnormal psychology. Then the paper will examine at least two mental disorders from the perspective of psychology. Next the paper will examine two mental illnesses from the perspective of psychology. Finally the paper will discuss the similarities and difference among two different therapies in the schools of thought in psychology for treating mental disorders. Normal and Abnormal Psychology Normal vs. Abnormal Psychology The study of "normal" psychology is simply the study of someone who is in good health both mentally and physically. Said person adheres to and is responsive to social norms, and engages in activities that are socially acceptable and do not stray from the norm. Normal psychology is the study of the mind and the study of behavior. When unusual patterns of behavior, thought and emotion are studied, it falls under the branch of psychology called Abnormal psychology. The control and understanding of behavior that is considered to be deviant or aberrant either statistically or morally, has been the subject of much research and debate. Psychologists who focus on abnormal psychology identify the different causes of various conditions...
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...COUNSELLING? LECTURER: PASTOR OWINO PSYCHOANALYTIC THERAPY Sigmund Freud is credited as the founder of psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic theory. There have been a multitude of variations that have evolved and the term most often used to broadly encompass these approaches is "Psychodynamic." Terms such as: neurosis, conflict, attachment, object relations, unconscious, defense mechanisms, id, ego, superego, drives, libido, transference, counter-transference, and countless more have emerged from this approach. Some of the major approaches within the psychodynamic category are: Psychoanalysis (Sigmund Freud), Adlerian Psychotherapy (Alfred Adler), Analytical Psychotherapy(Carl Jung), Object Relations (Mahler, Winnicott, Fairbairn, Klein, Gutrip, Kernberg and others), and Self Psychology (Heinz Kohut). Freud's original theories were based on the conflicts that he believed were at the core of human existence. These conflicts emerge from attempts to reconcile our biological selves with our social selves. Aspects of these conflicts are unconscious and influence our behavior without our awareness. Psychodynamic therapies work to make the unconscious conscious so that we can have greater insight into our needs and behavior and therefore more control over how we allow these conflicts to affect us. His therapy explores the dynamic workings of a mind understood to consist of three parts: the hedonistic id , the rational...
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