Counseling Setting:
Provide a summary of the clients, agency, and services provided. If applicable, describe the agency or site supervisor’s theoretical orientation.
The counseling setting is private practice in Midway, Georgia called Coastal Family Counseling. The agency is run by an established a clinical social worker. The services provided treat a multiple disorders, but the area of focus is trauma, PTSD, and mood disorders like major depression and bipolar disorder. The site super visor’s main theoretical orientation is emotionally focused therapy, but like many in the mental health field use other theories. She also uses the orientation of Cognitive Behavior and EMDR. The use of EMDR is becoming more and more common because it can …show more content…
Justify how your theoretical approach explains wellness, positive growth, and change, development issues, challenges, and problems in general. (NOTE: If you are oriented to more than one theory, you must integrate the theories, and you must explain how you organize and synthesize various elements.) Please cite the original theorist to justify the theoretical approach (e.g., Rogers for person-centered, Jean Baker-Miller for relational cultural theory, Ellis for REBT, Bowlby/Ainsworth for attachment, etc.). Include primary resources, cited details.
The two theories used the most with clients are psychodynamic and gestalt. These come from two different schools of thought, but can be used together to help the client understand their unconscious drives and have knowledge of any patterns that keeping them from being whole unit. Psychodynamic theory was developed by Sigmund Freud and is based off psychoanalytic theory. The theory is distinct from psychoanalytic since there is no emphasize on dream anaylsis or the psychosexual theories, but conveying awareness to the individual progression in childhood with the use of free association. In using this theory the individual can see and understand their inner struggles. The intention of this theory is "exposing the cause of the dysfunctional behavior, a retroactive reaction to earlier life experiences, thereby resolving anxious or …show more content…
This theory encompasses the understanding that individuals do want to be whole and that any of the client’s unfinished business keeps all their parts from being whole. This theory is based in the here and now by identifying themes that are an essential element of the change process. This means understanding the individual's past in order to provide growth. In the process of change, “The purpose is for the client to discover, explore, and experience his or her own shape, pattern, and wholeness, and to integrate all of his or separate parts “(Capuzzi & Gross, 2011, P. 176). In bringing separate parts together, the individual improves their insight into their life to achieve change. Individuals can use free association used in psychodynamic and with the unfinished business of gestalt to help the client go where they want in session, but then help the client recognize the areas in which they become stuck. In doing so the client recognizes reality without the counselor trying to have them go to certain subjects if they are not