Exam 2: Psychodynamic therapy, TLDP, and Person centered therapy Flashcards
theoretical orientation (part of psychodynamic theory)
a counselors philosophy about how problems develop and how these problems can be addressed through counseling ⇒ if you go into counseling/graduate school you will always be asked this
- many psychologists use integrative theoretical approaches
psychoanalysis
the original talk therapy that Freud practiced
psychodynamic therapy
based on some but not all of Freud’s ideas
who was Freud?
- 1856-1939
- earned MD at age 26
- Developed psychoanalysis and its core concept
- Considered the inventor of talk therapy
- Based his theory on father figures and guilt inducing child rearing ⇒ model emerged when authority is expected
what are the freudian views of human nature? (2)
- deterministic
- stage based
deterministic view of human nature
our behavior is determined by irrational forces, unconscious motivations, biological drives, and sexual drives
stage based view of human nature
normally personality development is based on successful resolution and integration of psychosexual stage of development
- If you don’t move to the next phase it will likely cause problems for you overtime
- Deterministic and stage based
stages of human nature according to freudian views
oral (0-1), anal (1-3), phallic (3-6), latency (6-12), and genital (12+)
if all childhood stages are completed according to Freuds stage based model, then how should an adult behave? Which stages are the most important?
the pearson should be sexually matured and mentally healthy
- 1-3 are the most important
what are the 3 structural models of personality? (Freud)
- ID
- Superego
- Ego
what is your id?
it satisfies personal desires and uses pleasure principle
- No organization, where instincts originate
- Not logical or moral ⇒ functions in a persons unconscious
what is your superego?
represents parental values and societal standards ⇒ the ego ideal
- A person’s moral compass ⇒ the ideal person and strives for perfection
- Traditional ideals of society passed down from parents to children as an internalization
what is your ego?
mediates the Id-superego relationship and gives us the reality principle (self)
- Balances the needs between instincts and external environment
- Formulate plans to meet what needed
how does Freud divide the mind?
conscious and unconscious
unconscious mind definition (according to Freud)
can never be observed or studied directly but inferred by behavior
- Contains the Id
- Dream, free association, etc.
- Outside the sphere of conscious control for needs
- Important part of peoples development
conscious mind definition (according to Freud)
our thoughts and perceptions
preconscious mind definition (according to Freud)
contains our memories and stored knowledge
- superego and ego
how do problems develop according to psychodynamic theory?
conflict among the id, ego, and superego which creates anxiety
anxiety according to Freud
a feeling of dread that results from repressed feelings, memories, desires
- Overused defense mechanism ⇒ not healthy
- Getting stuck/fixated in an early psychosexual stage
- Can motivate us to action as well
ego defense mechanism
normal behaviors which operate on an unconscious level and tend to deny or distort reality
what are the 3 parts of the ego defense mechanism?
- Help the individual cope with anxiety and prevent the ego from being overwhelmed
- says we are not prepared enough for problems or emotional difficulties
- Have adaptive value if they do not become a persistent way to avoid life issues
examples of ego defense mechanisms (8)
- repression
- denial
- reaction formation
- projection
- displacement
- sublimation
- regression
- rationalization
repression
unconscious exclusion of distressing and painful thoughts
denial
refusing to see or accept problems ⇒ stronger than repression
reaction formation
expressing the opposite of one’s true impulse
projection
attributing to others unacceptable desires ⇒ project what you think to another person (such as a partner)
displacement
directing energy towards a safe target
- Ex: Your boss makes you angry at work, but you cannot lose your temper, so when you go back home you yell at your family
sublimation
modifying a drive to acceptable social behavior
- Ex: being really angry at work so you go to the gym ⇒ most acceptable behavior for managing anger
regression
going back to an earlier phase of development due to fear ⇒ more common in transition stage
- Ex: a freshman who is homesick brings their stuffed animal for comfort
rationalization
justification by intellectual reasoning
how does change occur according to psychodynamic theory?
- Restructure personality
- Strengthen the ego so that behavior is based more on reality - Develop new insights
- Make the unconscious conscious
- Assumption that increasing knowledge will lead to changes in behavior - Identify and correct old, non functioning patterns of behavior
psychoanalytic phenomena (3)
- transference
- countertransference
- resistance
transference
the projection of past significant others onto the therapist
- The client will react to the therapist because they remind them of someone
- Affects how they respond to the therapist
countertransference
the therapists projection of feelings and emotions onto the clients
- Reaction by the therapist on the client because they remind them of someone
- May work against the material worked on in the sessions
resistance
working against what we resist to talk about or think about
psychoanalytic techniques (6)
- Maintaining the analytic framework
- Analysis of resistance
- Analysis of transference
- Free association
- Interpretation
- Dream analysis
what is maintaining the analytic framework?
provide consist framework for therapy
- Trying to be as consistent and neutral as possible
what is analysis of resistance?
helping the client become more aware of reasons for resistance
- Exploring anticipated anxiety in personal disclosure
what is analysis of transference
therapist analyzes how the client is projecting onto them and how that relates to their development and relationship functioning
- Makes the process go from unconscious to conscious
what is free association?
client recalls feelings or thought so they express unconscious aspects of their mind
what is interpretation?
therapist points out, explains, and teaches the meaning of what is revealed
what is dream analysis?
therapist uses the clients report of dreams to bring unconscious materials to light
what is the therapist role in psychoanalytic theory? (6)
- Understand the clients motives
- Identify recurrent maladaptive patterns
- Interpret thoughts
- Help clients work through unsolved conflicts and gain insight
- Function as the expert
- Keep a neutral and anonymous thinker stance
what is the client role in psychoanalysis theory? (2)
- Be thoughtful and introspective
- Be relatively passive and follow the therapist ⇒ the therapist is thought to drive a great deal of the progress
pros of psychoanalytic/psychodynamic therapy? (5)
- first comprehensive theory of personality
- Recognition of early childhood, past experiences
- Recognition of family relationship’s importance
- Coined term unconscious
- Concepts have been borrowed by other theories
criticisms of psychoanalytic/psychodynamic therapy? (4)
- Concepts are difficult to research and support empirically
- Can be expensive, time consuming
- Overemphasis on the role of insight
- Less useful for crisis counseling
contemporary (present) psychodynamic theory trends (5)
- experience from early and later life experiences are important
- Ignoring the psycho sexual stages the way Freud saw them - works within a time limited therapy ⇒ 10-25 sessions
- May take a longer time period than other behavioral approaches used today - targets one or more specific interpersonal problems
- assumes a less neutral stance, bigger emphasis on the alliance and empathy and the therapeutic relationship
- uses skills like interpretation and immediacy more than other therapies
time limit dynamic psychotherapy (TLDP)
doesn’t use many of freud’s early ideas except that early relationships are formative and can lead to later experiences
- much briefer than traditional psychoanalysis
- Early relationships are formative, may form basis of maladaptive patterns
how do problems develop according to TLDP?
clients have a cyclical maladaptive pattern
- has negative consequences for the client
- Viscous cycle the client is trapped in when they interact with others
- Develop from relationship with important figures early on
cyclical maladaptive pattern
a way of relating to others which was adaptive at one point but currently affects the relationships in a negative manner
what are the stages of a cyclical maladaptive pattern?
inflexible behaviors, self defeating expectation, dysfunctional responses from others, negative self appraisals (where each connects to the two on either side of each other)
how should a therapist act when they have a client with a cyclical maladaptive pattern?
the therapist must not react the same way as the other people in the clients life
- Instead of withdrawing, they stay with the client and point out the ways in which they are pushing the therapist and others away
- Insight alone is not enough and corrective experience occurs more often than traditional psychotherapy
how does change occur according to TLDP?
breaking the CMS ⇒ the therapist works with the client to break their pattern
- Corrective experience ⇒ an experience that disconfirms the clients fear
- Insight + corrective experience = change
what is the therapist role in TLDP?
unlike in classic psychoanalysis, TLDP therapists is not a neutral observer of the client
- Monitor reaction to the client while avoiding being pulled into the CMP
- Countertransference as information
what is the client role in TLDP?
- more active and collaborative role
- Open to interpersonal feedback from the therapist and be willing to talk about their relationship
- Applies what they learn in the therapeutic relationship to outside relationships
who was Carl rogers?
- founder of person centered therapy ⇒ also called client centered, nondirective, humanistic, and Rogerian counseling
- Reaction against psychodynamic therapy ⇒ the assumption that the therapist/counselor knows best
- Therapy goals should be around the person not their problems
- More positive view of people than Freud who thought people didn’t have free will themselves to make changes
what is the main view of person centered therapy?
self actualization is the main view of person centered therapy and people gravitate to wanting to be their best selves
what is the human nature view for person centered therapy? what are the 2 components?
human being possess positive goodness and the desire to be fully functioning
- All creatures strive to make the very best of their existence
- Humans are capable of making changes and living productive, effective lives
1. self theory
2. actual self
self theory
a person’s perception of self and environment (shapes their perception) are reality for that person
- The environment is also important ⇒ i.e nurturing environments
actual self definition and 2 components
when you do everything to the best of your ability ⇒ more realistic version
1. Improve your actual self to be closer to ideal
2. Work on understanding what a realistic ideal self could be
how do problems develop in person centered therapy?
(incongruence and conditions of worth)
- Arises when people live by other people expectations
- When people conform to others wishes, they open up a gap between what they are striving to become and what they are (real self)
- The further the ideal self is from the real self the more alienated and maladjusted people become
what is incongruence?
gap between ideal self and actual self
what are conditions of worth?
conditions we think we must meet in order to be worthy of love
- These messages can come from many different places => Family, friends, community, society, global, etc.
- Can play a part in one’s self image
how does change occur according to person centered therapy? (3)
- Congruence (genuineness): the therapist is genuine and real within the therapy relationship
- Unconditional positive regard (acceptance): the therapist displays a non-judgmental stance and warm acceptance to clients without any conditions for acceptance
- Empathy: understanding the client’s thoughts, feelings, and struggles from the client’s point of view
(3 core facilitate conditions are necessary and sufficient for change)
how should a person centered therapist help someone facilitate core conditions? (3)
- provide a climate of safety and trust that facilitates positive, self directed growth, and decrease the gap between the ideal and the real self
- Little to no emphasis on specific techniques
- show sympathy
sympathy vs empathy
acknowledging how a person is feeling ⇒ vs. empathy is feeling it with them
what does person centered therapy look like in practice? (5)
- Not technique oriented
- Reflective of feelings
- Active listening skills
- Appropriate self disclosure
- Here and now describing what’s going on in the room ⇒ immediacy
what is the therapist role in person centered therapy? (3)
- non-directive, supporting role in facilitating client growth => therapist does not choose specific goals for their clients
- supports the client’s growth by creating the 3 facilitative conditions
- show support through basic and advanced skills
what is the client role in person centered therapy?
takes the lead in the change process
- On what is discussion
- Responsible for therapy outcomes
strengths of person centered therapy => PCT (5)
- rogers was a pioneer in shifting the therapist focus from an emphasis on technique and reliance on the therapist authority to that of the power of the therapeutic relationship
- Provided excellent descriptions of effective therapeutic relationships
- Helped promote client responsibility
- Extensive research supports the effectiveness of PCT with a wide range of clients and problems of all age groups
- Carl rogers opened the field to research ⇒ studied his own work
weaknesses of person centered therapy (4)
- Overemphasizes the relationship and gives too much responsibility to the client
- More suitable for well functioning clients
- Overemphasis on individualistic Western concepts
- Clients may prefer more structured, directive counseling
