Key Terms And Concepts Flashcards
An outcome of being confronted with the four givens of existence: death, freedom, existential isolation, and meaninglessness
Existential anxiety
The result of, or the consciousness of, evading the commitment to choosing for ourselves in existential therapy
Existential guilt
A philosophical movement stressing individual responsibility for creating one’s way of thinking, feeling, and behaving
Existentialism
In existential therapy, an inescapable aspect of the human condition; we are the author of our life and therefore are responsible for our destiny and accountable for our actions
Freedom
A method of exploration that uses subjective human experiencing as its focus; part of the fabric of existentially oriented therapies
Phenomenology
In existential therapy, a state of functioning with a limited degree of awareness of oneself and being vague about the nature of one’s problems
Restricted existence
In person-centered therapy, the act of perceiving the internal frame of reference of another; of grasping the person’s subjective world, without losing one’s identity
Accurate empathic understanding
In person-centered therapy, the state in which self-experiences are accurately symbolized in the self-concept. As applied to the therapist, it is a matching of one’s inner experiencing with external expressions
Congruence
In person-centered therapy, a growth force within us; an actualizing tendency leading to the full development of one’s potential; the basis on which people can be trusted to identify and resolve their own problems in a therapeutic relationship
Self-actualizing tendency
In person-centered therapy, the necessary and sufficient characteristics of the therapeutic relationship for client change to occur. These core conditions include therapist congruence (or genuineness), unconditional positive regard (acceptance and respect), and accurate empathic understanding
Therapeutic conditions
In person-centered therapy, the nonjudgmental expression of a fundamental respect for the person as a human; acceptance of a person’s right to his or her feelings
Unconditional positive regard
In Gestalt therapy, The process of attending to and observing one’s own sensing, thinking, feelings, and actions; paying attention to the flowing nature of one present-centered experience
Awareness
In Gestalt therapy, The process of interacting with nature and with other people without losing one sense of individuality. Achieved through seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and moving
Contact
In Gestalt therapy, A way of avoiding contact and awareness by being vague and indirect
Deflection
In Gestalt therapy, procedures aimed at encouraging spontaneity and inventiveness by bringing the possibilities for action directly into the therapy session. Designed to enhance here-and-now awareness. They are activities clients try out as a way of testing new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving
Experiments
In Gestalt therapy, paying attention to and exploring what is occurring at the boundary between the person and the environment
Field theory
In Gestalt therapy, the uncritical acceptance of others beliefs and standards without assimilating them into one’s own personality
Introjection
In Gestalt therapy, The process by which we disown certain aspects of ourselves by ascribing them to the environment; the opposite of introjection
Projection
In Gestalt therapy, The act of turning back onto ourselves something we would like to do or have done someone else
Retroflection
In Gestalt therapy, unexpressed feelings such as resentment, guilt, anger, and grief, dating back to childhood that now interfere with effective psychological functioning; needless emotional debris that clutters present-centered awareness
Unfinished business
In feminist therapy, A theory that uses male-oriented constructs to draw conclusions about human nature
Androcentric theory
In feminist therapy, Power should be balanced in a relationship. In feminist therapy the voices of the oppressed acknowledged as authoritative and valuable sources of knowledge
Egalitarian relationship
In feminist therapy, The idea that one’s own cultural group is superior to others and that other groups should be judged based on one’s own standards
Ethnocentrism
In feminist therapy, the idea that there are two separate paths of development for women and men
Gendercentrism
In feminist therapy, explains differences in the behaviour of women and men in terms of socialization processes rather than viewing gender differences as fixed in nature
Gender-neutral theory
In feminist therapy, used to help clients understand the impact of gender-role expectations in their lives
Gender-role analysis
In feminist therapy, provides clients with insight into the ways social issues affect their problems
Gender-role intervention
In feminist therapy, an organized set of mental associations people use to interpret their perceptions about gender
Gender schema
In feminist therapy, views a heterosexual orientation as normative and desirable and devalues same-sex relationships
Heterosexism
feminist therapy takes this perspective, which assumes that human development is a lifelong process and that personality patterns and behavioural changes can occur at any time
Life-span perspective
In feminist therapy, individuals’ personal problems have social and political causes. Therapy is aimed at helping clients change their own behaviour and become active participants in transforming society
Personal is political
In feminist therapy, emphasis is on the power difference between men and women in society. Clients are helped to recognize different kinds of power they possess and how they and others exercise power
Power analysis
In feminist therapy, a technique whereby the counsellor changes the frame of reference for looking at an individual’s behavior. There is a shift from an intrapersonal (or “blaming the victim“) stance to a consideration of social factors in the environment that contribute to a clients problem
Reframing
In feminist therapy, an intervention that changes the label or evaluation applied to the clients behavioural characteristics. Generally, the focus shifted from a negative to a positive evaluation
Relabelling
In feminist therapy, The idea that a woman’s sense of self depends largely on how she connects with others
Self-in-relation
In structural family therapy an emotional barrier that protects individuals within a system
Boundary
In multigenerational family therapy, Bowen’s concept of psychological separation of intellect and emotions and of independence of the self from others. The greater one’s differentiation, the better ones ability to keep from being drawn into dysfunctional patterns with other family members.
Differentiation of self
In strategic family therapy, the term for a family organization characterized by psychological isolation that results from rigid boundaries
Disengagement
In structural family therapy an intervention consisting of a family playing out its relationship patterns during a therapy session so that the therapist can observe and then change transactions that make up the family structure
Enactment
In strategic family therapy, term referring to a family structure in which there is a blurring of psychological boundaries, making autonomy very difficult to achieve
Enmeshment
The functional organization of a family, which determines interactional patterns among members
Family structure
A schematic diagram of the family system, usually including at least three generations; employed by many family therapists to identify recurring behaviour patterns within the family
Genogram
A family member who carries the symptoms for a family and who is identified by the family as the person with the problem. In genograms, this person is the index person
Identified patient/client
In structural family therapy, accommodating to a family’s system to help the members change dysfunctional patterns
Joining
In multigenerational family therapy, the way in which dysfunctional patterns are passed from one generation to the next
Multigenerational transmission process
A technique in strategic family therapy whereby the therapist directs family members to continue their symptomatic behavior. Change occurs through defying the directive
Paradoxical directive
Relabelling a families description of behaviour by putting it into a new and more positive perspective
Reframing
A therapeutic approach where by the therapist develops a specific plan and designs interventions geared toward solving a family’s presenting problems
Strategic family therapy
A therapeutic approach directed at changing or realigning the organization of a family to modify dysfunctional patterns and clarify boundaries
Structural family therapy
In family therapy, a three-person system; the smallest stable emotional unit of human relations
Triangle
In family therapy, a pattern of interaction consisting of detouring conflict between two people by involving a third person
Triangulation
