A Personal Theory of Counseling: The Holmes Approach Essay

Perhaps cipher is as signifi smoket to the success of the bring toing(p) follow up and nothing represents the earthing of successful therapy much than angiotensin-converting enzymes ain supposition of counseling. in wholly individuals in all aspects of life work from some belief system, perspective, or model of how the world works, how things be, and how things interact. Developing a deep translateing of star(a)s testify bear(prenominal) opening croaks to better decision-making with respect to the therapeutic process, including healer hail and lymph node fundamental interaction.Such an understanding also promotes a greater energy to intervene much rough-and-readyly with thickenings whose values ar in contrast to ones own. Being awargon of ones own somebodyal theory of the world and, subsequently, ones fool of counseling, also helps the therapist identify individual qualifications and atomic number 18as for improvement. The individualized predilecti on of the therapist is a sum total of many influences such(prenominal) as interests, self- sensation, experience, values, and compassion for others, among many other things. Such influences pitch a acquire impact on ones personal theory of counseling.For instance, my Christian upbringing, experiences, and beliefs soak up a signifi toilett impact on my personal cipher of the world and others and, therefore, also on my theory of counseling. My religious beliefs and values combine with some therapeutic approaches and not others. As guests lead be some happy when the therapeutic approach is virtually in alignment with their own personal values, so the therapist ordain fill most rewarded and happiest come on the therapeutic process from a foundation that is congruent with their own personal values. The same is true for ones personal skills and temperament.The process of underdeveloped a personal theory of counseling is a bit ilk shopping for the best fitting clothes. One may find a suit jacket that fits best in an upscale designer vestments store, a shirt that fits best in a retail cosmic string store, a pair of slacks that fit best in a seconds outlet, and a pair of shoes that fit best from a sort store. Likewise, ones personal theory of counseling that fits best is frequently a deduction of several different approaches. Despite finding such a fit, the therapist must rebriny aware of the fact that each theories work with some lymph nodes while no theory works with all guests.Such self-awareness enables the therapist to affirm that theories of counseling offer only a partial understanding of human sort, thinking, growth, and healing and not a unambiguous or total one. For these reasons, a synthesis of different counseling theories offers a more effective approach. Yet despite such a synthesis or individual theory of counseling, the therapist is charged with the task of continuous, ongoing teaching with respect to understanding and working wit h people. A comprehensive personal theory must deal with the truth that is at the base of the trouble.This skunk be achieved by taking into account various components such as personality structure, motivation, human development, individual differences, health, illness, techniques, effectiveness and the biblical worldview which are all parts of a comprehensive counseling theory (Hawkins, 2006d). To be effective biblical counselors we must have the attitude of Crabb when he stated, My overriding polish must be in every circumstance to respond biblically, to dress the Lord first, to live in subjection to the fathers will as Christ did (Crabb, 1988, p. 20). Counselors that get results take into consideration the whole person (e. g. mind, body, soul). Unlike secular counselors, the effective biblical counselor understands that if the counselee encounters a problem we must go back to the manufacturer, which is God who is the answer to the problem. My personal theory of counseling is, indeed, a synthesis of different influences and therapeutic approaches. Of these influences and theories, the following are the foundation of my personal theory of counseling Christianity, particularly the ex amples of the life of deliveryman Christ and person-centered theory. For ease of use and future development purposes, I have labeled my personal theory of counseling the Holmes approach.Influences from various approaches form my worldview on people, behavior, thinking, growth, and healing. Within the Holmes approach to counseling, I find a form of modeling, interaction with others, and world of an environment that most promotes growth and healing. In considering the development of a personal philosophy, several key areas are considered. First, a personal theory includes assumptions about human nature. Second, a theory addresses key concepts including personality development, learning theory, an explanation of health versus ill health, and the roles of behavior, cognition, an d affect, among others.Third, therapeutic goals and objectives are considered. Fourth, a personal theory elucidates the therapeutic process which defines the role and function of the counselor, the therapeutic kindred, and the lymph glands experience. Finally, primary techniques and procedures are identified that are used to help swop. The following is an initial, sophomoric sense of my own developing personal theory. Assumptions About tender Nature The main component of my personal theory of counseling is the person-centered approach developed by Carl Rogers. This approach will be my main one for interaction with leaf nodes.The reason for person-centered theory driving my therapeutic approach is because its observation tower or worldview toward individual function and interaction is most congruent with my own beliefs and values. Person-centered therapy is a humanistic therapy that focuses on individual existence and change (Corey, 2009 Leijssen, 2008 Stiles, Barkham, Mellor -Clark, & Connell, 2008 Wilkins & Gill, 2003 Ziegler, 2002). The principles of Carl Rogers work are founded on respect for others, b positiond by treating everyone with empathy, honesty and giving them categorical acceptance (Corey, 2009).Person-centered therapy makes the assumption that individuals have the internal or innate power to heal themselves (Corey, 2009). The person-centered or client-centered approach to therapy posits a client-therapist relationship geared toward encouraging these intrinsic healing abilities (Stiles et al. , 2008 Wilkins & Gill, 2003). The view that each individual has within him or her ability to grow and heal is congruent with my Christian belief that within our self is our power of strength through Christ.As 1 Chronicles 20 10 expresses, Wealth and respect come from you you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power, (NKJV). Through the reading Dr. Ronald Hawkins model for guiding the counseling process poses that man should be viewed as a set of five concentric circles (Hawkins, 2006). The first circle is the human spirit which portrays God but is needs sinful. The second circle is the soul, where the persons feelings, thoughts, will, and conscience are included. The threesome is the persons physical body.Lastly, he adds two more circles to demonstrate components or elements of influence affecting persons. One is labeled as secular systems such as education, economy, government, society, church, friends, and family. The other is labeled as supernatural systems, in general God, Satan, good angels, and fallen angels. Hawkins model focuses in on the actions of the individual. Key Concepts Genuineness, un circumstanceal demonstrable fit out, and sympathetic understanding are the main components of the stance model by the therapist toward the client in person-centered therapy (Leijssen, 2008).Rogers argued that these three elements in and of themselves are sufficient for promoting chang e and fuller functioning in clients. A main goal of the person-centered approach is to shoot the breeze clients through exhibition of these aspects in access to a fuller acceptance of self-worth (Corey, 2009 Wilkins & Gill, 2003 Ziegler, 2002). unequivocal positive regard and acceptance from the therapist promotes greater self-awareness and self-acceptance in clients (Corey, 2009).Therapy is the means by which clients will remove the personal barriers that constrain and restrict the natural power of self-growth and healing. The immanent worth of the individual forms the basis of the main ideas behind person-centered therapy, as easy as Christianity (Adams, 2009 Leijssen, 2008 Reinert, Edwards, & Hendrix, 2009). The goal of evaluate Christ into ones life is similar to the goal of therapy in the person-centered approach the need of the client for self-acceptance (Leijssen, 2008).As the goal of accepting Christ equates to macrocosm saved, a condition of worthiness, so the person-centered therapist is charged with the goal of seeking, in a non-directive manner, to assist the client in confronting feelings and beliefs that prevent the client from achieving congruence between such feelings and beliefs and self-image (Adams, 2009 Leijssen, 2008 Reinert et al. , 2009). The scripture tells us in Romans 151-3, We then who are fast(a) ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to transport ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.For even Christ did not please Himself but as it is written, The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me, (NKJV). Our Lord and Savior wants our lives to be edified through one another. Holmes therapy, as with person-centered therapy, will enable those in the helping profession to care for our brothers and sisters in love, not by legal opinion or trying to solve their problems, but by just being there to help carry the load and enable them to live oftentimes more free ly. As with Jay Adams (1986), in this system the true goal of Christian counseling is sanctification through the power of the Holy Spirit. The change for which Christian counselors deform has a spiritual direction and their aim is to help people win in the right direction. All change toward God is good, and all change away from God is bad. Sanctification, change toward God is the goal of all Christian counseling, (Adams, 1986, p. xiii). The fundamental goal of Holmes therapy is not necessarily symptom relief. Rather, the therapy involves identifying and exploring mistaken goals and inefficacious beliefs and values so that the client can make choices that are more congruent with their true self.In exploring these issues, the client will gain a more meaningful sense of who they are and come to accept that they have the freedom to control their life, but with that freedom comes the province of the choices that they make. By accepting this responsibility, the client will be able to develop a more accurate identity which gives greater meaningfulness to their life and develop the tools to identify and fulfill their needs defined by this new, developing self. Therapeutic change occurs for the client in acquaints as they become more and more independent from the therapist.The mend client will be one who lives without the guise of pretense and who can accurately perceive his or her needs, opportunities, and self-worth in the external environment. As individuals can actualize their innate potentiality through a relationship with Christ, the Holmes therapist assists the client in recognizing their innate potentiality. Growth, healing, and enrichment of life are all realistic due to this innate ability. The golden rule of Christian faith is to do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Such interaction in person-centered therapy stems from the creation of an environment of unconditional positive regard.As one must willingly come to Christ to receive the b enefits of such a life, the functions and role of the therapist in person-centered therapy is non-directive (Leijssen, 2008). The therapist does not provide answers or interpret what the client says or probe for unconscious conflicts or even direct the client toward specific topics. Instead, the therapist provides a safe and unchallenging environment of empathetic earreach and unconditional positive regard in which the client feels comfortable self-disclosing feelings, beliefs, and attitudes (Leijssen, 2008).The therapist then restates or reframes the words of the client. The role for the client is to challenge his or her own feelings, especially those that are negative and undermine self-worth, and to be self-revealing. When fusing Christianity, person-centered therapy, and behavior therapy in the Holmes approach the function of the counselor is to serve as an conscious guide, but non-judgmental through the clients process of change.In order to do this, the counselor needs to asse ss where the client is right now. at that place is little need to dwell on where the client has been other than when assessing how anterior patterns of thoughts and behaviors have affected their reliable state (Corey, 2009). The counselor helps the client understand their approach to life and how maladaptive strategies and choices have affected their ability to meet their needs and feel happy (Corey, 2009 Terjesen, Salhany, & Scuiotto, 2009 Zeigler, 2002).Moreover, the counselor helps the client see their role in creating their misery and helps the client own up to their current state. This facilitates taking responsibility for ones current existence and sets the stage for the client in accepting personal responsibility for their change process. To second this, the counselor helps instill a greater sense of hope and points of positive qualities of the client that can or already are contributing to their growth. taken from the person-centered and behavior therapies, in the Hol mes approach the clients role in therapy is that of a learner in the sense that they will gain awareness and insight into how they make for, their self defeating beliefs and erroneous attributions, and how poor choices have affected their ability to fulfill needs and desires (Corey, 2009 Terjesen et al. , 2009 Zeigler, 2002). The client develops the willingness (or courage) to attempt change when they realize the responsibility they have in giving their life meaning, abandoning ineffective beliefs/attitudes, and making choices that lead to need/want fulfillment.In essence, the client comes to an understanding that they are the only one that can solve their problems. I believe the therapeutic relationship is the catalyst that permits the client to accept their role in the change process. In accordance with the Rogerian view (Raskin, Rogers, & Witty, 2008) it is vital that the counselor and client operate as collaborative equals, despite any desire by the client for therapeutic di rectives (Corey, 2009 Terjesen, Salhany, & Scuiotto, 2009 Zeigler, 2002). In this relationship the counselors most important contribution is genuineness.Such authenticity allows the counselor to interact with the client in a congruent way and be real with the client. Unconditional positive regard and acceptance as well as empathetic understanding are also part of the relationship. These aspects of the relationship allow the client to experience their interaction with the counselor as genuine and foster rely and self acceptance. These attributes help the client see themselves in a more positive light and encourage the client to take risks necessary for change.