Theories of Counseling

Laurie Rokutani

Mid-Atlantic ATTC
VCU Department of Addiction Psychiatry
P.O. Box 980649
Richmond, VA 23298-0469
804-828-9910
lrokutani@mail1.vcu.edu

Laurie Rokutani, Ed.S, CPP, MAC, NCC

Laurie has been a counselor for 30 years, serving a wide variety of clientele from indigent substance abusers to the very affluent. She has worked in both private and public agencies, from coast to coast and in between. She shifted gears from general counseling to a focus on substance abuse counseling, and then shifted again into substance abuse prevention (K-12). Her work in prevention included student assistance program counseling and coordination.

Laurie’s next step was out of direct service and into academia at The College of William and Mary. She taught both prevention and counseling courses and provided prevention consultation to schools and agencies as a part of the counseling program's emphasis in addiction counseling and prevention. She currently works for the Mid-Atlantic Addiction Technology Transfer Center and the Office of Substance Abuse Services, training substance abuse counselors in Virginia. A particular area of interest for her right now is watercolor painting. Laurie has also had some personal experience with "cultural diversity" having grown up in the only family of color (she is a sansei) in her small Midwestern home town.

This course is the first in the Theories of Counseling Series. This series was developed to meet the criteria for certified substance abuse counselor entry level credentials in the topic of counseling theories and/or evidence-based practices. The series discusses ten of the major counseling theories. Content includes a brief history of the theory, the prominent figures who developed the theories, content and key terminology and a discussion of current research and applications of the theory in substance abuse treatment.

Course one discusses the nature of the counseling relationship and why it is important to study theories of counseling. The four theories discussed in this course are: Psychoanalytic, Adlerian, Existential, and Client-Centered.

Why do counselors need theories about helping people?

Theories provide a framework that helps us understand human behavior so that we can organize concepts and respond to complex phenomenon. A good theory generates a hypothesis about why certain behaviors occur and what the counselor can do to be helpful. This helps explain how change occurs by defining the role of the counselor and the process for change. A theory provides guidance for how to do our work.

1. Develop an understanding of the role of theory in organizing our thinking about human behavior and counseling.
2. Develop an understanding of the common aspects of the counseling process.
3. Develop an understanding of the major theories of counseling and their application to substance abuse treatment.

Students should plan on spending roughly 10 total hours "on-line" during the course, or 2 hours/week, though individual times may vary. There are 5 required modules in this course. Each module contains detailed instructions as to how to proceed through the work, which may include on-line readings, and interactions with the instructor and/or other students through email or in the Course Discussion Board. The course includes:

• Online registration, pre- and posttests
• Online instruction
• Thought-provoking assignments
• Email and a discussion forum
• Online evaluations

 

Module Assignments

Module 1

Discussion Assignment 1 (Required)

1. Introduce yourself to the rest of the class.

2. Describe what you believe causes clients to change.

3. Describe how you define your role in this change process.

Throughout the course, compare your answers to what you learn about the different counseling theories to decide which theories are similar to your beliefs and which ones are different. You are encouraged to post your observations to the discussion board.

 

Discussion Exercise 2:

Go to www.talkingcure.com/whatworks to read about results of research on treatment effectiveness.

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Module 2

Discussion Exercise

Take one of these two viewpoints:

1. Psychoanalysis is a good counseling approach for substance abuse clients

2. Psychoanalysis is not a good counseling approach for substance abuse clients

Give your reasons for selecting this viewpoint

 

Transference Exercise

This activity is NOT to be submitted to the Discussion Board. It is for self learning only.

"Think of your boyfriend/girlfriend, or husband/wife, or a close friend. Think about some aspect of their personality that you have a strong reaction to, either positive or negative. Now write that down on a piece of paper. Describe what that aspect of their personality is like, and how you react in your thoughts, feelings, and behavior toward that part of their personality."

After you are finished, draw a box around what you have written, and write at the top of the box, "Is this transference?"

"Now think about your parents. Is the personality characteristic of the person you wrote about, and your reaction to it... is it a kind of replay or recreation of something that went on in your relationship with one (or both) of your parents? For example, does your parent have that same personality trait that you react to so strongly? If so, maybe this reaction to the person you described is a kind of transference from your relationship with your parent."

Keep in mind that the way "transference" is being used in this exercise is a bit different than how it is applied to psychoanalytic therapy. We're not talking about a neutral or "blank screen" therapist on to which the patient projects and recreates patterns from childhood. The person that you describe in the exercise may indeed be something like your parent. Nevertheless, the "transference" may still be evident in the fact that you have chosen someone with whom to recreate an old parental relationship, in how strongly you react to that characteristic of the other person, or in the whole variety of ways you think, feel, and behave in reaction to that characteristic in the other.

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Module 3

Discussion Exercise 1

How do you think this theory might be helpful in working with substance abuse clients?

In what ways might this theory not be helpful in working with substance abuse clients?

Please post your responses on the "Discussion Board"

 

Discussion Exercise 2

Please post your reactions to this session. Is this a type of counseling approach that would fit with your beliefs and style of working with clients? Why or why not?

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Module 4

Discussion Exercise

Since qualities rather than techniques are emphasized, do you believe professionals can be trained to have these characteristics?

Explain your answer. If yes, what are the training approaches that would be used to develop these characteristics?

 

Assignment

This is to practice reflections, the primary technique recommended in Person-Centered counseling. Below are four statements by a client. For each statement, write a reflection.

Client: I don't know why the judge sent me here to this program.

Client: I am depressed and don't feel like talking to anyone.

Client: Exactly what will you be able to do to help me? I don't think anything can help me.

Client: Maybe my drinking has something to do with the way I feel. What do you think?

 

Discussion Exercise 2

Go to http://motivationalinterview.org to read more information about Motivational Interviewing.

Post to the Discussion Board your reactions to this adaptation of Person-Centered theory. Is this an approach that would fit with your style of counseling? Why or why not?

 

Final Assignment (required)

The assignment is to describe a case you are familiar with using one of the four counseling theories discussed in this course (Psychoanalytic, Adlerian, Existential, Person-Centered.).

1. Please identify the specific counseling theory you have selected for this assignment.

2. In one paragraph, please provide the basics of the case (demographics, overview of substance use problem, other relevant information). Please be sure not to provide any information that would allow someone to identify the client you are describing.

3. In the second paragraph, please describe the type of information that you would need to collect during your initial meetings with the client if you were strictly using the selected counseling theory. Also address the style you might utilize to obtain this information.

4. In the third paragraph, please sketch out the beginning of a treatment plan for this client using this counseling theory, identifying two goals and one method for achieving each goal.

5. In the fourth paragraph, explain the advantages and disadvantages of your selected theory as applied to working with this client.

 

A pretest and posttest is required in order to obtain credit through NAADAC, NBCC, and local certification boards. Please note: You must answer at least 70% of the posttest questions correctly in order to receive your certificate of completion. A pre and post-evaluation are requested so that we can get feedback on your experiences in participating in this course. Certificates of completion are only sent to students who complete these requirements.

There will be a link in each course for a glossary of terms for each theory. This glossary is recommended as a resource for review for any students taking counseling certification exams.

This course is provided on-line and consists of the following elements:

• A pre and post evaluation
• A pre- and post-test
• 5 online modules
• A class forum, which is intended to be an open discussion. This is a "threaded" forum, in which all messages remain posted on the page for viewing at any time. Students are expected to participate in the discussion continuously throughout the course. Any topic related to the course is appropriate for posting, though there will be different "primary" topics posted by the instructor each week. No censorship or editorial license will be applied, though all posters are expected to exhibit common sense and common courtesy and respect for others' viewpoints

The course is comprised of five "modules". You should complete an entire module each week for five consecutive weeks. As a general rule, it should take you about 2 hours each week to read the module and work on assignments. There are several ways to make your way through the materials on these pages.

You should begin the course by reading the Welcome and Syllabus pages located on the Course Information page. Then go to the "Course Documents" page and click on the link to Module 1.

Upon completion of Module 1 you may work your way through the other modules in a similar fashion. You can always get to any of the open materials by going to the Course Documents page and clicking on the link to the appropriate module.

There are no scheduled classes or "virtual class" meetings although students are expected to complete a module per week. Be advised that some instructors do set due dates for assignments, see the assignments within the discussion board for details.

Mid-Atlantic Addiction Technology Transfer Center
VCU Dept. of Addiction Psychiatry
PO Box 980469
Richmond, VA 23298-0469
(804) 828-9910
(804) 828-4377 Fax
email: mid-attc@mindspring.com