A Personal Theory of Counseling: The Holmes Approach Essay

Perhaps nonhing is as significant to the success of the cure work out and nonhing represents the foundation of successful therapy more than unitarys own(prenominal) possibleness of way. all(prenominal) unhomogeneous(prenominal)s in all aspects of keep work from any(prenominal) belief system, perspective, or model of how the slice works, how things argon, and how things move. Developing a ample mind of ones own somebodyized possibleness leads to fall apart decision-making with respect to the sanative process, including healer approach and thickening interaction.Such an understanding also promotes a great ability to intervene more efficaciously with invitees whose values be in contrast to ones own. cosmos advised of ones own individualized conjecture of the world and, subsequently, ones view of counseling, also helps the therapist identify individual durabilitys and beas for improvement. The private orientation of the therapist is a sum total of man y an(prenominal) influences such(prenominal) as interests, self-awareness, experience, values, and compassion for others, among many other things. Such influences remove a direct impact on ones personalised theory of counseling.For instance, my Christian upbringing, experiences, and beliefs have a significant impact on my personal view of the world and others and, therefore, also on my theory of counseling. My ghostly beliefs and values coincide with some therapeutic approaches and non others. As customers leave be approximately golden when the therapeutic approach is most in alignment with their own personal values, so the therapist will concern most rewarded and happiest approaching the therapeutic process from a foundation that is harmonious with their own personal values. The same is true for ones personal skills and temperament.The process of developing a personal theory of counseling is a bit like shopping for the high hat fitting clothes. One may find a suit jack et that fits outflank in an upscale designer clothing store, a shirt that fits best in a retail chain store, a pair of slacks that fit best in a helps outlet, and a pair of shoes that fit best from a catalogue store. Likewise, ones personal theory of counseling that fits best is often a synthesis of several unlike approaches. in spite of finding such a fit, the therapist must remain aware of the fact that all theories work with some knobs while no theory works with all lymph nodes.Such self-awareness enables the therapist to affirm that theories of counseling pass only a partial understanding of human behavior, thinking, growth, and healing and not a definitive 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 aerated with the task of continuous, ongoing learning with respect to understanding and working with people. A comprehensive pe rsonal theory must deal with the truth that is at the base of the problem.This can be achieved by taking into account variant components such as personality structure, motivation, human maturation, 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 pleaders we must have the attitude of Crabb when he stated, My overriding refinement must be in every retainer to respond biblically, to put the Lord first gear, to live in subjection to the male parents will as Christ did (Crabb, 1988, p. 20). Counselors that get results take into musing the whole person (e. g. mind, body, soul). Unlike secular counselor-at-laws, 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 dress 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, peculiarly the examples of the life of Jesus 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 creation of an environment that most promotes growth and healing. In considering the development of a personal philosophy, several tell 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 employments of behavior, cognition, and affect, among ot hers.Third, therapeutic designs and objectives are considered. Fourth, a personal theory elucidates the therapeutic process which defines the role and melt of the counselor, the therapeutic relationship, and the clients experience. Finally, primary techniques and procedures are identified that are used to facilitate limiting. The following is an initial, sophomoric awareness of my own developing personal theory. Assumptions About Human 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 clients.The reason for person-centered theory driving my therapeutic approach is because its outlook or worldview toward individual consumption and interaction is most congruous with my own beliefs and values. Person-centered therapy is a humanistic therapy that focuses on individual foundation 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, demonstrated by treating everyone with empathy, honesty and giving them unconditional acceptance (Corey, 2009).Person-centered therapy makes the assumption that individuals have the essential or inseparable baron 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 individually 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 by dint of Christ.As 1 Chronicles 20 10 expresses, Wealth and honor take place 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 only when is inevitably sinful. The second circle is the soul, where the persons feelings, thoughts, will, and conscience are included. The third is the persons physical body.Lastly, he adds two more circles to demonstrate components or elements of influence affecting persons. One is labeled as temporal systems such as education, economy, government, society, church, friends, and family. The other is labeled as supernatural systems, mainly God, Satan, ripe angels, and fallen angels. Hawkins model focuses in on the actions of the individual. Key Concepts Genuineness, unconditional peremptory obedience, and empathetic understanding are the main components of the stance modeled by the therapist toward the client in person-centered therapy (Leijssen, 2008).Rogers argued that these three elements in and of themselves are satisfactory for promoting change and fuller functioning in clients. A main inclination of the person-centered approach is to assist clients through exhibition of these aspects in coming to a fuller acceptance of self-worth (Corey, 2009 Wilkins & Gill, 2003 Ziegler, 2002). Unconditional corroboratory regard and acceptance from the therapist promotes great 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 inherent worth of the individual forms the basis of the main ideas behind person-centered therapy, as well 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 being saved, a condition of worthiness, so the person-center ed therapist is supercharged with the goal of seeking, in a non-directive manner, to assist the client in confronting feelings and beliefs that proscribe 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 strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, tip to edification.For even Christ did not please Himself but as it is written, The reproaches of those who reproached You brutal 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 boot for our brothers and sisters in love, not by judging or trying to solve their problems, but by just being there to help express the load and enable them to live much more freely. As with Jay Adam s (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 strive has a spiritual direction and their aim is to help people prosper 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 ineffective 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 hotshot of who they are and come to accept that they have the freedom to control their life, but with that freedom comes the responsibility of the choices that they make. By accepting this responsibility, the client will be able to develop a mor e accurate identity which gives greater meaningfulness to their life and develop the tools to identify and fulfill their postulate defined by this new, developing self. Therapeutic change occurs for the client in stages as they blend more and more independent from the therapist.The healed 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 authorization through a relationship with Christ, the Holmes therapist assists the client in recognizing their innate potentiality. Growth, healing, and enrichment of life are all possible due to this innate ability. The gilded 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 pay back the benefits 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 listening 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 haggle 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 informed guide, but non-judgmental through the clients process of change.In order to do this, the counselor needs to assess wher e the client is right now. There is little need to consist on where the client has been other than when assessing how previous patterns of thoughts and behaviors have affected their authoritative state (Corey, 2009). The counselor helps the client understand their approach to life and how dysfunctional 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 support 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 Holmes approa ch the clients role in therapy is that of a learner in the sense that they will gain awareness and insight into how they operate, their self defeating beliefs and erroneous attributions, and how vile choices have affected their ability to fulfill needs and longings (Corey, 2009 Terjesen et al. , 2009 Zeigler, 2002). The client develops the willingness (or courage) to exertion change when they palpableize 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 directi ves (Corey, 2009 Terjesen, Salhany, & Scuiotto, 2009 Zeigler, 2002). In this relationship the counselors most important contribution is genuineness.Such authenticity fall by the waysides 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 sustain trust and self acceptance. These attributes help the client see themselves in a more positive light and encourage the client to take risks infallible for change.