A number of themes appear to represent core struggles in Stan’s life. Here are some of the statements we can assume that he may make at various points in his therapy and themes that will be addressed from the theoretical perspec- tives in Chapters 4 through 14:
• Although I’d like to have people in my life, I just don’t seem to know how to go about making friends or getting close to people.
• I’d like to turn my life around, but I have no sense of direction.
• I want to make a difference.
• I am afraid of failure.
• I know when I feel alone, scared, and overwhelmed, I drink heavily to feel better.
• I am afraid of women.
• Sometimes at night I feel a terrible anxiety and feel as if I’m dying.
• I often feel guilty that I’ve wasted my life, that I’ve failed, and that I’ve let people down. At times like this, I get depressed.
• I like it that I have determination and that I really want to change.
• I’ve never really felt loved or wanted by my parents.
• I’d like to get rid of my self-destructive tendencies and learn to trust people more.
• I put myself down a lot, but I’d like to feel better about myself.
In Chapters 4 through 14, you can assume that a practitioner representing each of the theories has read Stan’s case and is familiar with key themes in his life. Each therapist will illustrate the concepts and techniques of the particular approach as it applies to working with Stan. In addition, in these chapters you are asked to think about how you would continue counseling him from the dif- ferent perspectives. In doing so, refer to the introductory material given here and to Stan’s autobiography as well. To make the case of Stan come alive for each theory, I highly recommend that you view and study the online program where I counsel Stan from each theory chapter.
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k Introduction
k The Counselor as a Therapeutic Person
Personal Characteristics of Effective Counselors
k Personal Therapy for the Counselor
k The Counselor’s Values and the Therapeutic Process
The Role of Values in Counseling
The Role of Values in Developing Therapeutic Goals
k Becoming an Effective Multicul- tural Counselor
Acquiring Competencies in Multicultural Counseling
Incorporating Culture in Counseling Practice
k Issues Faced by Beginning Therapists
Dealing With Our Anxieties Being Ourselves and Disclosing
Our Experience Avoiding Perfectionism
Being Honest About Our Limitations Understanding Silence
Dealing With Demands from Clients
Dealing With Clients Who Lack Commitment Tolerating Ambiguity
Avoiding Losing Ourselves in Our Clients Developing a Sense of Humor
Sharing Responsibility With the Client Declining to Give Advice
Defi ning Your Role as a Counselor
Learning to Use Techniques Appropriately Developing Your Own Counseling Style Staying Vital as a Person
and as a Professional
k Summary
The Counselor: Person and Professional
k
Introduction
One of the most important instruments you have to work with as a counselor is yourself as a person. In preparing for counseling, you will acquire knowledge about the theories of personality and psychotherapy, learn assessment and in- tervention techniques, and discover the dynamics of human behavior. Such knowledge and skills are essential, but by themselves they are not suffi cient for establishing and maintaining effective therapeutic relationships. To every therapy session we bring our human qualities and the experiences that have in- fl uenced us. In my judgment this human dimension is one of the most powerful infl uences on the therapeutic process.
A good way to begin your study of contemporary counseling theories is by refl ecting on the personal issues raised in this chapter. Once you have studied the 11 theories of counseling, reread this chapter and reevaluate ways in which you can work on your development as a person. Your own needs, motivations, values, life experiences, and personality traits can either enhance or interfere with your effectiveness as a counselor. By remaining open to self-evaluation, you not only expand your awareness of self but also build the foundation for develop- ing your abilities and skills as a professional. The theme of this chapter is that the person and the professional are intertwined facets that cannot be separated in reality. We know, clinically and scientifi cally, that the person of the therapist and the therapeutic relationship contribute to therapy outcome at least as much as the particular treatment method used (Norcross & Guy, 2007).
The Counselor as a Therapeutic Person
Because counseling is an intimate form of learning, it demands a practitioner who is willing to shed stereotypes and be an authentic person in the therapeu- tic relationship. It is within the context of such a person-to-person connection that the client experiences growth. If we hide behind the safety of our profes- sional role, our clients will likely keep themselves hidden from us. If we become merely technical experts and leave our own reactions, values, and self out of our work, the result is likely to be sterile counseling. It is through our own genuine- ness and our aliveness that we can signifi cantly touch our clients. If we make life-oriented choices, radiate a joy for life, and are real in our relationships with our clients, we can motivate them to develop these same life-enhancing quali- ties. This does not mean that we are self-actualized persons who have “made it” or that we are without our problems. Rather, it implies that we are willing to look at our lives and make the changes we want. Because we affi rm that chang- ing is worth the risk and the effort, we hold out hope to our clients that they can change and truly like the person they are becoming.
In short, as therapists we serve as models for our clients. If we model in- congruent behavior, low-risk activity, and remain distant, we can expect our clients to imitate this behavior. If we model realness by engaging in appropri- ate self-disclosure, our clients will tend to be honest with us in the therapeu- tic relationship. Clients can become more of what they are capable of becom- ing, or they can become less than they might be. In my judgment the degree of
aliveness and psychological health of the counselor is a crucial variable that infl uences the outcome.
What does the research reveal about the role of the counselor as a person and the therapeutic relationship on psychotherapy outcome? From my perspec- tive, who the psychotherapist is directly relates to his or her ability to establish and maintain effective therapy relationships with clients. There is research support for the centrality of the person of the therapist. Norcross (2002a) states that “multiple and converging sources of evidence indicate that the person of the psychotherapist is inextricably intertwined with the outcome of psychothera- py” (p. 4). Lambert and Barley (2002) claim that empirical research “strongly and consistently supports the centrality of the therapeutic relationship as a primary factor contributing to psychotherapy outcome” (p. 17). According to Norcross (2002a), research indicates that both the therapy relationship and the therapy methods used make consistent contributions to the outcomes of treat- ment. Thus, considering either therapy interventions or therapy relationships alone is incomplete. Norcross (2002a) concludes: “The research shows an effec- tive psychotherapist is one who employs specifi c methods, who offers strong relationships, and who customizes both discrete methods and relationship stances to the individual person and condition” (p. 13).