Counseling Theories Techniques
Through counseling, individuals can work through their issues and improve their overall quality of life. While the general goal of counseling rarely changes, not all counselors use the same techniques or buy into the same counseling theories. By considering the different types of counseling available, potential patients can select providers most appropriate to their needs.
Other People Are Reading * Integration Techniques From Five Counseling Theories * How to Compare Counseling Theories 1. Psychoanalysis * Psychoanalysts listen to their patients' concerns and help them develop an understanding of the previous life events that have lead to these difficulties. These individuals work in a diagnostic fashion to help the patient understand the reasons she feels the way she feels. This allows her to see there is nothing wrong with the emotions she is experiencing but that they are, instead, a response to life experiences outside of her control. Unlike some less formal forms of counseling, psychoanalysis should always be performed by a clinically trained professional, as the misuse of this technique could result in serious difficulty for patients.
Communication Facilitation * Some counselors work less as advisers and more as facilitators, meeting with two or more members of a family or with spouses who are experiencing marital discord. Individuals working in this fashion simply allow for organized communication between these often-warring factions, allowing them to more effectively work out their issues and overcome their relationship problems. To be effective, individuals working in this capacity must avoid taking sides, as doing so can lead to distrust and breakdown of the relationship as a whole.
Cognitive-Behavioral Counseling * Cognitive-behavioral counselors use a three-tiered approach to dealing with patient problems. They first work with the patient in a