Psychological Interventions
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
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Role and Application of Consultation and Advocacy in Psychological Interventions
Dorothy Farrow
Dr.Garris
COUN/5004
July 2,2015
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Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
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Role of Consultation and Advocacy
Mental health counseling involves diagnosis and treatment of behavioral and mental disorders. Often, the process of psychological intervention involves a patient with a behavioral disorder such as alcohol and drug abuse, or mental disorder such as depression, social anxiety, or
PTSD seeking help from a mental health counselor (MHC). Through talk therapy, which includes a diagnostic …show more content…
interview, the MHC evaluates the symptoms and provides treatment recommendations to the person seeking help. In this case, the MHC is in the ‘consultant’ role because the patients seeks and receives psychological guidance directly from the counselor.
However, a consultation intervention can occur when the MHC seeks professional assistance or advice from other mental health counselors, or psychologist. In effect, consultation involves corroboration between an MHC and another mental health professional, when seeking to provide the most effective assessment and treatment plan for a mental health problem (Newman &
Newman, 2015).
As an advocate the role of the MHC, is more expansive because it involves speaking out on behalf of the patient, particularly against the environmental stressors such as discrimination and poverty that are a major cause of psychological stress. Apart from speaking out against oppressive social barriers and recommending changes, advocacy counseling also educates patients about self-advocacy or how to rebuild their self-esteem and confidence, which assists and help them overcome feelings of worthlessness and abusive relationships (Ratts & Hutchins,
2009).
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Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
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Application of Consultation and Advocacy
The main difference between consultation and advocacy is that the former involves the patient, primary MHC, and third party counselor seeking the diagnosis and treatment of a mental health problem, while advocacy counseling involves the MHC a third party and the client, arguing in support of a cause mostly against social oppression of a minority, which is contributing to their mental health problems. According to Myers et al (2002), the consulting model involves two main stages, firstly, a client seeks assistance for mental health problems directly from a counselor, and secondly, a counselor that lacks sufficient knowledge or skills to diagnose and treat a mental disorder seeks assistance from a counselor with more experience or professional knowledge. A good example of this is , if a client has symptoms of depression linked to Alzheimer’s or other common mental disorders associated with the elderly, a preliminary diagnostic interview will lead to consultation with a geriatric care counselor. A geriatric-care counselor understands the link between dementia, anxiety, and depression, and has adequate knowledge of the most effective psychological interventions for the elderly.
Alternatively, advocacy counseling involves two main strategies, empowering the clients to fight for themselves, and advocating/fighting against a social injustice on behalf of the client
(Holcomb-McCoy & Bryan, 2010). For example, if a client has symptoms of depression linked to poverty, a counselor can empower them through self-advocacy training such as indentifying their strengths and guiding them towards jobs that match their talents, this will then lead to an higher pay, that when then lead to an better environment for the client to live. On the other hand,
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
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the counselor with the help of the community leaders, can petition the local government to enact more affirmative action policies to ensure that minorities, who are majority of the poor, have more access to job opportunities, and better housing.
Choosing a Counselor for Consultation
An important aspect of consultation is choosing the right counselor to assist in diagnosis and treatment of a particular mental health disorder. According to Kiselica and Robinson (2001), the criteria for choosing the most appropriate counseling specialty for consultation focuses on three main factors, roles, professional setting and type of clientele a counselor deals with. For example, a career development counselor is crucial for self-advocacy training that involves strategies for self-improvement, especially for people with mental problems due to career dissatisfaction. Professional setting is also a crucial consideration for choosing a counselor for consultation, for example, counselors that work in schools or community agencies are appropriate for consulting with about youth behavioral and mental problems, or concerning environmental stressors such as poor neighborhood that contribute to mental disorders (Schoen
& McKelley, 2012; Newman & Newman, 2015). When choosing a counselor to consult with about a particular case, their specialty, or clientele type is also crucial. Rehabilitation counselors are appropriate for clients with addiction problems, geriatric counselors are required for mental health problems afflicting elderly clients, and a counselor with multicultural experience is vital for consulting with about clients from diverse social-cultural backgrounds.
Justify the Role, Purpose, and Benefits of Advocacy
As highlighted, advocacy has two main roles in counseling, empowering the clients to fight for themselves through self-advocacy training, and advocating on behalf of the clients to
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
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change an oppressive system that is contributing to mental deficits. In effect, the rationale of adapting advocacy in counseling is to highlight inequality in society, and how, to overcome psychosocial development deficits associated with being in or growing up in an oppressive environment. The purpose of empowering clients through self-advocacy training is to restore their self-esteem and self-confidence, which are crucial for overcoming mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
An good example , of self-advocacy training is encouraging immigrants to learn the local language and culture, which will boost their self-esteem, enhance their integration and social-economic opportunities. The purpose of advocating on behalf of the clients is to change an oppressive system that is the main cause of mental disorder. The main benefit of advocating on behalf of socially oppressed client is treating the cause rather than the symptoms of behavioral and mental disorder. Treatment of depressive symptoms using therapy or medication is inadequate, if the cause of depression is poverty, domestic abuse, second-class citizen status due to illegal immigration, or discrimination based on sexuality, race, or religious affiliation (Schoen & McKelley, 2012).
Case Study
An adult male client is suffering depression but after months of treating his symptoms using therapy, the client has reported that he is not feeling better and would like to try medication to alleviate feelings of hopelessness, fatigue, lack of interests in anything, guilt, and probably suicidal ideation. Although medication would temporarily alleviate most of the …show more content…
depressive symptoms, the counselor knows that proper diagnosis of the main cause of the mental disorder is the only way to develop an effective treatment plan. Initial strategies to encourage more selfdisclosure or develop trust between the counselor and client included acknowledging his
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
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strengths such as academic and career achievements, and encouraging him to talk about his interests. The counselor also acknowledged the client’s unique background being a SomaliMuslim immigrant living in America. This initial consultation process allowed the counselor to build rapport with the client and form a trusting relationship that led to more self-disclosure.
The client, a 29-year-old male is a successful accountant working for a leading financial institution. According to the client, he has battling depression since he reached puberty when he discovered that he was gay. The client, whose parents immigrated to America when he was 11years-old, has hidden his homosexuality from his family because it is considered an abomination in the Muslims religion, and it would bring great shame to his immediate and extended family that lives in a close-knit Somali-American community. Since he completed college and found his first job at 24-years-old, his parents have been pressuring him to get married, and have gone as far as setting up an arranged marriage. The conflicting emotions between loyalty to his family, religion, and culture, and a desire to finally come out of the closet a live an openly gay lifestyle, is the source of his worsening depression.
Psychological Intervention
For an MHC, this case requires significant amount of consultation but also integration of advocacy counseling during the intervention process. The client is facing significant social barriers including a religious culture that considers his sexual orientation an abomination, his immigrant status that denies him access to social support outside his close-knit community, and his own internalized oppression as a closeted homosexual. According to Newman and Newman
(2015), social and emotional development begins at infancy and is the foundation of a person’s worldview. In this case, the client is experiencing emotional turmoil because his upbringing and
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
!7
family/community expectations are in conflict with his sexual orientation.
The first intervention strategy is direct consultation with the client to reassure them that homosexuality is natural and not abnormal. Secondly, the MHC should consult with a counselor that specializes in LGBT therapy to understand better the identity issues closeted homosexuals deal with. The MHC can then implement a common depression treatment plan such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that encourages the client to adapt behaviors or ways of thinking that match their real identity.
In terms of multicultural issues, the MHC should first train the client self-advocacy, for example, by pointing out that gays like immigrants are a minority, who face the same challenges.
The counselor can then highlight the clients strengths including having a college degree and a well paying jobs as products of overcoming his disadvantaged background. Empowering the client is a crucial step is helping him embrace his gay identity. Alternative, the therapist can advocate on behalf of the client by seeking out counselors in the Muslim community that are progay, and propose group therapy sessions that will encourage development of a gay support
group in the American-Somalia community. Furthermore, the MHC could link this new immigrant gay community with more established gay support groups in the region. The recent legalization of gay marriage by the US Supreme Court and rapid expansion of gay rights awareness will enhance the advocacy process.
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Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
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References
Holcomb-McCoy, C., & Bryan, J. (2010) “Advocacy and empowerment in parent consultation:
Implications for theory and practice,” Journal of Counseling and Development, 88 (3):
259–268.
Kiselica, M., S. & Robinson, M. (2001) “Bringing advocacy counseling to life: The history, issues, and human dramas of social justice work in counseling,” Journal of Counseling and Development, 79(4):387–397.
Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2015) Development through life: A psychosocial approach
(12th Ed.) Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
Myers, E., J & Sweeney, J, T & White, E, V. (2002) “Advocacy for counseling and counselors: a professional imperative,” Journal of Counseling and Development, 80(4):394–402.
Ratts, J., M., & Hutchins, A M. (2009) “ACA advocacy competencies: social justice advocacy at the client/student level,” Journal of Counseling and Development, 87(3):269–275.
Schoen, E., &McKelley, R. (2012) “Clinical assessment at college counseling centers: the consultant-on-duty model,” Journal of College Counseling, 15(3): 274–288.
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Role and Application of Consultation and Advocacy in Psychological Interventions
Dorothy Farrow
Dr.Garris
COUN/5004
July 2,2015
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
!2
!
Role of Consultation and Advocacy
Mental health counseling involves diagnosis and treatment of behavioral and mental disorders. Often, the process of psychological intervention involves a patient with a behavioral disorder such as alcohol and drug abuse, or mental disorder such as depression, social anxiety, or
PTSD seeking help from a mental health counselor (MHC). Through talk therapy, which includes a diagnostic …show more content…
interview, the MHC evaluates the symptoms and provides treatment recommendations to the person seeking help. In this case, the MHC is in the ‘consultant’ role because the patients seeks and receives psychological guidance directly from the counselor.
However, a consultation intervention can occur when the MHC seeks professional assistance or advice from other mental health counselors, or psychologist. In effect, consultation involves corroboration between an MHC and another mental health professional, when seeking to provide the most effective assessment and treatment plan for a mental health problem (Newman &
Newman, 2015).
As an advocate the role of the MHC, is more expansive because it involves speaking out on behalf of the patient, particularly against the environmental stressors such as discrimination and poverty that are a major cause of psychological stress. Apart from speaking out against oppressive social barriers and recommending changes, advocacy counseling also educates patients about self-advocacy or how to rebuild their self-esteem and confidence, which assists and help them overcome feelings of worthlessness and abusive relationships (Ratts & Hutchins,
2009).
!
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
!3
!
!
Application of Consultation and Advocacy
The main difference between consultation and advocacy is that the former involves the patient, primary MHC, and third party counselor seeking the diagnosis and treatment of a mental health problem, while advocacy counseling involves the MHC a third party and the client, arguing in support of a cause mostly against social oppression of a minority, which is contributing to their mental health problems. According to Myers et al (2002), the consulting model involves two main stages, firstly, a client seeks assistance for mental health problems directly from a counselor, and secondly, a counselor that lacks sufficient knowledge or skills to diagnose and treat a mental disorder seeks assistance from a counselor with more experience or professional knowledge. A good example of this is , if a client has symptoms of depression linked to Alzheimer’s or other common mental disorders associated with the elderly, a preliminary diagnostic interview will lead to consultation with a geriatric care counselor. A geriatric-care counselor understands the link between dementia, anxiety, and depression, and has adequate knowledge of the most effective psychological interventions for the elderly.
Alternatively, advocacy counseling involves two main strategies, empowering the clients to fight for themselves, and advocating/fighting against a social injustice on behalf of the client
(Holcomb-McCoy & Bryan, 2010). For example, if a client has symptoms of depression linked to poverty, a counselor can empower them through self-advocacy training such as indentifying their strengths and guiding them towards jobs that match their talents, this will then lead to an higher pay, that when then lead to an better environment for the client to live. On the other hand,
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
!4
the counselor with the help of the community leaders, can petition the local government to enact more affirmative action policies to ensure that minorities, who are majority of the poor, have more access to job opportunities, and better housing.
Choosing a Counselor for Consultation
An important aspect of consultation is choosing the right counselor to assist in diagnosis and treatment of a particular mental health disorder. According to Kiselica and Robinson (2001), the criteria for choosing the most appropriate counseling specialty for consultation focuses on three main factors, roles, professional setting and type of clientele a counselor deals with. For example, a career development counselor is crucial for self-advocacy training that involves strategies for self-improvement, especially for people with mental problems due to career dissatisfaction. Professional setting is also a crucial consideration for choosing a counselor for consultation, for example, counselors that work in schools or community agencies are appropriate for consulting with about youth behavioral and mental problems, or concerning environmental stressors such as poor neighborhood that contribute to mental disorders (Schoen
& McKelley, 2012; Newman & Newman, 2015). When choosing a counselor to consult with about a particular case, their specialty, or clientele type is also crucial. Rehabilitation counselors are appropriate for clients with addiction problems, geriatric counselors are required for mental health problems afflicting elderly clients, and a counselor with multicultural experience is vital for consulting with about clients from diverse social-cultural backgrounds.
Justify the Role, Purpose, and Benefits of Advocacy
As highlighted, advocacy has two main roles in counseling, empowering the clients to fight for themselves through self-advocacy training, and advocating on behalf of the clients to
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
!5
change an oppressive system that is contributing to mental deficits. In effect, the rationale of adapting advocacy in counseling is to highlight inequality in society, and how, to overcome psychosocial development deficits associated with being in or growing up in an oppressive environment. The purpose of empowering clients through self-advocacy training is to restore their self-esteem and self-confidence, which are crucial for overcoming mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
An good example , of self-advocacy training is encouraging immigrants to learn the local language and culture, which will boost their self-esteem, enhance their integration and social-economic opportunities. The purpose of advocating on behalf of the clients is to change an oppressive system that is the main cause of mental disorder. The main benefit of advocating on behalf of socially oppressed client is treating the cause rather than the symptoms of behavioral and mental disorder. Treatment of depressive symptoms using therapy or medication is inadequate, if the cause of depression is poverty, domestic abuse, second-class citizen status due to illegal immigration, or discrimination based on sexuality, race, or religious affiliation (Schoen & McKelley, 2012).
Case Study
An adult male client is suffering depression but after months of treating his symptoms using therapy, the client has reported that he is not feeling better and would like to try medication to alleviate feelings of hopelessness, fatigue, lack of interests in anything, guilt, and probably suicidal ideation. Although medication would temporarily alleviate most of the …show more content…
depressive symptoms, the counselor knows that proper diagnosis of the main cause of the mental disorder is the only way to develop an effective treatment plan. Initial strategies to encourage more selfdisclosure or develop trust between the counselor and client included acknowledging his
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
!6
strengths such as academic and career achievements, and encouraging him to talk about his interests. The counselor also acknowledged the client’s unique background being a SomaliMuslim immigrant living in America. This initial consultation process allowed the counselor to build rapport with the client and form a trusting relationship that led to more self-disclosure.
The client, a 29-year-old male is a successful accountant working for a leading financial institution. According to the client, he has battling depression since he reached puberty when he discovered that he was gay. The client, whose parents immigrated to America when he was 11years-old, has hidden his homosexuality from his family because it is considered an abomination in the Muslims religion, and it would bring great shame to his immediate and extended family that lives in a close-knit Somali-American community. Since he completed college and found his first job at 24-years-old, his parents have been pressuring him to get married, and have gone as far as setting up an arranged marriage. The conflicting emotions between loyalty to his family, religion, and culture, and a desire to finally come out of the closet a live an openly gay lifestyle, is the source of his worsening depression.
Psychological Intervention
For an MHC, this case requires significant amount of consultation but also integration of advocacy counseling during the intervention process. The client is facing significant social barriers including a religious culture that considers his sexual orientation an abomination, his immigrant status that denies him access to social support outside his close-knit community, and his own internalized oppression as a closeted homosexual. According to Newman and Newman
(2015), social and emotional development begins at infancy and is the foundation of a person’s worldview. In this case, the client is experiencing emotional turmoil because his upbringing and
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
!7
family/community expectations are in conflict with his sexual orientation.
The first intervention strategy is direct consultation with the client to reassure them that homosexuality is natural and not abnormal. Secondly, the MHC should consult with a counselor that specializes in LGBT therapy to understand better the identity issues closeted homosexuals deal with. The MHC can then implement a common depression treatment plan such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that encourages the client to adapt behaviors or ways of thinking that match their real identity.
In terms of multicultural issues, the MHC should first train the client self-advocacy, for example, by pointing out that gays like immigrants are a minority, who face the same challenges.
The counselor can then highlight the clients strengths including having a college degree and a well paying jobs as products of overcoming his disadvantaged background. Empowering the client is a crucial step is helping him embrace his gay identity. Alternative, the therapist can advocate on behalf of the client by seeking out counselors in the Muslim community that are progay, and propose group therapy sessions that will encourage development of a gay support
group in the American-Somalia community. Furthermore, the MHC could link this new immigrant gay community with more established gay support groups in the region. The recent legalization of gay marriage by the US Supreme Court and rapid expansion of gay rights awareness will enhance the advocacy process.
!
!
!
!
!
Role and application of Consultation and advocacy in Psychological Interventions
!8
!
References
Holcomb-McCoy, C., & Bryan, J. (2010) “Advocacy and empowerment in parent consultation:
Implications for theory and practice,” Journal of Counseling and Development, 88 (3):
259–268.
Kiselica, M., S. & Robinson, M. (2001) “Bringing advocacy counseling to life: The history, issues, and human dramas of social justice work in counseling,” Journal of Counseling and Development, 79(4):387–397.
Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2015) Development through life: A psychosocial approach
(12th Ed.) Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
Myers, E., J & Sweeney, J, T & White, E, V. (2002) “Advocacy for counseling and counselors: a professional imperative,” Journal of Counseling and Development, 80(4):394–402.
Ratts, J., M., & Hutchins, A M. (2009) “ACA advocacy competencies: social justice advocacy at the client/student level,” Journal of Counseling and Development, 87(3):269–275.
Schoen, E., &McKelley, R. (2012) “Clinical assessment at college counseling centers: the consultant-on-duty model,” Journal of College Counseling, 15(3): 274–288.
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