Psychodynamic theory essay

What Psychodynamic Theory Must Contribute to Each of our Understanding of

 Counselling in a Modern Society?

If counsellors are to notice very well their particular clients of diverse backgrounds or tradition and their place in a multicultural society, psychodynamic theory may be particularly helpful in this esteem. Theories and techniques employed in counselling will be diverse in fact it is imperative intended for counsellors to learn how to use their particular knowledge of psychodynamic theory in conceptualising devices for the two counselling and therapy.

In psychodynamic therapy, which is a way in counselling based on psychoanalytic theories, it truly is postulated that conscious and unconscious affects mold man behavior and social relationships.

This concept of the unconsciousis often associated with Sigmund Freud whose contribution in psychoanalysis can not be discounted. Psychoanalytic theory though, can be not entirely Freudian. Freud’s brilliant suggestions and ideas, were controversial. His ideas were beneath attack from many guidelines and it had been a good thing nevertheless that by his viewpoints, many other psychoanalytic theories appeared as well.

Carl Jung was famous for his collective subconsciousand his asian approach was unorthodox intended for Western psychoanalytic theorists. G. D. Winnicott’s transitional objectsand good- enough motheringfor instance, will be interesting contributions to psychoanalysis as well.

It must be fascinating to learn these theorists’ contribution to systems and approaches of multicultural counselling. In just as much as these theorists’ perspectives appear to have unique or even conflicting orientations, we might have the probability to look upon their particular theories, in many ways, complementary inside the practice of counselling within a multicultural society. Their hypotheses can prove to be useful at any point in counselling (or therapy) classes in understanding consumers, their unique record, individual problems, and understanding their behavior, the impact of their past activities to their present condition in life, and some of their underlying purposes and morals.

Sigmund Freud

          � Psychoanalytic approaches to therapy and counselling originated from the works of Sigmund Freud. He seen that people will be driven by unconsciousaffects, a part of all their inner associated with which they have no idea of. He theorised that overpowered, oppressed unconscious feelings and thoughts could reveal through dreams, fantasies and odd behavior.

Until after these repressed forbidden wants, hurtful thoughts and encounters are brought to conscious awareness, these were assumed to lead to irrational and maladaptive habit. Based on this concept, effective counsellors can properly draw upon these types of repressed thoughts and thoughts through psychotherapy to ease their particular client’s depressive disorder or anxiousness and to improve their patient’s self-esteem.

          � Freud’s notion of eros(sexual and your life instincts) and thanatos(aggressive and fatality instincts) are considered motivating elements of character, with the term libido talking about basic energy of lifestyle associated with Eros. Troubled individuals may manifest death predatory instincts through harmful behavior including, alcoholism, substance abuse, aggression (towards self or perhaps others), and in many cases suicide.

          � Freud theorised that the individual’s behavior is presumed to result from the connection of 3 components of the personality: identification, spirit, and superego. The identity is said to be the original source of instinctual drives and operate in terms of the pleasure principle.It really is capable of eliciting mental images and wish-fulfilling fantasies (Coleman, 1980).

          � The 2nd personality element is the spirit, which intercedes between the demands of the id and the external world, and operates in the reality principle. For instance, Freud believed that sexual or perhaps aggressive habits are incompatible with society’s rules and prohibitions.

          � It was clever of Freud to bring in the third character component, which is the superego, or typically referred to as conscience. If you have learned and adapted for the moral needs of society, the individual would have a better knowledge of what is right from incorrect. The superego serves as personality’s system of control to lessen immoralwishes.

          � Freud believed in the interplay between the id, ego and superego, and how it is crucial to tendencies. Inner issues may occur because the id, ego and superego happen to be striving for distinct goals. Inner conflicts can manifest being a mental disorder if not resolved.

Another important psychoanalytic notion of Freud can be defense mechanisms. For him, whatever aches or stresses are reduced by damaging reality, in the event one can not deal with it rationally (Coleman, et. ing., p. 54). Therefore , could be distorted notion of actuality poses habit problems. This only takes place though when the ego can no longer cope with the pain or anxiety simply by rational actions.

Freud’s contribution to developmental psychology is his theory on five Psychosexual phases:thedental, anal, phallic, latencyand genital stages. �He believed these stages of development could determine their defenses, worries, and impulses. A child who has been miserable of completely experiencing any of these stages may suffer fixationat that stage of development. The first 3 stages of development, the oral, anal, and phallic stages, are definitely the most crucial, as one’s character is molded at this time. In the event fixation happens at any point during this period, then the kid would likely develop distinct persona type.

By birth to 1 year (oral stage), your mouth is the primary erogenous zone and it is assumed that an infant’s greatest way to obtain gratification is usually sucking. In case the caregiver is overindulgent or perhaps depriving, then the child will probably develop fixation at this stage. Some traits linked to overindulgence happen to be optimism, manipulativeness, boldness and admiration. On the other hand, deprivation might lead to characteristics such as negativity, suspiciousness, self-belittlement, passivity, and jealousy. Further more, as Freud theorised, hinsicht at this stage, or perhaps when the specific did not receive adequate oral gratification during infancy, the is susceptible to extreme drinking or eating in adult existence.

When the kid is about 18 months to 3 years (anal stage), the anus and butt are considered to be the primary types of pleasure. Both an increased demand or permissiveness coming from a children’s caregiver, can lead to the development of anal persona.Other psychological problems that are thought to occur from this level are obsessive-compulsivity and paranoia.

During the phallic stage, or when the child is all about 3 to six years old, the penis or clitoris is believed to be the significant source of pleasurable sensation. At this stage, the child learns to manipulate the genitals and becomes interested in learning the opposite love-making. Curiously enough, Freud as well believed that it is at this stage when the child grows intense lovemaking feelings for the father or mother of the contrary sex, or perhaps known as Oedipus and Electra complex.The Oedipal sophisticated is the understanding that young boys desire to have their mom.

Freud thought that all boys possess incestuous urges for their mother, even perceives their father as competitor, but they have got fear which the father can harm these people (castration stress). Likewise, the Electra sophisticated is the presumption that women desire their particular father, and want to replace their particular mother. The fear of the homosexual parent contributes to sublimationof their sexual interest for the alternative sex parent or guardian into non-sexual love, and they learn to identification instead to their same-sex parent. � To get either sex, it essential for them to resolve the turmoil, such that after they enter youthful adulthood stage, they are likely to have an effective heterosexual romance.

In the years from six to doze (latency stage), sexual motives are put aside and the child channels his energy in to school, enjoy, shared actions with close friends, and athletics.

Finally, the genital stage, which is coming from puberty onwards, the greatest feelings of enjoyment come from heterosexual relations. At this point, the individual stations his energy into socially acceptable endeavors such as stepping into romantic interactions, establishing relationships, career organizing and also some recreational activities.

 Freud’s cathartic hypnosis was well-known during his time, nevertheless more than the technique of hypnosis as a restorative cure to psychological health problems, was his concept that feelings had been drawn from the unconscious. His contribution stands apart in the sense that he was one who produced techniques just like free associationand wish analysisin dealing with both the conscious and unconscious aspects of mental health. Freud emphasized the role in the unconscious purposes and ego-defense systems, and the importance of early on childhood activities in the personality adjustment and maladjustment of adults, and also the relevance of sexual elements in individual behavior and mental disorders (Coleman, et. al., s. 57).

Freud’s techniques now used in contemporary psychodynamic guidance provide further understanding of the (client’s) self, and can end up being helpful in emotional, spiritual creation and self-awareness.

Carl Jung

          � One of the original and controversial popular features of Jung’s theory on character was the notion of collective unconscious. This individual theorised the existence of universally shared motives, drives, potentials, worries and emblems – that human beings convey more or fewer the same collective unconscious. Collective unconscious is defined as the “storehouse of important memory footprints inherited by one’s ancestral past” (Hall & Lindzey, 1978, s. 119). To put it simply, with this theory, there may be probability of reviving activities of previous generations. “Humans are born with many predisposition for considering, feeling, and perceiving in accordance to definite patterns and contents that become actualized through individualized experiences” (Hall & Lindzey).

          � In the event Freud’s “unconscious mind” is often associated with overpowered, oppressed forbidden wishes, hurtful recollections and experience, Jung’s group unconscious is actually a vast reference of subliminal contents and potential, consisting of the “wisdom and connection with uncounted hundreds of years, and put down in the archetypal organs” (Jung, reported in Corridor & Lindzey, p. 120). The group unconscious may then serve a very good purpose towards the individual. But , if this kind of ignored by the ego, “the unconscious might disrupt the conscious realistic processes by simply seizing your hands on them and twisting them into distorted forms (Hall & Lindzey, p. 120). � Instances of irrational behavior could happen such as phobic disorders and delusions.

          � Jung believed the individual accomplishes completeness or perhaps wholeness just as dreams, images and dreams through the personal and collective subconscious become attainable to the conscious self (Coleman, et. al., p. 58).

          � Jung’s concept of archetypesrefers to habits of habit within the unconscious mind. The most typical of these archetypes are the character, shadow, home, and animaand animus.

The characteris tantamount to the social personality – the “face” an individual offers in his cultural relationships. A proper persona may then imply good adaptation to the demands of culture or the environment where a single belongs. In certain respects, Jung’s concept of the persona is similar to Freud’s superego.

The shadowhas some resemblance to Freud’s concept of the id. It really is considered the invisible or irony of personality that occasionally the individual can be not even aware about. This portion of the psyche would be difficult to accept. If a particular trait of another problems an individual, after that this could be a mirrored image of his shadow. Characteristics such as laziness, attention-seeking, anger expression, etc ., are usually retained from awareness and is often projected in front of large audiences.

The do it yourselfcan be considered the sum total of the personality, the motivating aspect of human behavior that creates one to regularly strive and attain wholeness. It was Jung’s view which the self can easily emerge as long as various facets of the personality have totally developed (known as individuation) (Hall & Lindzey, s. 124). As a result, this does not happen until one has reached central age once one “begins to make a significant effort to change the center of personality from your conscious spirit to one that may be midway among consciousness and unconsciousness” (Hall & Lindzey).

Jung assumed that one usually takes the trip toward division, spending nearly half of his life individuating, and the second integrating. Idea has direct application and relevance to career coaching. Notice that most individuals who reach middle era begin to have even more focus and sense of purpose, not really wasting their very own time and energy exactly where they do not fit or are certainly not welcome, and increasing effort just in activities that will lead them to their the case calling.

To some extent parallel to Freud’s Oedipus and Electra complex which in turn prove tightly related to understanding one’s heterosexual realignment is Jung’s anima and animus.This can be much like the “yin and yang” of the Chinese, the assertive and feminine side of human being personality.

The role of biological human hormones cannot be reduced, but coming from a Jungian perspective, this really is more regarded as being a product of racial encounters of gentleman with woman and the other way round. Jung’s anima and animation may be of relevance understand man-woman relationships in a counselling setting. Gentleman is supposed to “apprehend the nature of girl by virtue of his anima, and woman apprehends the nature of guy by virtue of her animus” (Hall & Lindzey, p. 123), and without respect to the actual character of some other, their romance will most likely bring about discord.

Donald Winnicott

          � The influential concepts of transitional items, the good-enough motherand the accurate and phony selfare attributed to Winnicott.

Atransition objectis some sort of your security umbrella for a child. It could be a favorite stuffed doll, baby umbrella, pillow or any symbolic subject that a child finds the reassurance of having. A transitional subject helps children cope with dread while their principal caregiver is away. The most powerfulk person (object) during a infant’s development is the principal caregiver. In a coaching setting, the counselor serves as the transition object, whom gradually will help his consumer overcome let-downs and develop greater independence over time.

The good-enough mompertains to the main caregiver in whose parenting style fit the child’s developing needs. Winnicott believed that caregivers must be good-enough in providing the child’s needs, but not an excessive amount of. They have to educate children as well to put up with frustrations, and teach them the lessons of independence and self-sufficiency.

Winnicott theorized that kid’s needs, in the event that not sufficiently met, could help develop a bogus self(this is in some way identical to Freud’s idea of fixation). Alternatively, when kid’s needs are adequately offered, then, they can be likely to create a true home. A relationship based upon trust, a relationship that is more actual, will increase between the caregiver and the child. This concept may apply to counselor (or therapist)-client relationship. A highly effective counselor can really provide a secure “holding environment” for his client, and is adaptive to his patient’s needs. The counselor knows how to respond to his client’s feelings with friendliness and sympathy, thus supporting his consumer reveal his true self.

References

Coleman, David C., Wayne N. Butcher and Robert C. Carson. Abnormal Mindset and

Modern Life(6^thed. ). Illinois: Jeff, Foresman and Company.

Dakai, S. H. (2003). “Addiction Counseling: Examination of Various Craving Counseling

and Therapy Approaches. ” Journal of Addictive Disorders. Breining Company.

Hall, Calvin S. and Lindzey Gardner (1980). Ideas of Personality (3rd impotence. ). Nyc:

John Wiley & Daughters.

McGinnis, Adam D. and Kenneth 3rd there�s r. Thomas (1991). The Psychoanalytic Theories of D. Watts.

Winnicott as Applied to Rehabilitation.The Journal of Rehabilitation. one particular July 1991

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