Values in Counseling and Psychotherapy

The purpose of this article is to consider the various ways that values enter into counseling or psychotherapy, with particular attention to the goals of the process and the methods or procedures by which the counselor or therapist implements the process.     

Interpersonal Assessment in Counseling and Psychotherapy

This article provides a review of some of the major instruments, methodologies, and strategies available to assess clients' interpersonal functioning. The focus is on instruments that provide characterizations of clients' and counselors' overt interpersonal behavior and covert reactions translated onto interpersonal circle models. A suggested interpersonal assessment battery is presented, and how the information obtained from this battery can be applied to assist in conceptualization and treatment efforts is described.     

Group Counseling and Group Psychotherapy with Rehabilitation Clients

An instrument designed to measure components of two distinct alcoholism aftercare treatments was developed and evaluated for reliability and validity. Trained judges reliably rated audiotaped samples of coping skills and interactional group therapy sessions. Coping skills groups engaged in significantly more education and skill training, problem solving, and role playing. Interactional groups showed more interpersonal learning, expression/exploration of feelings, and here-and-now focus. Groups that employed more education and skill training, less expression and exploration of feelings, and less her e-and-now focus were associated with fewer members reporting subsequent drinking-related problems. None of the ratings of group activities was related to abstinence.     

Root Metaphor Theory: A Philosophical Framework for Counseling and Psychotherapy

By exploring alternative worldviews or philosophical frames of reference, counselors can look beyond their own encapsulated images of reality and examine different assumptions concerning the nature of psychological phenomena and the process of change. The present article offers an overview of the root metaphors and philosophical assumptions associated with formism, mechanism, contextualism, and organicism—the four worldviews described in Pepper's (1942) philosophical treatise and his presentation of root metaphor theory. Recent and historical trends of development in counseling theory and practice are examined within the context of Pepper's metaphilosophical system.     

Proposed Values for Guiding and Evaluating Counseling and Psychotherapy

A survey of published and private opinions of mental health professionals revealed a previously hidden consensus concerning certain values that enhance mental health. These values concern Freedom, Love, Identity, Truth, Universals, Symptom Management, and Work. There was disagreement about the effect of many other values on mental health. It is my contention that values permeate counseling and psychotherapy, that the values of conselors and therapists should be more explicit, and that values should be openly used to guide and evaluate treatment.     

Conflicts Between Ethics and Law in Counseling and Psychotherapy

Codes of ethics are designed to guide and govern the behavior of the professional for whom they are written. In such fields as counseling, psychology, and social work, ethical standards are necessary to protect clients, guide professionals, safeguard the autonomy of professional workers, and enhance the status of the profession. Sometimes, however, the professional worker finds that the ethical standards of the profession seem to be in conflict with the law. These conflicts may arise in such areas as advertising, confidentiality, and clients' rights of access to their own files. The authors discuss the nature, ramifications, and implications of ethical-legal conflicts in the helping professions.     

Religion and Humor: Estranged Bedfellows

In an earlier article (Capps, 2006), I presented evidence that humor has important psychological benefits. It would seem, therefore, that religion and humor would be allies, for religion is also considered compatible with psychological well-being (Capps, 1985). In fact, however, while religion and humor are not enemies, neither are they, for the most part, allies. I review theoretical works that reflect religion's mistrust of humor, then focus on the empirical studies by Vassilis Saroglou that confirm this mistrust. Building on Saroglou's own theoretical analysis of this mistrust, I suggest that some grounds for this mistrust are legitimate, but most are not. I conclude that religion and humor should overcome their current estrangement.     

心理咨询与治疗研究中的质性研究

心理咨询与治疗研究与实践长期存在脱节现象;心理咨询与治疗研究需要研究方法的多元化与科学化.质性研究方法的应用能在一定程度上解决心理咨询与治疗领域所面临的这两个问题.本文对质性研究方法应用于心理咨询与治疗研究的背景和现状进行综述,以期能对国内心理咨询与治疗研究者提供思考和借鉴.     

来访者动机:心理咨询与治疗理论与实践的整合

来访者动机是影响行为改变和治疗结果的重要因素,是贯穿心理咨询与治疗过程的关键问题。自我决定理论(SDT)是关于动机行为的一种宽泛理论,将动机看成一个随自主水平变化的连续体,认为来访者自主水平越高,治疗效果越好,并强调治疗师的自主支持对来访者参与和坚持改变的重要性;动机访谈(MI)则是在成瘾行为治疗中发展起来的一种临床技术和策略,遵循来访者中心的原则激发和增强来访者动机。在健康行为领域两种治疗模型有不同的起点、焦点和发展路径,研究者却发现两者可以系统而有机地整合,促进了有实证支持的实践发展。     

Ego Development and a General Model for Counseling and Psychotherapy

Swensen describes a general model within which various techniques of counseling and psychotherapy may be integrated. This model is based on Lewin's formula, B = f (P, E), that is, behavior is a function of the person and the environment. Therapists should assess both the personality of the client and the environment. Client assessment is based on the concept of ego development. The behavior of clients who are at simpler levels of ego development is determined largely by reward and punishment in the environment. As a consequence, professionals should direct therapy with these clients toward changing the reinforcement contingencies in the environment. On the other hand, behavior of clients at more complex levels of ego development is more self-controlled. Therefore, therapy with these clients should concentrate on self-directed and self-controlled change.     

Cross-Cultural Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Historical Perspective,Implications for Research and Training

This article examines the development of cross-cultural and psychotherapy in the United States, and theoretical models and their implications for research and training are reviewed.     

Supervision of Beginning and Advanced Graduate Students of Counseling and Psychotherapy

The purpose of this article is to present a comprehensive picture of supervision for the beginning and the advanced graduate student of counseling and psychotherapy. Even though early-level supervision is generally characterized by high levels of structure, a didactic orientation, and a skill focus, it is argued that supervision should encourage continuous reflection at all levels of expertise. For the beginning student, the impact of performance anxiety and the advantages and disadvantages of modeling are examined. For advanced students, tension in supervision is considered and the rationale for an explicit contract is explained. For both levels, the quality of the supervisory relationship is considered critical for effective supervision,     

Emerging Practices of Counseling and Psychotherapy in China: Ethical Dilemmas in Dual Relationships

A qualitative study was conducted with 48 Chinese counselors and psychotherapists who were interviewed in 2006 and an independent sample of 50 participants who responded to a survey in 2014. This study aims to explore how the new emerging expansion of mental health practice is related to issues and challenges of dual role relationship and how the well-engrained values and social characteristics of Chinese culture influences perceptions and resolution of ethical dilemmas. The participants identified similar dual relationships in 2006 and 2014: (a) Incidental boundary crossings, a sexual or romantic relationship, a dual social relationship, and a professional dual relationship were the most frequently reported types of dual relationships encountered by Chinese practitioners, and (b) the socioeconomic and cultural context and the development trajectory of counseling and psychotherapy in China play a significant role in shaping practitioners’ behaviors. The comparison of the data in 2006 and 2014 indicated that practitioners in psychotherapy and counseling have an improved awareness and understanding of ethical issues, evidenced by the decreasing cases of romantic and sexual relationships and increasing cases of social dual relationships influenced by the interrelatedness of traditional Chinese culture.     

试析后现代心理学影响下的心理治疗与咨询

后现代心理学强调心理现象的建构特性和心理学知识的文化相对性。后现代背景下的心理治疗和咨询接受社会建构主义的认识论主张,认为病理心理是语言的社会建构,并没有客观的意义。所有的治疗和咨询理论都是一种“建构”或“叙事”,而不是所谓的“真理”。承认这一点,将有助于在后现代多元化的基础上,实现各种治疗和咨询理论的整合。