Reciprocity counseling: A rapid learning-based procedure for marital counseling

Existing marital counseling procedures have not been experimentally evaluated or generally have not been based on an experimentally derived theory. The present study formulated a model of marital discord based on reinforcement theory, developed a marital counseling procedure based on that theory and experimentally evaluated its effectiveness. The model viewed marital discord as the resultant of non-reciprocated reinforcement. The counseling procedures attempted to establish general marital reciprocity of reinforcement by teaching reciprocity in several specific areas of marital unhappiness. The reciprocity procedure was conducted for about 3–4 weeks with 12 couples, after first conducting a catharsis-type counseling as a control procedure. The results showed that the reciprocity procedure increased reported marital happiness, whereas the control procedure did not. Once reciprocity was achieved in a specific problem area, the benefits generalized somewhat to other yet-to-be counseled areas. The increase in marital happiness occurred for each of the specific areas of marital interaction, for 96 per cent of the clients, and was maintained and increased during the available follow-up period. These results indicate that the procedure is an effective, rapid and enduring method of producing marital happiness.     

Pastoral counseling for homosexuals

Pastoral Psychology -     

Organizing for group counseling

Young people who participate in group counseling need help in understanding the goals of the group because these goals may otherwise act as hidden agenda items and because they have no norms for understanding whether or not the group is functioning effectively. A three-step process described here is designed to increase member commitment and understanding of the group: first, a self-selection process, second, an intake interview procedure, and third, a discussion of sharing goals.     

Genetic counseling for pregnant adolescents

The genetic counseling literature has a paucity of information on how to provide genetic counseling services to adolescents, especially those who are pregnant. The adolescent population should be viewed as a separate culture, complete with their own beliefs and viewpoints, which are dependent upon the developmental growth tasks of puberty. The completion of these tasks is complicated by pregnancy, which has its own set of developmental goals. The adolescent struggle with developmental goals interferes with the ability to identify consequences, predict future outcomes, and communicate self-revealing statements or decisions effectively. Instead, the adolescent has an egocentric frame of reference and seeks peer approval. The genetic counseling dilemmas presented by pregnant adolescents are illustrated through two case reports. A model based on our own experience and a literature review for successful counseling of adolescents is presented, and utilizes the foundation of trust, patience, and nonjudgmental behavior. Techniques that address the adolescent's concern for autonomy and peer approval are important, and can be achieved through nonthreatening, open-ended questions that promote self-expression. Incorporation of these techniques in genetic counseling and in graduate training will enhance genetic counseling services to the adolescent population.     

Cognitive career counseling for women

Developmental theories of career counseling conceptualize individuals proceeding in a sequential, orderly fashion throughout their career lives. Specific tasks are confronted and resolved as individuals pursue their career goals. Issues faced by women at each stage of the career cycle are often overlooked. This article describes the negative influence societal demands, role conflicts, and individual attitudes can have on women seeking careers. RET provides an essential cognitive component for reducing the internal and external attitudinal barriers in treating women for job related problems.Diana Richman, Ph.D. is Supervising psychologist at the Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy. She maintains a private practice in Manhattan and Queens.     

A framework for counseling women

“The goal is to develop human beings who are free to act in ways that are appropriate to their interests and their values—not their sex.“     

Need for approval and counseling outcomes

The intent of this study was to determine the effects of a clients' need for approval on the outcomes of counseling. The expectation was that clients who have a high need for approval by others would cooperate more with the counseling process and would more often be successful in the sense of being rehabilitated. The Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale was administered to 167 applicants at a state rehabilitation agency immediately after the initial interview. It was hypothesized that successfully rehabilitated clients would obtain significantly higher social desirability scores than those clients who were not successful. The results confirmed the hypothesis at the .01 level of significance.     

Dimensions of counseling for career development

Counseling practice has not reflected current thinking about career development and career process. Four types of career counseling are described: Type 1, a traditional vocational counseling approach which helps the client with a specific decision; Type 2, which is concerned with teaching decision-making skills; Type 3, which views career development as a process rather than an end-point toward which all decisions lead; and Type 4, which focuses on creating in the individual the ability to utilize his own strengths to achieve self-determined objectives and to influence the nature of future opportunities.     

Existential considerations for contemporary career counseling

This article was written to remind career counselors of the potential depth and subjective impact of both unemployment and employment transitions. An existential framework is used in discussing today's world of work, previous and contemporary career counseling models, existential theory in career counseling, and existential considerations for career counselors. Results from 3 research projects are discussed in light of I. D. Yalom's (1980, 1998) 4 existential themes. Using quotations from participants, the authors move beyond theoretical ideas and underscore the real‐life importance of including the individual's larger subjective perspective when engaging in career counseling. Implications for practice are discussed.     

Controversies in counseling for mitochondrial conditions

A healthy woman sought preconceptional genetic counseling regarding a family history of a mitochondrial myopathy in her brother and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in her two maternal aunts. Several questions were raised: (1) What is the likelihood of a familial mitochondrial condition? (2) What molecular tests or prenatal screening can we offer? (3) How would these tests help assess the likelihood of a familial mitochondrial condition? A mitochondrial mutation previously identified in the brother consisted of a heteroplasmic 2.9 kb deletion. We detected this deletion in the peripheral blood of the brother by PCR amplification of the deletion breakpoint, but not in his mother, the consultand, nor in one of the two aunts affected with RP. Although the molecular analysis was encouraging to the consultand, a familial mitochondrial disorder could not be eliminated with certainty. The pros and cons of prenatal testing for mitochondrial disorders are discussed in general, and as specifically related to this family.     

Cognitive counseling for health care compliance

This paper proposes a therapy/counseling model based on RET and other cognitive approaches to enable the therapist in a health care setting to enhance patient compliance with medical and life-style treatment recommendations. Problems and reasons for low rates of compliance with treatment regimens in health settings are discussed. A four phase treatment/therapy approach including Assessment, Insight, Working Through and Homework is presented.     

Gestalt therapy interventions for group counseling

Much interest has been focused on Gestalt therapy in recent years. Many counselors, however, are unfamiliar with this style of therapeutic intervention. The author offers a brief introduction to some of the basic tenets of Gestalt therapy, noting goals that are similar to those in counseling theories. He also suggests several interventions from Gestalt therapy to be considered for group counseling and discusses their applications.     

Strategies for counseling protestant evangelical families

A significant segment of the population—evangelical Christians—has historically been underrepresented in psychotherapy and in the treatment literature. Consequently, few guidelines for therapeutic decision making and intervention have been articulated. Because the clergy are showing an increasing willingness to refer these people to human service professionals, it is important that clinicians be informed about this group of potential clients. Therapeutic strategies whick take into account the unique characteristics of this population are discussed in light of four stages in the development of the helping relationship.Portions of this paper were presented at the meeting of the American Association of Marriage and Family Counselors, Philadelphia, October 1976.