Explanation and Causality in Counselling: Consequences and Alternatives

Despite calls for counselling to take greater cognizance of the social context in which we live, it remains primarily monadic in its approach, focusing on individual pathology rather than on contextual links. This is explored in a discussion of behavioural, cognitive, and humanistic approaches to counselling which — despite their differences — exhibit remarkably similar features when viewed from a perspective outlining patterns of causality. A systemic approach is presented which attempts to provide a framework for describing human behaviour that acknowledges the interaction between intrapsychic dynamics and patterns of communication. The likely consequences of the traditional and systemic approaches are then discussed within a framework of 'self-fulfilling prophecies' .