Importance of Counselling
All the individuals, at some point or other, are in need of counsellor, mainly due to difficult life events and mental health problems. This leads to questions over the meaning and importance of counselling and the role of the counsellor in the impacting the mental health of an individual towards the positive (Goodyear et al., 2016). Counselling can be defined as the process through which an individual expresses their problems and emotions in a safe and healthy environment (Goodyear et al., 2016). A professional counsellor, on the other hand, is a trained expert who is adept at listening and helping everyone with their problems systematically through sessions and different therapies (Goodyear et al., 2016). Counselling has been found to be effective in dealing with mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and phobias, issues with identity, and sometimes with proper and healthy maintenance of relationships and life (Goodyear et al., 2016). This paper will address the role of psychoanalytic therapy and person-centred therapy in relation to the case study of Tom, who has anxiety and PTSD.
Tom’s anxiety and PTSD could be decreased or even cured when the therapist looks at his past and the reason for his mental problems. The psychoanalytic therapy is based on Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis, which placed emphasis on role of the subconscious and unconscious mind and its affect on the feelings, thoughts, and behaviour of an individual (Lorenzer, 2016). This theory examines the importance of the childhood and past memories in influencing the current problems of the individual. The psychoanalytic therapy evolved from the practices and techniques used by Freud for understanding the unconscious (Lorenzer, 2016). According to Freud, people repressed their feelings, emotions, and urges, which were expressed through psychological problems such as hysteria. Freud also believed that unconscious minds can be assessed through dream analysis and free expression of thoughts (Lorenzer, 2016). Freud’s idea became popular and with many revisions, the therapy has become amalgamated with various other theories and techniques (Lorenzer, 2016). Tom’s mental problems could also be treated when he is given the highest regards by his therapist and reorienting his priority for his self-actualisation. The client-centred therapy involves the therapist’s highest priority on the present condition of the individual to attain their highest possible capabilities. This therapy forms its basis on the humanistic approach to psychology, which has been founded by Carl Rogers (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). Rogers believes that this therapy could be used to promote the self-esteem and self-actualisation in their life so that they can gain deeper understanding of themselves and improve self-concept (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). This theory is often compared to the psychoanalytic theory for the wide difference in their emphasis (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). While the psychoanalytic theory places importance on the past and the repressed memories of an individual, the person-centred therapy disregards all those and takes the individual’s self and related paradigms to be of the utmost importance, both of which could be helpful for Tom (Lorenzer, 2016; Bayliss-Conway, 2021).
There differences between the psychoanalytic and client-centred therapy could be further analysed in regards to counsellor’s relationship with the client as would be seen with Tom. In the psychoanalytic therapy, the counsellor has an active role as there is an interpersonal relationship between the therapist and the client (Lorenzer, 2016). The therapist seeks to change the behaviour of the individual for the positive through active listening. As the therapy focuses on memories of the individual, the person focuses on understanding and analysing those memories that are embedded in the unconscious mind of the client (Lorenzer, 2016). The client-centred therapist accepts the individual as they are through “unconditional positive regard”, has empathy for the client, and shows genuine and authentic concern for congruency of the client (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). When the correct modicum of behaviour and regard is achieved by both the counsellor and Tom in both the therapies, they would be most beneficial for him.
Psychoanalytic Therapy: Definition and Importance
Both the psychoanalytic and client-centred therapy have various applications, some of which could help Tom. Since the psychoanalytic therapy focuses on delving into the unconscious minds, the therapy is a long-term therapy (Grey et al., 2018). It has been used to treat problems such as anxiety, phobias, relationship and sexual problems, low self-esteem, and other related problems such as shyness and sleeping difficulties (Yakeley, 2018; Cottraux, 2022). The aim of a psychological therapy is to help the individuals realise their underlying thoughts, behaviours, and desires so that they do not affect their daily life (Yakeley, 2018). Such thoughts and behaviours could shape maladaptive behaviour and thus, psychoanalytic theory is used finding the in-depth understanding of the human psyche (Yakeley, 2018). Psychoanalytic therapy addresses the root of the problem rather than decreasing the symptoms of a disorder through psychopathology and can lead to growth over time (Yakeley, 2018). Tom would be able to understand the roots of his problems, which mainly lies in his relationship with his father. Client-centred therapy is also influential with changing many aspects of an individual. This therapy has been found useful for people with problems, such as relationship problems, panic attacks, phobias, personality disorders, substance abuse and eating disorders, low self-esteem, depression, personality disorders, and trauma recovery (Renger et al., 2020). It is also helpful for those individuals who have a fear of judgement and difficulty with problem-solving abilities (Renger et al., 2020). The unconditional positive regards given to an individual could help an individual with letting go of their guilt and self-doubts and accept themselves as they are (Renger et al., 2020). Tom would be able let go of the past and focus on himself and his positive growth.
There are multiple ethical issues that should be considered for the individual to have successful and positive therapy in the psychoanalytic and client-centred therapy. The ethical issues in the psychoanalytic therapy include the misuse of independence, coercion, informed consent, involuntary commitment, and boundaries that form the basic ethical issues of the any therapy in psychology (Brenner & Cather, 2015). The issues become complicated because of the involvement of the processes regarding the unconscious mind and transference that are some of the primary elements of the psychoanalytic therapy (Brenner & Cather, 2015; Stoll et al., 2019). On the other hand, the client-centred therapy requires the therapist to have positive unconditional regards, congruence, empathy for the client. However, this also allows the therapist to form interpersonal connection with the client, which goes against the basic principles of counselling (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). This could lead to client’s attachment to the therapist, which could be destructive for their further growth as a fully functioning person (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). Tom would have to consider them these ethical issues when considering both the theories.
There are varied techniques used in the psychoanalytic therapy and the client-centred therapy, which are used for the successful completion of the counselling. The psychoanalytic therapy uses four main techniques: dream analysis, free association, interpretation, and transference. Dream analysis includes the interpretation of the dream and its hidden meanings could provide a window to an individual’s unconscious mind, as stated by Freud (Etchegoyen, 2018). Free association involves letting the client talk about anything that comes to their mind. The therapist might also use random words to understand and know about the client’s first words, which could reveal the individual’s repressed memories (Etchegoyen, 2018). Interpretation involves the individual analysing their thoughts and behaviour so that they can explore their memories and past to understand their memories and thoughts (Etchegoyen, 2018). Finally, transference refers to transferring the feelings of the past to the present so that the past issues could be resolved (Etchegoyen, 2018. Out of these, dream analysis and free association would be best suited for Tom’s condition. In the client-centred therapy, the main techniques used include congruence, unconditional positive regard, and empathy, which contrary to psychoanalytic therapy are used by the therapist (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). As studied before, congruence includes the therapist’s genuine and actual care towards the betterment of the individual so that a trusting relationship could be formed (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). The unconditional positive regard forms the basis of the client-centred therapy (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). The therapist must show positive feelings for the client through reassurance, active listening, and body language so that they feel esteemed by someone (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). Lastly, the therapist must show empathy so that rapport could be built between the therapist and the client (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). The collective use of all these techniques would be best for Tom.
Client-Centred Therapy
There are different possible outcomes when the individual experiences counselling in psychoanalytic and client-centred therapy that need to be considered by Tom. After getting counselling in the psychoanalytic therapy, the people show both short-term and long-term effects reducing their symptoms of any psychological disorder or problem (Fonagy et al., 2015; Zimmermann et al., 2015; Laezer, 2015). Moreover, this therapy is also famed for its lasting impact so that the individuals can address their problem once and for all (Benecke et al., 2016). This makes the individual have better control over the maladaptive behaviours and once they realise the source of their problem, it is easy to address it and used for one’s advantage (Etchegoyen, 2018). The client-centred therapy aims to make the individual a fully functioning person. When the therapy is used successfully, the individual is able to continuously try to achieve self-actualisation (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). A fully functioning person stems out of the therapist’s unconditional regards who does not limit their growth by placing conditions on themselves (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). They express their conditions freely and are always open to new experiences. This person would, then, be able to embrace their present, however bleak and existential it may seem, along with gaining a sense of freedom, creativity, excitement, and challenge (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). Some suggestions for planning the psychoanalytic and client-centred therapy include the number and duration of sessions. Since the psychoanalytic therapy is a long-term therapy, three to five sessions per week are suggested, mostly for a year. For the client-centred therapy, a total of at least sex to eighteen sessions for effective counselling (Bayliss-Conway, 2021). Both the theories need to be considered when choosing an appropriate theory by Tom.
In my opinion, the most suitable therapy for Tom would be the psychoanalytical therapy which involves direct focus on the root of the problem. Since he had a problematic childhood along with seeing horrific experiences in the army, his maladaptive behaviour along with the anxiety and PTSD stem from such experiences. Therefore, the psychoanalytic therapy would be most suited for him, with approximately four to six sessions each week till he is able to understand the roots of his problems through various techniques and move on from the past (Cottraux, 2022). The most beneficial techniques for his use includes dream analysis and free association so that the problem underlying his condition could be unearthed.
To conclude, there are vast differences in the psychoanalytic and client-centred therapy. While the psychoanalytic therapy uses Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis as a base which emphasises on the importance of repressed memories and desires and the role of the unconscious mind, the client-centred therapy stems out of Rogers’s humanistic approach, which emphasises the importance of the self-actualisation for an individual’s ultimate growth. While the psychoanalytic therapy esteems the therapist with an active role, the client centred therapy focuses on the individual for their personal growth. There are varied application, ethical issues, and techniques in both the therapies along with different possible outcomes from the counselling. It is suggested that Tom goes for psychoanalytic therapy so that he could get long-lasting results from the problems of his past.
References
Bayliss-Conway, C., Price, S., Murphy, D., & Joseph, S. (2021). Client-centred therapeutic relationship conditions and authenticity: a prospective study. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 49(5), 637-647. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2020.1755952
Benecke, C., Huber, D., Staats, H., Zimmermann, J., Henkel, M., Deserno, H., Wiegand-Grefe, S., & Schauenburg, H. (2016). A comparison of psychoanalytic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety (panic/agoraphobia) and personality disorders (APD study): Presentation of the RCT study design. Zeitschrift für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, 62(3), 252-269. https://doi.org/10.13109/zptm.2016.62.3.252
Brenner, A., & Cather, J. C. (2015). Using a “Virtues” Approach to Ethical Challenges in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. In The Oxford Handbook of Psychiatric Ethics.
Cottraux, J. (2022). Nonpharmacological treatments for anxiety disorders. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 4(3), 305-319. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2002.4.3/jcottraux
Etchegoyen, R. H. (2018). The fundamentals of psychoanalytic technique. Routledge.
Fonagy, P., Rost, F., Carlyle, J. A., McPherson, S., Thomas, R., Pasco Fearon, R. M., Goldberg, D., & Taylor, D. (2015). Pragmatic randomized controlled trial of long?term psychoanalytic psychotherapy for treatment?resistant depression: the Tavistock Adult Depression Study (TADS). World Psychiatry, 14(3), 312-321. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20267
Goodyear, R et al. (2016). A global portrait of counselling psychologists’ characteristics, perspectives, and professional behaviors. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 29(2), 115-138. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070.2015.1128396
Grey, N., Byrne, S., Taylor, T., Shmueli, A., Troupp, C., Stratton, P., Sefi, A., Law, R., & Cooper, M. (2018). Goal-oriented practice across therapies. In M. Cooper & D. Law (Eds.), Working with goals in psychotherapy and counselling (pp. 181–203). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/med-psych/9780198793687.003.0009
Laezer, K. L. (2015). Effectiveness of psychoanalytic psychotherapy and behavioral therapy treatment in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 14(2), 111-128. https://doi.org/10.1080/15289168.2015.1014991
Lorenzer, A. (2016). Language, life praxis and scenic understanding in psychoanalytic therapy. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 97(5), 1399-1414. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-8315.12601
Renger, S., Macaskill, A., & Naylor, B. (2020). Learning and change within person?centred therapy: Views of expert therapists. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 20(3), 535-544. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12291
Stoll, J., Müller, J. A., & Trachsel, M. (2020). Ethical issues in online psychotherapy: A narrative review. Frontiers in psychiatry, 10, 993. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00993
Yakeley, J. (2018). Psychoanalysis in modern mental health practice. The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(5), 443-450. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30052-X
Zimmermann, J., Löffler?Stastka, H., Huber, D., Klug, G., Alhabbo, S., Bock, A., & Benecke, C. (2015). Is it all about the higher dose? Why psychoanalytic therapy is an effective treatment for major depression. Clinical psychology & psychotherapy, 22(6), 469-487. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.1917
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
