Counseling Style Presentation Integrating mind body spirit through
Counseling Style Presentation Integrating mind, body, & spirit through diverse techniques and existential outlook Michael Reeder, MS, LGPC Therapist in private practice Brookland Pastoral Center & Hygeia Counseling Services Washington & Baltimore Locations Version 12/17/06 © Reeder 2006
Overall Assumptions • Holistic Balance: – A balance of several factors is needed for health. • Existentialism: – Search for meaning – Fears: Meaninglessness, Isolation, Death, & Freedom • Evolution & Transcendence: – Clients seek to evolve and transcend once: • basic needs are met (Maslow) • basic needs are impossible (such as dying) © Reeder 2006
The Model Body • Skills & Techniques I Often Use • Who Benefits Most • Client Examples • My Assumptions Integration Affect Make sure to look at the Notes section for more thoughts on each slide! Spirit © Reeder 2006 Cognition
Client Examples I’ll use some fictionalized examples of what I’d do for people from each of the model areas • “Max” (I’ll refer to him several times) – 47 -year old divorced white male – Fighting alcoholism, depression, and hopelessness – Years of moving from counselor to counselor • Mainly values medication, not counseling – Former company vice president now living in a group home on low income © Reeder 2006
Cognition • Skills & Techniques I Often Use: – – Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques: ABC Psychoeducation Development of personal stories Concrete tools: • Thought Journals • Card Sorts » © Reeder 2006
Cognition • Who Benefits Most: – – Verbal, analytical clients Clients with negative self-talk Clients willing to do homework Clients needing to learn about their condition • Client Examples – Max: Assigned thought journals » © Reeder 2006
Cognition • My Assumptions: – Existential Underpinnings: Finding meaning through understanding and story-making. – The client must buy into the treatment • I explain, show treatment plans, and sometimes diagnoses • The client has a brain and is an equal partner in the treatment process – Understanding is curative… but rarely enough. © Reeder 2006
Affect • Skills & Techniques I Often Use: – Basic humanistic counseling techniques: • Reflective listening, unconditional positive regard… – Gestalt – Card sorts – Guided imagery © Reeder 2006
Affect • Who Benefits Most: – People who have trouble accessing their emotions – People needing emotional expression, support, and connection (anyone!) • Client Examples – Max: Gestalt empty chair • His drinking self versus clean self talk • More pros and cons to drinking can be generated in 5 minutes than in 20 minutes of group discussion! – Beth: Emotional card sorts • Build vocabulary, deeper precision of recognition, prompt conversation » © Reeder 2006
Affect • My Assumptions: – Humanistic counseling techniques underlie everything! • Quote: – “All forms of psychotherapy, when successful, arouse the patient emotionally. ” – Jerome Frank © Reeder 2006
Body • Skills & Techniques I Often Use: – Referral: Medical and psychiatric consultations – Relaxation & breathing • For physical stress release – Body-centric approaches © Reeder 2006
Body • Who Benefits Most: – – Persons with medical conditions Persons needing psychotropic medications Anxiety & panic disorder patients Trauma patients • Client Examples – Max takes meds for depression – Max has a family history of alcoholism © Reeder 2006
Body • My Assumptions: – Less psychiatric medication is best IF personal resources can be mobilized. – An agitated mind can not exist in a relaxed body. © Reeder 2006
Spirit • Skills & Techniques I Often Use: – Spiritual Assessment • Spiritual autobiographies, spiritual roots exercise • Highfield & Cason’s four spiritual needs (meaning & purpose, give love, receive love, hope & creativity) – Goal-Setting: • Based on Highfield & Cason, & getting back to roots – Meditation & Awareness © Reeder 2006
Spirit • Who Benefits Most: – – Depressed patients Addicted patients Spiritually or religiously inclined patients Clients searching for meaning • Client Examples – Max: SHI & INSPIRIT • Spirituality as boost to AA efforts – Drug Relapse group: Definitions & roots exercise © Reeder 2006
Spirit • My Assumptions: – Existential Underpinnings: Finding meaning through understanding. – Transcending yourself is healthy © Reeder 2006
Integration • Skills & Techniques I Often Use: – Integrating fragments of self: • Gestalt - empty chair, feed you a line, exaggeration, etc. • Adlerian -- Acting As If • Meditation – Finding the center – Balance: • Integration of techniques from all five areas • Mindfulness – Recognizing, understanding, and releasing emotions & thoughts © Reeder 2006
Integration • Who Benefits Most: – PTSD and Di. D clients – Trauma clients in general – Patients harboring body memories – Anyone experiencing depersonalization, derealization, and dissociation © Reeder 2006
Integration • Client Examples – Max: Trauma Symptoms? • Reports losing time, trouble following conversations due to memories intruding, and feeling numb emotionally. • Alludes vaguely to earlier trauma • My Assumptions: – People have multiple, sometimes paradoxical, separate selves/parts – Meaning can help integrate self and life © Reeder 2006
Conclusion • Counseling requires a balanced approach: – Body, cognition, affect, spirit, integration • Existential influences underlie the model. – Especially meaning – Especially isolation (transcendence & centering) © Reeder 2006
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