For this assignment, take the perspective of a therapist working with clients. T

Question

For this assignment, take the perspective of a therapist working with clients. This will help you honestly assess your own development and more objectively evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using an integrative approach to counseling. Answer each of the following questions thoroughly and provide examples where requested to substantiate your points.
Explain at least two techniques you would use in your treatment and describe how you would integrate these techniques in a therapy session.

Explanation / Answer

The more general skills I would first use are listening and observing.Attending is the ability to be physically present for the client. It means giving them your undivided attention and making appropriate eye contact, mirroring body language, and nodding. These attending behaviors show your client that you care. Active listening is extremely important to be able to understand the problems of the client and then based upon the information gathered devise a treatment plan. Certain questions can also be asked to get more details about the problem and to encourage the client to provide more information. Based upon these general techniques,a treatment plan can be made based upon the client's problem. So,if a person is suffering from OCD or any other form of anxiety disorder,a cognitive behavioural therapy can be used to challenge the irrational thoughts of the client. CBT works by changing people’s attitudes and their behavior by focusing on the thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that are held (a person’s cognitive processes) and how these processes relate to the way a person behaves, as a way of dealing with emotional problems. Integrative therapy can also be used  that combines different therapeutic tools and approaches to fit the needs of the individual client. An integrative approach can be used to treat any number of psychological problems and disorders, including depression, anxiety, and personality disorders. As a therapist I would match evidence-based treatments to each client and each disorder. For example, if as a therapist I am working with a client that has behavioural problems, Imay want to start the therapy by working on adjusting behavioural functioning and reducing symptoms. This may involve applying cognitive behavioural techniques to help the client establish some control over their functioning before moving on to the next stage of therapy (i.e. working on improving, and gaining insight into the client's behaviours, emotions and thoughts). In this stage, I may employ psychoanalytic techniques that recall childhood experiences and interpretation, dream analysis or analysis of transference. A key advantage of integrative counselling is its flexibility and focus on the whole of an individual. The integration of different approaches means therapy can be tailored to meet a variety of needs and concerns. It can be particularly beneficial for those who want to overcome negative patterns of behaviour caused by anxieties, fears, phobias or any other mental health issue that is greatly impacting life satisfaction (i.e. addictions, depression, past and current trauma, bereavement and low self-esteem). It has also been found useful in improving daily function in children with autism and learning difficulties. Due to the in-depth exploration of issues and setting of goals, integrative counselling typically requires a substantial investment of time on the part of the client. Therefore it may not suit those who want a quick, solution-focused approach to personal development. The length of the therapy will depend on the client, the therapeutic goals set and the types of issues that are being addressed.

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