MY PERSONAL COUNSELING THEORY!

My Personal Counseling Theory

Robert Moran
Kansas State University

Author Note
!

This paper was prepared for Counseling Theory, EDCEP 823, taught by

Professor Wilcox.

MY PERSONAL COUNSELING THEORY!

My Personal Counseling Theory

!

In this paper, I will express my theory of counseling that I have developed

throughout the course of this class. I will describe my view of people and the problems
and issues that they have. I will also describe how I would put my theory into practice,
and what changes I would hope to see in my clients. I also want to justify my viewpoint
and how it would work best for me as opposed to other theories that may not fit my style
or beliefs. My future will be as a school counselor, so I will relate my personal viewpoint
to the ideas that I believe I will use in that capacity.
The Nature of People
!

I tend to side with the Adlerian philosophy about the nature of people as opposed

to the psychoanalytic viewpoint. I believe that where we come from is not as important
as where we are striving to go (Corey, p. 95). I like to think that people do not have a
pre-determined existence. We are driven by basic needs, but we are also goal oriented,
and continually striving for a better life. I agree with Adler, that our lives our not solely
determined by our past. That we have the power of choice, and we can create events
and influence in our own lives (p. 96). I am also a firm believer that perception is reality.
The way we perceive events in our own lives has a direct impact on how we react to
those events. This, I believe, is why individual people react differently to common
events. It is all about how a person perceives what just happened. I do not totally
discount our past as related to how we live our lives however. Even though I believe we
are goal oriented and striving to improve our future, I think that our past experiences
have an impact on the choices we make with regard to our future.

MY PERSONAL COUNSELING THEORY!

I also believe in the Person-Centered viewpoint that humans are basically good,

and are capable of making good choices. I agree that under the right circumstances,
we are able to set meaningful goals that will allow us to move forward and lead a
fulfilling life.
!

While working as a school counselor, I believe this concept will help me because

I will be able to accept the student for who they are and not where they come from. I
know I will be working with many students who come from rough and disadvantaged
pasts, but they are inherently good people. If I can collaborate with them and get them
to believe that they have control of their future, hopefully I can help them work towards a
better future.
The Nature of Problems
!

I believe that problems we face as humans, stem from two of the propositions in

the Existential Approach: Striving for Identity and Relationships to Others (p.137), and
The Search for Meaning (p. 139). First of all, as human beings, we all have the need
to know who we are and how we fit in society. We want to have that sense that we fill
a role and that we are significant. I also know that it is in our nature to be social beings,
and that we need to feel a sense of belonging. When we dont have that sense of
identity and/or belonging, we tend to have a void or emptiness that needs to be filled.
As we search to fill that need, problems can set in. Self-doubt, loneliness, and a feeling
of inadequacy can all lead to a perception of problems in our life.
!

I also think that the need for meaning in our life is a strong factor in our well-

being. We all ask those questions: What is my purpose in life?, What am I supposed
to be doing?, Why did this happen to me? These are all questions that we have a

MY PERSONAL COUNSELING THEORY!

need to be answered. We want to feel like we are heading somewhere. We want to

believe that we are going through lifes good and bad times for a reason. When we start
to think that there isnt a reason, or we feel like our life has no meaning or purpose, then
we start to doubt if what we are doing is right. When the world they live in seems
meaningless, clients may wonder whether it is worth it to continue struggling or even
living (p. 140). Frankl referred to this as the existential vacuum (p. 140).
!

As a school counselor, I think it will be a challenge to work with students who are

feeling a void in either of these areas. I believe that I would want to incorporate a few
different theories when dealing with these situations. I like the ideas of Carl Rogers and
the Person-Centered Approach in helping students in their growth so that they can learn
to cope with their problems (p. 165). I can also see where the use of Cognitive
Behavior Therapy would be useful. I think it could be helpful to get students to modify
their thinking (p. 271), and rationalize their feelings when dealing with the issues
outlined above.
The Process of Change
!

I believe that we have it within us to change our own lives for the better. We

have the tools and the knowledge of our own experiences to make change. Having said
that, I think that sometimes we need some coaching to use those abilities to make the
progress we want. In my opinion, this is where the relationship between the counselor
and the client becomes crucial. As I learn more about the Solution-Focused process, I
believe that it has great potential to affect change. It is truly a collaborative effort
between the therapist and the client. The client is the expert in their life, and knows
what may or may not work for them. The therapist however, is the expert in creating a

MY PERSONAL COUNSELING THEORY!

context for change (p. 366). The client is an integral part of the process from the
beginning, so there is a much better chance that change will be successful.
!

I can see where this approach would be a great tool for me as a school

counselor. I want to work with my students to come up with solutions to their problems.
I do not want to be a counselor that tells them what they should or should not be doing.
I think if I can help them make their own choices, then they will be better off in the long
run when they are faced with tough decisions later on in life.
My Theory in Practice
!

Throughout this class, I have picked up on a number of different aspects of each

of the theories that I would be willing to incorporate into my actions as a school

counselor, some more than others. Ultimately, I see myself as the type of person who
wants to work collaboratively with the students to come up with solutions for their
problems. I believe that I will see value and goodness in all of my students.
!

I am finding out that I lean towards Postmodern Approaches especially. I can

see myself relating to Positive Psychology because I would be interested in having

students focus on their strengths as opposed to their weaknesses. I want my students
to have hope and see a positive future. I would definitely be interested in learning more
about Solution Focused therapies. I like the idea of having my students focus on the
future as opposed to dwelling on the past. I want my students to realize that they have
the power within to make a change in their lives.
!

I also have a good feeling towards the Person-Centered view of Human Nature.

I believe that people are good an trustworthy. I also think we are capable of making
changes in our own lives for the better. I view students in the same way. I think that

MY PERSONAL COUNSELING THEORY!

with the proper guidance, they will be able to affect change in their own lives and be
able to set positive goals for their future.
!

I am still really early in my graduate course work, so I suppose my ideas will

change or evolve over the course of the next few years, but I do have these
fundamental beliefs about people. I hope that with more knowledge and training, I will
be able to solidify my own theory and approaches a little bit better.
Multicultural Considerations
!

I think one of the main things that I need to do when dealing with a client from a

different culture is to communicate to them that they are the expert in their own life. I
can help with the therapy and the counseling, but they are more knowledgeable about
their life and their background (p. 385). This is another Postmodern Approach, and I
believe that it is a very good way of starting off a relationship with a new student. I think
the main purpose of this is to be open from the beginning so the student is aware of the
approach that I would be taking. I do not want the student to feel that I am unqualified, I
just want them to know that I have the expectation that they will know best about what
works for them.
Summary
!

In conclusion, I see myself using a combination of approaches, but leaning

towards theories that focus on the student. I want to work collaboratively with the
student to affect the change that they want to have in their lives. I like the positive
approach that focuses on the strengths of my students and uses them to help work
through their weakness or problems.

MY PERSONAL COUNSELING THEORY!

I feel like this class has been a great tool for me in getting started on my masters

program in counseling. The exposure to the different theories and approaches has
been eye-opening. I am most surprised by the way I have looked at myself and
analyzed my thoughts and feelings. I am really looking forward to learning more about
these ideas and implementing them into practice in the future.

MY PERSONAL COUNSELING THEORY!

References

Corey, G. (2013). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (9th ed.). Belmont,
CA: Brooks Cole/Thomson Learning. (TPCP)