Principles of Counseling

Principles of Counseling

Abdul Basit, Ph.D.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago
Prtizker School of Medicine

Currently, a vast amount of literature is available for mental health professionals to review the specific principles of psychotherapy or counseling. In general, there is not much controversy as to what counseling is supposed to accomplish, but there are major differences in various schools of psychotherapy.

Though the specific aims of psychotherapy depends upon the needs of the client, psychotherapy in general aims toward personality growth in the direction of (a) maturity (b) competence, and (c) self-actualization. There is, therefore, general agreement that counseling is directed toward helping the client to achieve a more adequate personality adjustment. Corsini explained it more fully when he stated that all psychotherapies are methods of learning and they are intended to: (1) change people think differently (cognition), (2) make them feel differently (affection) and (3) make them act differently (behavior). All the specific principles of counseling in the areas of cognition, affection, and behavior will be thoroughly discussed and explained and examples will also be given to illustrate the application of techniques in various cases. This will be first part of presentation.

The presentation will also briefly discuss the recent research conducted to answer the disturbing question: How effective are counselors in alleviating psychological distress? In other words : Does it really work? The findings of the modern research in this area will be explained and critically evaluated. We will elucidate the conclusions of the two widely read textbooks in this field that became famous: (1) Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change, by Garfield & Bergin and (2) House of Cards: Psychology and Psychotherapy Built on Myth, by Daws. We will also explain the awkward findings consistently supported by research workers why "... no one has been able to find that either the amount of clinical experience or the degree of professional training enhances outcome."

Modern psychotherapy, as it emerged in the West, was deeply influenced by western thinkers who represented the religious-cultural traditions, historical symbols, and narratives of western society. Also, a major school of psychotherapy, emerging during an era of individualism, logical positivism, reflects the socio-cultural heritage that shaped the western society. It has, therefore, been argued that psychotherapy is a white-middle class endeavor from which non-white ethnicity are not likely to profit. Further, it has also been argued that ethnic matching between client and therapist is essential for counseling to be beneficial. While one could imagine many reasons why this might be so, but is it really? The presentation will summarize research into these issues.

Based on relatively small research data in this area, we will also expain: (1) what mental health specialists have found to be most effective in building bridges and spanning cultural barriers and (2) what treatment strategies were helpful with Muslim clients.

Recommended articles and books:

1. Basit, A., Religious and Ethical Issues in Psychiatric Practice, JIMA, Vol. 32, 2000, 15-18
2. Basit, A., Conflicting value System and Therapeutic Interventions, Hospital & Community Psychiatry, Vol.24; 1973, 174-5
3. Basit, A., Clinical and Cultural Issues in Asian Community, paper presented at the APA Institute on Psychiatric Services, 1998, Los Angeles, CA
4. Basit, A., & Hamid. M., What Special Impediments are Encountered in Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Asian Community, paper presented at the International Conf. of IAPSRS, Orlando, Florida, 1997
5. Corsini, J.R., & Wedding, D., Current Psychotherapies, F.E. Peacock Publishers Inc., Itasca, IL. , 1995
6. Daws, R.W., House of Cards: Psychology and Psychotherapy Built on Myth, The Free Press, N.Y., 1994
7. Garfield, S., and Bergin, A., Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change, John Wiley & Sons, N.Y., 1994
8. Holtzman, W. H., Bornemann, T.H., Mental Health of Immigrant and Refugees, University of Texas Press, 1990.
9. Segall, M. H., Dasen, P.R., Berry, J.W. & Poortinga, Y.H., Human Behavior in Global Perspective, Allyen & Bacon, Boston, 1990
10. Uba, Laura, Asian Americans, Guilford Press, N.Y. 1994