Article 31 Creating a Personal Counseling Theory Jerry A. Mobley and George M. Gazda To explore a structure for creating a personal Seven different textbooks on counseling theories counseling theory, this counselor training model begins from five different publishers (Capuzzi & Gross, 2003; with the distillation of counselor theories into 13 Corey, 2000; Corsini & Wedding, 2000; Day, 2004; dominant approaches to counseling, integrates 7 of Gazda, Ginter, & Horne, 2001; Kottler, 2001; Sharf, those theories around existentialism, and establishes a 2004) were selected, and the theories they included were sequence of stages for counselor development by analyzed. The Gazda et al. (2001) text is included applying Bloom’s (1964) taxonomy and feedback from because of its difference in organization. Even though counselor trainers of their perceptions of 13 dominant it is a group counseling theories textbook, it combined theories. The goal of these processes is to improve how several theories, e.g., existential, person-centered, and we help people by integrating key theories and strategies Gestalt therapies are addressed together as are several into a more unified model. cognitive behavioral approaches. (See Table 1.) Table 1. A Listing of Counseling Theories Included in Several Textbooks (by senior author, publisher, year, and edition). TEXTBOOK S SCHOO LS O F SIG NIFICANT Capuzzi Corey Corsini Gazda Kottle Day Sharf THERAPY PARTICIPANTS (1999) (2000) (2000) (2001) (2002) (2004) (2004) Psychoanalytic Sigmund Freud chapter chapter chapter chapters chapter chapter chapter includes Therapy Jung with Ind ividual Alfred Adler, Rudolph chapter chapter chapter ---- chapter chapter cog’tiv e Psychology Driekurs therapies Analytic Therapy Carl Jung chapter chapter chapter ---- with chapter chapter Freud Existential Viktor Fr ankl, chapter chapter chapter two chapters includes chapter chapters with Therapy Abraham Maslow, Freud with person- chapter Rollo May, Irwin person- centered with Yalom centered & Gest’t Rogers & Gestalt Per son -Centered Carl Rogers chapter chapter chapter two with chapter chapter Therapy chapters exist’tial with with & Gest’t exist’l exist’l & Gestalt Gestalt Therapy Fredrick Perls, Simick chapter chapter chapter two with chapter chapter chapters exist’l & with p-cent’d exist’l & person- centered Reality (Choice) William Glasser, chapter ---- chapter ---- with chapter chapter Therapy Wubbolding cog’tiv e Rational-Emotive Albert Ellis chapter chapter chapter two chapters chapter chapter Behavioral chapters with with CT with cog’tiv e Therapy behav’al Behavioral J.B. Watson, B.F. chapter chapter chapter two chapter chapter chapter; —extra chapters without Lazurus Therapy Skinner, Albert on with Lazaru s also in Bandura, Arnold Lazaru s REBT & integ’ted Laza rus, Donald cognit ive Meichenbaum Cognitive Therapy Aaron Bec k, Judith chapter chapter chapter ---- with chapter chapter; Bec k Adler, with also Ell is, Ell is some Lazaru s Meich’n Note. Listed are Capuzzi and Gross (Prentice Hall, 2003, 3rd); Corey (Brooks/Cole, 2000, 5th); Corsini and Wedding (Peacock, 2000, 5th) Day (2004, Houghton Mifflin), Gazda, Ginter, and Horne (Allyn & Bacon, 2001); Kottle (Allyn & Bacon, 2001); and Sharf (2004, Wadsworth). 143 While Kottler (2001) also includes existential and phenomenology and developing a quality relationship Gestalt therapies together, the other textbooks reserve with the client. Techniques are in the service of treating the combining of theories to cognitive and behavioral people and not just materialistically treating problems. approaches. People can make new choices and move toward a future Along with these hints that some of these theories that is different from their past. These four cognitive might go together, a consensus seems to emerge from behavioral therapies in combination with existential, these textbooks on the 13 dominant counseling theories Gestalt, and person-centered therapies form a at the turn of the millennium. In alphabetical order by substantial range of concepts, potential issues the senior developer, these are (1) Albert Adler’s addressed, interventions, and counselor skills around individual psychology, (2) Albert Bandura and John the philosophy of existentialism. Krumboltz’s social learning theory, (3) Aaron and Judith While we agree that having more than one theory Beck’s cognitive therapy, (4) Albert Ellis’ rational will make the counselor more effective with more emotive behavioral therapy (REBT), (5) Viktor Frankl/ clients, we further believe that the theories can assist Rollo May/Irwin Yalom’s existential therapy, (6) the helping process and prefer integrating them beyond Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic therapy, (7) William the technique level. A division among the theories Glasser’s reality (choice) therapy, (8) Carl Jung’s between those approaches that are existential and those analytic therapy, (9) Arnold Lazarus’s multimodal that are not opens the door to their being combined, therapy, (10) Donald Miechenbaum’s cognitive- not just on a technique level but also at a theoretical behavioral therapy, (11) Fritz Perl’s Gestalt therapy, (12) level. Carl Roger’s person-centered therapy, and (13) B. F. Pedagogy for training counselors and creating a Skinner’s behavioral therapy. personal counseling theory could also emerge based In Mobley (2005), the case is made that several upon Bloom’s (1964) taxonomy and a survey of theories could be combined, not just on a technique counselor trainers’ perceptions of the 13 major theories. level but also on a theoretical level. These theories Once the theories are separated into two groups, the emphasize the nonmaterial nature of humans including more existentially sensitive and less existentially the importance of relationships, the power of choices, oriented, an improved sequence for training counselors the need for purpose in life, and the potential for in the theories could begin with concrete activities that transcendence and improvement. Three of the 13 are not complex, relatively speaking, and proceed to approaches clearly make similar existential or the ones that are more abstract and more complex. humanistic assumptions: existential therapy, Gestalt Beginning counselor training or a counselor education therapy, and person-centered therapy. Perls said that textbook with Freud and Jung is exactly backwards from he was providing the techniques for doing existential what is suggested by Bloom’s system. In the process therapy. The underlying assumptions between that is suggested here, Freud and Jung would be delayed existential and Gestalt therapies are the same. Rogers in their presentation until the more existential and less also makes comparable nonmaterialistic assertions in abstract techniques have been mastered. The less his focus on the client. complex theories and techniques are presented first. While applying different interventions, three other Presenting seven existentially sensitive theories approaches also seem to support existential qualities in beginning with the more concrete and less complex the counseling process: valuing the counselor-client suggests the following order: relationship, improving clients’ ability to define critical incidents and make strategic choices, and creating a Stage I—Connecting With Clients utilizing life that is more satisfying and productive. Adler’s Rogerian person-centered therapy. Post- individual psychology, Glasser’s new reality therapy Rogerian empathy and immediacy has (based on choice theory), and Ellis’ rational emotive been explained and researched by behavioral therapy empower people to choose to be Carkhuff and Gazda (with a variety of more responsible and even feel better by thinking and colleagues). Gordon has provided much behaving differently. The issue is more about the future of the language to discuss these topics: and what people want, and their goals (more existential active listening, I-messages and their in orientation), than their past experiences (less related sentences (see Mobley, 2005). existential). Another perspective could be associated with these two problem-solving but existential Stage II—Problem Solving With Cognitive therapies: Krumboltz’s version of behaviorism, now Behavioral Techniques. Specific stages in called social learning theory. the therapeutic process and techniques are Krumboltz included an existential description detailed by each of four theories: about the value of understanding the client’s Krumboltz can identify a problem and 144 create a behavioral plan in four steps; can be extended, teaching from what is Glasser can isolate what a client wants and known to related concepts that are generate a plan utilizing “radio station” unknown. W-D-E-P; Ellis disputes (D) faulty beliefs (B) to change clients’ feelings (F) in a Stage V—Counseling With More Than One straightforward A-B-C-D-E-F process; Person at a Time. The first three stages and Adler is more complex and abstract can be performed with small groups and while identifying people’s goals and families. Each of these seven theories has intervening with the C-A-R-E process. been described with applications to both These theories are ordered from the more environments. While additional concepts concrete to the more complex with like leadership styles and family systems behaviorism being the least abstract and are important in working with multiple Adler being the most abstract. Ellis is people at the same time, counselors can more complex than Krumboltz or Glasser apply their integrated theories to these