Contents
Is it possible to talk about the method of cooking in general? Hardly. Soup is prepared according to one technology, salad — according to another, mushrooms are marinated according to a third technology. Similarly, a conversation about the methodology of psychological counseling can be serious only if we say what exactly we are talking about and what form of work.
And what forms of work can be that need to be distinguished?
It so happened historically that four main forms of counseling practice have developed in the field of practical psychology: «situational psychotherapy», «psychotherapeutic counseling», «psychological counseling» and «coaching». It is easy to distinguish them along two semantic axes:
- short (one-time) or long-term (consisting of a series of meetings) work of a consultant
- the position (state) in which the client is located: the position of the Author or the position of the Victim.
Learn more about each of the forms.
situational psychotherapy. This is a quick psychotherapeutic help that relieves the severity of the situation for clients who are in the position of the Victim. As a rule, in this form of work, everything starts with the simplest: to listen, to allow the client to speak, to pour out his soul, to get rid of difficult experiences. Then there may be work with fears, switching attention to the positive, positive suggestions …
Psychological consultation, coaching session. Usually this is a one-time, situationally oriented conversation of a psychologist at the request of a reasonable client. Here you can work right away, no special care is required for the client’s condition, it’s normal to turn to the client’s mind and together with him, having understood the present, build the desired future.
Psychotherapeutic counseling. Psychotherapeutic counseling produces a systemic restoration of the mental health of the client. The client is in disassembled feelings, the work is difficult and lengthy. Psychotherapeutic counseling includes both a reasonable orientation of the client in the situation, and raising his resource state, and working with his internal resistance.
Coaching. Coaching is psychological support and individual counseling for people in the position of the Author. Here the main work is done by the client himself (sets goals, looks for means), the coach-consultant only supports him in this work.
The methodology of this or that work depends both on the client (his request and his personal characteristics) and on the consultant (his views, school and preferences). Some of the consultants like to deal with the past, some with the present and the future. Sometimes the target of work is fears and other negativity, once opportunities, joys and meanings. The style of psychological counseling can be both more directive and collaborative, while it cannot be argued that the collaborative style is always more effective.
Basic technologies of psychological counseling
All approaches of psychological counseling differ primarily in what the consultant refers to — to the client’s mind, to his logic and facts, or bypassing the mind (addressing the unconscious, influencing the client’s emotions, creating live impressions, suggestions and states). On the other hand, the consultant either knows what the client really needs, or is sure that the answer is in the client, or they are looking for the answer together. See →
Can friends and family consult?
Can friends and family consult? Different people understand this question in different ways and give different answers to it. See →
Description of cases for analysis and analysis
- Alina cannot leave her mother
- Intimacy and blackmail
- Mother’s daughters
- Father screams — work with fear and anger