FREE ESSAY ON COUNSELING AND PSYCOTHERAPY

COUNSELING AND PSYCOTHERAPY

Differences Between Counseling and Psychotherapy
Counseling Theories August 3, 1995 Running head: Coun. v. Psychotherapy Counseling v.
psychotherapy is there a difference between the two? This paper will attempt to prove
that there are several differences between counseling and psychotherapy. While counseling
and psychotherapy have several different elements in each, the following information will
also attempt to show the reader that there are some areas where the two overlap. At times
this was a confusing topic to research. A fine line distinguishes the two topics and one
must look hard to see this line. Definition of Counseling One survey taken by Gustad
suggests a definition of counseling where he included three key elements. Counseling is a
learning-oriented process, carried on in a simple, one to one social environment, in
which a counselor, professionally competent in relevant psychological skills and
knowledge, seeks to assist the client by methods appropriate to the latter's needs and
within the context of the total personnel program, to learn more about himself, to learn
how to put such understanding into effect in relation to more clearly perceived,
realistically defined goals to the ` end that the client may become a happier and more
productive member of his society (1957, p. 36). In lay terms counseling can be described
as a face to face relationship, having goals to help a client to learn or acquire new
skills which will enable them to cope and adjust to life situations. The focus is to help
a person reach maximum fulfillment or potential, and to become fully functioning as a
person. Definition of Psychotherapy Psychotherapy is the process inwhich a therapists
assists the client in re-organizing his or her personality. The therapist also helps the
client integrate insights into everyday behavior. Psychotherapy can be defined as more
inclusive re-education of the individual (Brammer& Shostrom,1977). Objectives of
counseling The objectives of counseling according to the Committee on Definition,
Division of Counseling Psychology, American Psychological Association are to help
individuals toward overcoming obstacles to their personal growth, wherever these may be
encountered, and toward achieving optimum development of their personal resources
(Arbuckle, 1967). In a paper written by Dr. T. Millard, it is stated that Counseling
provides clarity and a positive and constructive venue for the individual to sensibly
examine the instinctive-emotional and rational (or irrational) motives which determine
the drive, content, and even the form of human conduct. This shows the part which
counseling plays in a clients treatment. Objectives of psychotherapy According to Everett
Shostrom (1967) , the goal of psychotherapy is  to become an actualizer, a person who
appreciates himself and others as persons rather than things and who has turned his self
defeating manipulations into self fulfilling potentials (p. 9). Shostrom also feels that
awareness is the goal of psychotherapy, The reason is that change occurs with awareness!
(1967 p. 103). Shostrom feels that awareness is a form of non-striving achieved by being
what you are at the moment,l even if what you are means the phony manipulative role that
we all play sometimes for external support (1967 p. 103). Professional opinions Not all
therapists feel that there is a distinction between counseling and psychotherapy. C.H.
Patterson feels that it is impossible to make a distinction, He feels that the definition
of counseling equally applies as well to psychotherapy and vice a versa. Donald Arbuckle
(1967) argues that counseling and psychotherapy are identical in all essential aspects.
Others believe that there is a distinction. Psychotherapy is concerned with some type of
personality change where counseling is concerned with helping individuals utilize full
coping potential. IN Donald Arbuckle's work he included Leona Tyler's thoughts on the
differences between counseling and psychotherapy. Leona Tyler attempts to differ between
counseling and psychotherapy by stating, to remove physical and mental handicaps or to
rid of limitations is not the job of the counselor, this is the job of the therapist
which is aimed essentially at change rather than fulfillment (Arbuckle 1967). Differences
between counseling and psychotherapy One of the major distinctions between counseling and
psychotherapy is the focus. In counseling, the counselor will focus on the here and now,
reality situations. During psychotherapy, the therapist is looking into the unconscious
or past. A psychotherapist is looking for a connection of past to undealt with problems
which are now present in the real world. Donald Arbuckle states, There is a further
distinction to be made. This involves the nature or content of the problem which the
client brings to the counselor. A distinction is attempted between reality-oriented
problems and those problems which inhere in the personality of the individual (1967,
p.145). Counseling and psychotherapy also differentiate when it comes to the level of
adjustment or maladjustment of the client. Counseling holds an emphasis on normals. One
could classify normals as those without neurotic problems but those who have become
victims of pressures from outside environment. The emphasis in psychotherapy however is
on neurotics or other severe emotional problems. Counseling can also be described as
problem solving where in psychotherapy it is more analytical. In counseling a client may
have a situation where they do not have any idea how to handle it. There are two types of
problems, solvable and unsolvable. If the problem is a solvable one, a therapist may help
that client by looking at the problem with them and helping the client draw out
solutions. When thinking of solutions one must also think of the consequences. While
counseling deals with problem solving, psychotherapy on the other hand deals with the
analytical view. Here the therapist would determine the cause of ones behavior from the
results of that behavior. An example could be if a spouse was abusing the other spouse it
could stem from the abusive spouse's past. The abusive spouse may have been a victim of
abuse as a child, abused in a relationship themselves or even have been a witness to
abuse. The counselor would analyze each act and try to link it to something in the
unconscious past. Length of treatment also differs between counseling and psychotherapy.
Counseling is shorter in duration than psychotherapy. The time spent in counseling is
determined by goals set by the client and the counselor. Once these goals are met the
client should then be able to go back on their own. Psychotherapy tends to last a while
longer. Sessions range from two to five years. Psychotherapy is more of a comprehensive
re-education of the client. The intensity and length of therapy depends on how well the
client can deal with all of the new found information. It could take quite sometime for
the client to be able to live with these feelings which originated in past experiences
which are usually hurtful ones. A -psychotherapists also needs time to modify all
existing defenses. The setting of treatment also differs between counseling and
psychotherapy. A counseling session usually takes place in a non medical setting such as
an office. Psychotherapy is the term used more in a medical setting such as a clinic or
hospital. Another difference between counseling and psychotherapy has to do with
transference. Brammer and Shostrom (1977) state, The counselor develops a close personal
relationship with the client, but he does not encourage or allow strong transference
feelings as does the psychotherapist (p.223). The counselor tends to find this
transference as interfering with his or her counseling effectiveness. A psychotherapist
might feel that this transference is helpful and the client may be able to see what he is
trying to do with the therapist relationship. A counselor may look at transference as
manifestations in an incomplete growing up process(Brammer & Shostrom 1977), where the
psychotherapist interprets these transference feelings as an unconscious nature of
feelings. Resistance is another area of counseling and psychotherapy that tends to
differ. Counselors see resistance as something that opposes or goes against problem
solving. A counselor tries to reduce this as much ass possible. A psychotherapist on the
other hand finds resistance to be very important. If the therapist can understand the
clients resistance, he can then understand how to help the client change his or her
personality. Similarities in counseling and psychotherapy While there are clearly many
differences between the counseling approach and psychotherapy, there are some
similarities between the two. First, each of these are similar in the sense that each
client brings with them the assets, skills, strengths and possibilities needed with them
to therapy. Secondly, counseling and psychotherapy are similar in the way that they both
use an eclectic approach. The counselors and therapists do not have only one technique,
they borrow from all different techniques. Arbuckle argues that counseling and
psychotherapy are in all essential respects identical (1967, p.144) He states that the
nature of the relationship which is considered basic in counseling and psychotherapy are
identical. Secondly, Arbuckle says that the process of counseling cannot be distinguished
from the process of psychotherapy. Third of all he feels that the methods or techniques
are identical. Arbuckle lastly states in the matter of goals and or outcomes there may
appear to be differences but no distinction is possible. One major similarity between
counseling and psychotherapy are the elements which build a person's personality. Each of
these processes deal with attitudes, feelings, interests, goals, self esteem and related
behaviors are all which are affected through counseling and psychotherapy. Summary and
Conclusion One can see from the material provided that there are several differences
between counseling and psychotherapy. The biggest difference in my opinion is the time
factor/ focus faced in each of these approaches. Counseling primarily deals with reality
situations versus the unconscious past focus of psychotherapy. Secondly counseling has
been described as helping one to develop competencies in coping with life situations
where as psychotherapy is a re organization of one's whole personality. Finally a last
distinction is that the counselor deals with life adjustment problems while the
psychotherapist deals with past unresolved issues from the family of origin. While there
are many distinguishing differences between counseling and psychotherapy, there are some
aspects that do spill over into each other. As one can see by the graph provided (see
figure. 1.1) there is a section where the two approaches cross paths. One must definitely
take a close look at counseling and psychotherapy to distinguish whether or not there is
a difference between the two approaches. I found this to be a very confusing topic at
times. Just when I thought I had completely grasped a concept I would run across authors
such as Arbuckle who speaks of the fact that one can not distinguish counseling from
psychotherapy. Luckily, I researched part of this topic using my class notes, to my
advantage the lecture on June 15, 1995 discussed the differences between counseling and
psychotherapy. After reading these notes I realized that I was right on track and there
is a difference between counseling and psychotherapy Bibliography Arbuckle, D. S. (1967).
Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Overview. New York: McGraw Hill. Bettelheim, B. &
Rosenfeld, A. (1993). The Art of the Obvious...Developing Insight For Psychotherapy and
Everyday Life. New York: Knopf. Brammer, L . & Shostrom, E. (1977). Theraputic
Psychology: Fundamentals of Counseling and Psychotherapy Third Edition. Englewood Cliffs,
NJ: Prentice Hall. Rogers, C. (1951). Client Centered Therapy. New York: Houghton
Mifflin. Shostrom, E. (1967). Man the Manipulator. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press.