Psychodynamic Theory Essay

What Psychodynamic possible action Has to Contri exactlye to Our Understanding of Counselling in a Multicultural Society?If counsellors ar to discern very well their customers of diverse backgrounds or culture and their place in a multicultural society, psychodynamic supposition whitethorn be billeticularly helpful in this respect. Theories and techniques exercised in hash out argon diverse and it is imperative for counsellors to k right away how to use their knowledge of psychodynamic theory in excogitationualising systems for both talk over and therapy.In psychodynamic therapy, which is an approach in way based on psychoanalyticalal theories, it is postulated that certified and un conscious(p) nous influences mold pitying carri bestride and social relationships.This judgment of the unconscious is a good deal associated with Sigmund Freud whose contri scarceion in psychoanalysis derriere not be discounted. psychoanalytical theory though, is not exclusively Freudian. Freuds brilliant ideas and theories, were controversial. His theories were under attack from galore(postnominal) an other(prenominal) accountions and it was a exhaustively thing though that from his perspectives, m both other psychoanalytic theories emerged as well.Carl Jung was famous for his incorporated unconscious and his oriental approach was unorthodox for Western psychoanalytic theorists. D.D. Winnicotts transitional objects and good- enough fussing for instance, ar interesting contributions to psychoanalysis as well.It should be fascinating to explore these theorists contribution to systems and approaches of multicultural counselor. In as much as these theorists perspectives seem to constitute evident or still conflicting orientations, we whitethorn take the chance to look upon their theories, in many ways, complementary in the practice of counselling in a multicultural society. Their theories nominate prove to be useful at any point in counselling (o r therapy) sessions in discretion knobs, their unique history, private concerns, and thought their manner, the impact of their past experiences to their invest condition in life, and some of their underlying motives and beliefs.Sigmund Freud            psychoanalytical approaches to therapy and counselling originated from the works of Sigmund Freud. He viewed that people be driven by unconscious influences, a part of their inner world of which they be not cognisant of. He theorised that pent-up unconscious thoughts and feelings could tell through dreams, fantasies and odd behaviour.Until after these repressed forbidden desires, poisonous memories and experiences ar brought to conscious awareness, these were presumed to place to ir quick-scented and maladaptive behavior. establish on this imagination, impelling counsellors faecal matter in effect draw upon these repressed thoughts and emotions through psychotherapy to ease their lymph nodes belief or anxiety and to rebuild their clients self-esteem.            Freuds concept of concupiscence (intimate and life instincts) and thanatos (aggressive and death instincts) are considered motivating factors of disposition, with the term libido referring to basic sinew of life associated with Eros. Troubled singularists may pellucid death instincts through destructive behavior much(prenominal) as, alcoholism, substance abuse, aggression (towards self or others), and even suicide.            Freud theorised that the several(prenominal)s behavior is pretended to result from the fundagenial interaction of three comp adeptnts of the ainity id, ego, and superego. The id is said to be the source of instinctual drives and operate in ill-treat of the pleasure principle. It is capable of eliciting psychical images and wish-fulfilling fantasies (Coleman, 1980 ).            The assist personality comp whiz and only(a)nt is the ego, which intercedes amid the demands of the id and the outer world, and operates in terms of the reality principle. For instance, Freud believed that cozy or aggressive tendencies are in conflict with societys rules and prohibitions.            It was expert of Freud to introduce the third personality comp whiznt, which is the superego, or commonly known as conscience. If one has learned and adapted to the moral demands of society, the individual would have a better persevere of what is right from wrong. The superego take cares as personalitys system of control to inhibit base desires.            Freud believed in the interplay between the id, ego and superego, and how it be ascends decisive to behavior. inside(a) conflicts may reverse because the id, ego and superego are s triving for different goals. Inner conflicts could manifest as a mental disorder if not resolved.Another primal psychoanalytic concept of Freud is defense mechanisms. For him, some(prenominal) disorders or anxieties are go by distorting reality, if one atomic number 50 not deal with it rationally (Coleman, et.al., p. 54). Therefore, an individuals falsify perception of reality poses behavior problems. This only expires though when the ego can no longer fuck with the pain or anxiety by rational measures.Freuds contribution to readymental mental science is his theory on five psychosexual degrees the oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital compass points.  He believed that these stages of development could train ones defenses, anxieties, and impulses. A youngster who has been deprived of fully experiencing any of these stages may suffer retroversion at that stage of development. The first three stages of development, the oral, anal, and phallic stages, are the ar ound crucial, as ones personality is molded at this clipping. If fixation happens at any point during this period, thus the baby would apparent develop distinct personality type.From birth to 1 twelvemonth (oral stage), the mouth is the forefront erogenous zona and it is assumed that an infants superlative source of gratification is sucking. If the health care provider is overindulgent or depriving, then the kid is apparent to develop fixation at this stage. Some traits associated with overindulgence are optimism, manipulativeness, boldness and admiration. On the other hand, deprivation would exit to traits such as pessimism, suspiciousness, self-belittlement, passivity, and jealousy. Further, as Freud theorised, fixation at this stage, or when the individual did not receive satisfactory oral gratification during infancy, the individual is incline to unjustified drinking or ingest in adult life.When the nestling is approximately 18 months to 3 long time (anal stage) , the anus and rectum are considered to be the primary sources of pleasure. Either an excessive demand or permissiveness from a childs caregiver, pull up stakes lead to the development of anal personality. Other psychological problems that are thought to arise from this stage are obsessive-compulsivity and paranoia.During the phallic stage, or when the child is about 3 to 6 years old, the penis or clitoris is assumed to be the major source of grateful sensation. At this stage, the child learns to manipulate the privates and becomes curious about the oppositeness sex. funnily enough, Freud also believed that it is at this stage when the child develops intense sexual feelings for the rise up of the opposite sex, or otherwise known as Oedipus and Electra complex. The Oedipal complex is the perception that boys desire to sustain their mother.Freud thought that boys have incestuous cravings for their mother, even sees their father as rival, but they have fear that the father will harm them (castration anxiety). Likewise, the Electra complex is the assumption that girls desire their father, and take to replace their mother. The fear of the same-sex parent leads to sublimation of their sexual attraction for the opposite sex parent into non-sexual love, and they learn to identity instead to their same-sex parent.  For any sex, it imperative for them to resolve the conflict, such that when they don young adulthood stage, they are likely to have a satisfactory straight person relationship.In the years from 6 to 12 (latency stage), sexual motivations are put off and the child carry his energy into school, play, share activities with friends, and sports.Finally, the genital stage, which is from puberty onwards, the deepest feelings of pleasure come from heterosexual relations. At this stage, the individual channels his energy into socially acceptable ventures such as entering into romantic relationships, establishing friendships, travel planning and als o some volunteer(a) activities. Freuds cathartic hypnosis was popular during his time, but more than the technique of hypnosis as a therapeutic cure to psychological illnesses, was his concept that feelings were drawn from the unconscious. His contribution stands out in the sense that he was the one who genuine techniques such as free fellowship and dream analysis in relations with both the conscious and unconscious aspects of mental health. Freud emphasized the determination of the unconscious motives and ego-defense systems, and the splendour of early childhood experiences in the personality trying on and maladjustment of adults, as well as the relevance of sexual factors in human behavior and mental disorders (Coleman, et.al., p. 57).Freuds techniques now used in contemporary psychodynamic counselling provide much deeper understanding of the (clients) self, and can prove to be helpful in emotional, spiritual development and self-awareness.Carl Jung             One of the close original and controversial features of Jungs theory on personality was the concept of incorporated unconscious. He theorised the existence of universally dual-lane motives, drives, potentials, fears and symbols that human beings have more or less the same collective unconscious. collective unconscious is defined as the terminal of latent memory traces inherited from ones ancestral past (Hall & axerophthol Lindzey, 1978, p. 119). Simply put, with this theory, there is probability of revive experiences of past generations. Humans are natural with many predisposition for thinking, feeling, and perceiving according to certain(prenominal) patterns and limit that become actualized through differentiate experiences (Hall & Lindzey).            If Freuds unconscious mind is often associated with repressed forbidden desires, hurtful memories and experiences, Jungs collective unconsc ious is a vast resource of subliminal contents and potential, which includes the wisdom and experience of uncounted centuries, and fixed down in its archetypal organs (Jung, cited in Hall & Lindzey, p.120). The collective unconscious can then serve a very good suggest to the individual. But, if this ignored by the ego, the unconscious may disrupt the conscious rational processes by seizing hold of them and twisting them into distorted forms (Hall & Lindzey, p.120).  Instances of irrational behavior could arise such as phobias and delusions.            Jung believed that the individual achieves completeness or wholeness only as fantasies, images and dreams from the personal and collective unconscious become getatable to the conscious self (Coleman, et.al., p.58).            Jungs concept of archetypes refers to patterns of behavior within the unconscious mind. The most common of these archetypes are the persona, shadow, self, and anima and bad blood.The persona is equal to the social personality the face an individual has in his social relationships. A sizeable persona could then mean good adaptation to the demands of society or the purlieu where one belongs. In some respects, Jungs concept of the persona is similar to Freuds superego.The shadow has some resemblance to Freuds concept of the id. It is considered the hidden or glowering side of personality that sometimes the individual is not even aware of. This part of the psyche would be difficult to accept. If a certain trait of another sorrow an individual, then this could be a manifestation of his shadow. Traits such as laziness, attention-seeking, anger expression, etc., are usually kept from consciousness and is often projected to others.The self can be considered the sum total of ones personality, the motivating factor of human behavior that causes one to constantly strive and touch wholeness. It w as Jungs view that the self can only emerge only if discordant aspects of the personality have fully developed (known as individuation) (Hall & Lindzey, p. 124). Thus, this does not happen until one has reached middle age when one begins to make a serious causal agency to change the center of personality from the conscious ego to one that is midway between consciousness and unconsciousness (Hall & Lindzey).Jung believed that one takes the journey toward individuation, spending almost fractional of his life individuating, and the second integrating. This concept has direct application and relevance to career counselling. check off that most individuals who reach middle age begin to have more counselling and sense of purpose, not wasting their time and energy where they do not score or are not welcome, and extending lying-in only in activities that will lead them to their square(a) calling.Somewhat parallel to Freuds Oedipus and Electra complex which prove relevant to un derstanding ones heterosexual adjustment is Jungs anima and animus. This is much like the yin and yang of the Chinese, the masculine and feminine side of human personality.The role of biological hormones cannot be discounted, but from a Jungian perspective, this is more considered to be a product of racial experiences of man with cleaning cleaning woman and vice versa. Jungs anima and animus may be of relevance in understanding man-woman relationships in a counselling setting. bit is supposed to apprehend the nature of woman by virtue of his anima, and woman apprehends the nature of man by virtue of her animus (Hall & Lindzey, p. 123), and without regard to the real guinea pig of the other, their relationship will most likely lead to discord.Donald Winnicott            The influential concepts of transitional objects, the good-enough mother and the true and erroneous self are attributed to Winnicott.A transitional object is some so rt of a security drapery for a child. It could be a favourite(a) stuffed toy, baby blanket, pillow or any symbolic object that a child finds comfort in having. A transitional object helps a child cope with fear while their principal caregiver is away. The most influential person (object) during a childs development would be the principal caregiver. In a counselling setting, the counselor serves as the transitional object, who step by step helps his client overcome frustrations and develop great independence over time.The good-enough mother pertains to the principal caregiver whose parenting style fit the childs developmental needs. Winnicott believed that caregivers have to be good-enough in providing the childs needs, but not too much. They have to instill children as well to tolerate frustrations, and nurture them the lesson of independence and self-sufficiency.Winnicott theorized that childrens needs, if not adequately met, could help develop a false self (this is somehow id entical to Freuds concept of fixation). On the other hand, when childrens needs are adequately provided, then, they are likely to develop a true self. A relationship based on trust, a relationship that is more real, will grow between the caregiver and the child. This concept may apply to counselor (or therapist)-client relationship. An effective counselor knows how to provide a safe holding environment for his client, and is adaptive to his clients needs. The counselor knows how to respond to his clients emotions with warmth and empathy, thus assist his client reveal his true self.ReferencesColeman, pile C., James N. Butcher and Robert C. Carson. Abnormal psychology and Modern Life (6th ed.). Illinois Scott, Foresman and Company.Dakai, S.H. (2003). Addiction counsel Examination of Various Addiction instructionand Therapy Approaches. Journal of Addictive Disorders. Breining Institute.Hall, Calvin S. and Lindzey Gardner (1980). Theories of Personality (3rd ed.). virgin YorkJohn Wiley & Sons.McGinnis, James D. and Kenneth R.Thomas (1991). The Psychoanalytic Theories of D.W. Winnicott as Applied to Rehabilitation. The Journal of Rehabilitation. 1 July 1991