Purchase Solution

Understanding a client's feeling during therapy

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Is it really necessary for a therapist to understand the client's feelings completely to be effective? Say, for example, a client tells me that he is "scared" when he is in a crowd of more than four people. I may interpret "scared" as being slightly paranoid, anxious, and wanting to recede into the woodwork. The client, however, may be experiencing heightened awareness, exhilaration, and wanting to run away. If I were to work from my basis, I'd miss the mark entirely. If, however, I were to tell the client to forget about giving me the right words that explain his emotion but, rather, to give his feelings a nonsense label(like "artichoke"), and use that word any time we are discussing that feeling and his behavior related to it ("I was feeling so artichoke when I missed the turn"), could we make some headway? Could this also work in a cross-cultural setting? What do you think?

Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary

Discusses why it is necessary for a therapist to understand the client's feeling during therapy. With references.

Solution Preview

In my opinion, the nonsense label would only work if the therapist understands how the client is feeling; otherwise, it is basically the same aspect. If the word "scared" caused the client discomfort and anxiety the nonsense "artichoke" word could work as an avoidance of using that particular word. I personally ...

Solution provided by:
Denise Maddon, MA Ed
Education
  • MS,
  • MA Education (Family and Community Services), Ashford University
  • B.A., Ashford University
  • A.S., Oklahoma State University
Recent Feedback
  • "Thank you! I will look these up to read for my paper. Thank you for your guidance."
  • "Thank you Denise! Very helpful! :) Be safe. "
  • "Thank you"
  • "Thank you"
  • "Thank you"
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Perspectives of Psychology

A review of main theoretical perspectives and those most closely associated with them

The Psychology of Sleep

This quiz is to check your understanding of the sleep-related part of psychology.

Health Psychology

This quiz speaks to the general concepts, themes, and terminology associated with the field of health psychology.

Sigmund Freud

How much do you know about Sigmund Freud's theories? Find out with this quiz!

Role of Memory in Learning

This quiz addresses the role of memory in the learning process. The quiz differentiates between the different types of memory that facilitate learning.

View More Free Quizzes
Related BrainMass Solutions

  • Considerations of a psychotherpist

    when interacting with clients These factors include the importance of them understanding a client's strengths and challenges, any diversity considerations, and the steps a pyschotherapist may take to assess a client's readiness to change.

  • Person-Centered, Existential, and Gestalt therapies

    Existential therapy is talk therapy like the other two therapies. From this approach the therapist establishes a dialogue asking "what" and "how" but never "why", that most often leads to an existential understanding.

  • Existential and Gestalt Theories

    The client is asked to tell in their own words what they are thinking and feeling and the therapist repeats back to them as a way of ensuring understanding and to show empathy.

  • Logotherapy

    As you apply how clients can create meaning using this theoretical approach, please note that logotherapy aims to expand a client's understanding and selection of meaning.

  • Skills for Promoting Understanding and Insight

    The significance in learning and understanding these skills can help a counselor/practitioner hear and understand what is being communicated by the client in therapy.

  • Psychodynamic approach to Counseling

    Four phases underlie the therapeutic techniques and procedures for Adlerian therapy including: (1) establishing a proper relationship, (2) exploring the psychological dynamics operating in the client's life, (3) encouraging the development of self-understanding

  • Termination of Treatment with a Client

    If a client is not ready or willing to move on, but you feel that termination is necessary, the client could be left feeling rejected and abandoned.

  • Adlerian Counsellors: Lifestyle Assessment

    temporary feeling of disorientation as a new horizon opens up.

  • Different approaches of marriage and family therapy's.

    (Penzel, F. 2000) According to Kay, Oldham and Riba (2001) collaborative treatment includes all individuals involved in a client's therapy. From medical doctors to therapists everyone has a say in planning treatment.

View More Related Solutions