As Alonza’s counselor, I chose to conceptualize his case from a cognitive-behavioral approach, while incorporating techniques from a solution-focused theory and a person-centered way of being. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) will help Alonza gain skills to re-structure some of his beliefs about self and others, and improve his social skills, self-control, impulse-management, and other problem-solving abilities. Techniques from solution-focused therapy will help draw focus on Alonza’s strengths and encourage different perspectives during this transition time. Finally, a person-centered way of being will help establish therapeutic alliance with Alonza and help him work through feelings of grief, anger, sadness and any other emotions that come …show more content…
Therefore, many scholars have also called for an integration of strength-based/solution-focused approaches to prisoner re-entry (Hunter, Lanza, Lawlor, Dyson, & Gordon, 2015). The authors argue that in contrast to traditional, deficit-driven approaches, in which individuals are viewed as lacking appropriate skills and abilities, strength-based/solution-focused models focus on identifying assets and building on those to promote positive change. By identifying strengths and setting goals, ex-offenders are assisted in participating in activities that place them in a helping role. This allows offenders to recognize that they are of value and can contribute positively to a community (Brun & Rapp, 2001, as cited in Hunter et al., 2015). Lebel, Richie, and Maruna (2015) argue that the role of a helper or a wounded healer reinforces personal learning, leads to increased feelings of interpersonal competence, a sense of meaning and purpose in life, improved self-esteem, and a sense of accomplishment. They advocate that this process in turn helps an ex-prisoner transform from being part of the problem into being part of the …show more content…
These objectives are based on CBT, strength-based/solution-focused theories and person-centered way of being. To facilitate the process, a key first step in CBT often involves psychoeducation to explain that thoughts underlie feelings and actions. Through evaluating thinking in a more realistic way, the clients are guided to develop more adaptive and positive ways of responding to the situations and triggers in their lives and experience improvement in their emotional state and behavior. Some of the major experiential strategies, skills, and techniques utilized in CBT are re-framing and Socratic questioning, which help clients challenge their thinking and assess their beliefs in terms of their usefulness and relevance (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2013). Other powerful methods that would intersect with person-centered approach is daily diary keeping of events, thoughts, and feelings, which helps people increase awareness of their inner and outer experiences. By using other CBT techniques such as modeling and role-playing (e.g., interviewing), counselors assist clients in learning new skills and behaviors to function more effectively. Finally, by learning relaxation techniques such as meditation and deep breathing, the client gains skills to manage stress and anxiety, and appreciate that whatever thoughts come up are okay and that he does not have to react to
The Huikahi Restorative Circle Project, which began at Waiawa Correctional Facility in Hawaii, is an effective way of reducing prisoner re-entry. According to Porter (2007) the project works by bringing inmates together, along with the people that they have wronged to establish ways for every member involved to heal in ways specific to their trauma experienced. This was done by seeking ways of forgiveness while also developing plans for an effective transition back into the community. The program’s solution- focused approach centers itself on helping inmates decide what they want and how to get there, which keeps them from dwelling on the problems of the past. (Porter, 2007) An inmate upon release can only look forward and focus on the person they want to become rather than the person they were before. They cannot take back the crime they committed; however, they are able to establish themselves as a good citizen. Overall, the program’s intention is to keep the offenders crime-free by giving them positive self-identities to promote
Shrum uses analysis of previous studies to suggest a series of correctional practices that have been shown to be effective in reducing rates of recidivism. Harvey Shrum has a Doctorate of Education and has worked as a Re-Entry Teacher at Folsom State Prison. He has written a book, Search for Meaning at the Broken Places, on Logotherapy, Intensive Journal and the stages of grief. Shrum focuses on three significant factors to address criminal behavior: addiction, “will to meaning” and education. Shrum recommends a variety of intensive, 18-24 month long rehabilitative programs that have been shown to dramatically reduce recidivism rates, including substance abuse programs as a part of parole, the use of Intensive Journal as a part of re-entry
Firstly, one strength of the counselling relationship which makes it the most important factor is its effectiveness. The counselling relationship allows client and counsellor to agree on tasks and goals (Colin Feltham 2010). Through the relationship the client can become aware of their problems and work with the counsellor to find solutions. The relationship works well in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as it combines interpersonal and technical factors to result in a favourable outcome (Glovozolias 2004). CBT is action orientated therapy used to change faulty thinking patterns to help clients overcome mental disorders such as depression. (Whisman 1993) Discussed five studies that looked at the relationship and CBT in cases of depression; three studies found the therapeutic relationship significant for positive outcome. Unfortunately, in CBT value is placed on technique and therefore there is not much research on the effect of the counselling relationship in this therapy. Although, the relationship is vital in person centred therapy, as it emphasises the importance of the therapeutic relationship between counsellor and client. In person centred therapy the counsellor must find ways of using the relationship to highlight issues in the clients functioning. Person centred therapy was introduced by Carl Rodgers and is one of the most widely used therapies as it focuses on the client's thoughts, feelings, behaviours and needs.
My role as the clinician is quite important. The primary task is to engage the client in identifying cognitive errors, refuting them, and replacing them with more adaptive thoughts. A sound therapeutic relationship is necessary for effective therapy, but not the focus of the therapy. Many forms of other counseling believe that the main reason people get better in therapy is because of the positive relationship between the therapist and client. Cognitive-behavioral therapists believe it is important to have a good, trusting relationship, but I know that is not nearly enough. We believe that the clients change because they learn how to think differently and they act on that learning. Therefore, CBT tries and focuses on teaching rational self-counseling skills. CBT is the teamwork that exists between the therapist and the client. This form of therapy is used to seek ways of learning what their clients want out of life and then helping their clients achieve those goals. The therapist's role is to listen, teach, and encourage, while the client's roles is to express concerns, learn, and implement that learning (Pucci1).
Many offenders who are released from prison encounter many obstacles which hinder their progress towards community re-entry. On their own, many fail to secure employment, housing, or complete education or training programs. Without guidance or assistance many offenders return to crime to support themselves. Fortunately there are number of organizations that see the need for services to assist offenders on their path back into the community. One such organization that has proven to be successful is the Safer Foundation.
Today, a countless number of Americans are being imprisoned in mass quantities and are receiving unjust sentences. For the many American who find themselves in the prison system, life is squalor and their experiences are often damaging to their ability to function properly in society. In the United States, our prisons are failing miserably at effectively rehabilitating criminals. Upon release, many find reintegration to be far too hard and in turn many turn back to a life crime as a result. This is trend is called recidivism and is characterized by a prisoner’s likelihood to recommit criminal offenses. The struggles that ex-convicts experience in regards to holding a job, maintaining personal finances, reconciling with
Unlike Person-Centred therapy Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a scientific model founded in the 1960’s by Aaron Beck. It joins the theories of both Cognitive therapy and behavioural. He noticed that many of his counselling clients had an “Internal dialogue” (Beck, 1979) that was often negative and self-defeating and influenced behaviour. He realised that by working on these internal dialogues and making them positive it could effectively lead to positive changes in the behaviour of the clients. CBT focuses on the images, self-belief and attitudes held by the client and how these things can affect the client’s
QP provided My-Kayla with a CBT activity geared towards feelings expression. QP explained to My-Kayla that the activity will help her with expressing and identifying feeling of worries and identify coping strategies that target the decrease in frequency and intensity of worries. QP asked MY-Kayla to list some things she worries about. QP discussed with My-Kayla the things she can do to help with decreasing the frequency of her worries. QP asked MY-Kayla to list some activity she can do to help with distracting her form things that is bothering her. QP encouraged MY-Kayla in identifying and verbalizing her feelings of worries and anxiety. QP discussed with My-Kayla coping strategies that she can utilize to decrease the intensity of her worries
In the United States, each day approximately 1,600 adults are released from state and federal penitentiaries to reintegrate back into the community (Gunnison & Helfgott, 2013). Reentry programs have been created all over the nation to help offenders successfully transition from prison into society. Offenders are confronted with numerous obstacles when attempting to reintegrate back into society. Ninety-five percent of offenders are released to reintegrate back into the community (Davis, Bahr, & Ward, 2013). Upon release, ex-offenders realize that despite the fact that they are no longer incarcerated, they face many restrictions. The restorative justice development rose to address the disappointment of the criminal justice framework to manage victims, offenders, and communities in an integrated way. A core focus of this development has been to expand the role of the community in advocating changes that will avert the issues and conditions related with crime and the demand for a criminal justice intervention (Hass & Saxon, 2012).
Many criminals are sent to jail on a day to day basis. Once they have completed their sentence they are faced with many problems once they are “free”. These problems can be but are not limited to housing, employment, and substance abuse. The prisoner, once they are released, has a tendency to go back to their old ways and to continue the life of crime they were a part of prior to prison. To avoid this, while a prisoner is in prison, the staff creates a reentry program for the prisoner. The reentry program takes affect once the prisoner leaves prison. These programs are created within the community to help the offender from committing new crimes and to integrate them back into society. These programs are also created to help with
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a short-term, problem-centered therapy that is used to address psychopathology within the individual (Beck, 1995). This model of therapy is used to address issues of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, relational problems, and drug abuse, and can be utilized when working with individuals, as well as within group and family modalities. The core aspects of this therapy include collaboration and participation by the client, a strong alliance between therapist and client, and an initial focus on current problems and functioning (Beck, 1995). The theory of CBT emphasizes the relationship between the individual’s thoughts feelings and behaviors, which is seen as being the underlying cause of
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating as well as by self-induced vomiting and/or laxative abuse (Mitchell, 1986). Episodes of overeating typically alternate with attempts to diet, although the eating habits of bulimics and their methods of weight control vary (Fairburn et al., 1986). The majority of bulimics have a body weight within the normal range for their height, build, and age, and yet possess intense and prominent concerns about their shape and weight (Fairburn et al., 1986). Individuals with bulimia nervosa are aware that they have an eating problem, and therefore are often eager to receive help. The most common approach to
If an inmate does fulfill the numerous participation requirements for completion of an in prison program, the chances of his continuing treatment are exponentially low. Prisoners often neglect to extend treatment through the use of after-care rehabilitation programs upon release from jail (Melnick, et al. 636). The benefits of rehabilitation are therefore lost because after-care facilities are designed to further reinforce critical values gained by prisoners during prior rehabilitation.
In cognitive behavior therapy there are three main goals a therapist tries to achieve, “ relieve the symptoms and help clients resolve the problem, then help clients develop strategies that can be used to cope with future problems, finally help clients change the way they think from irrational, self-defeating thoughts to more rational, self-helping, positive thoughts” (Ciccarelli, White 2015). When interviewing friends the first step was to find out what their most impacting problems were. Then they talked about ways they could help relax themselves when or if the situation every happened again. Finally they came up with ways they could look at their problems in a more positive way. After the interviews
Often times many inmates go through the motions of rehabilitation, but do not truly put forth the maximum effort that is needed to better themselves and become a part of society. While some may view this as a lack of effort, the truth may be that the commitment shown by those chosen to walk them through this stage of their recovery is insufficient. The counselors of these inmates need to make a point of showing them that they truly do care, and want to see them succeed.