The Importance Of A Theoretical Orientation On Substance Abuse And Co Occurring Personality Disorders

A theoretical orientation is the model used to describe a client’s behavior, tendencies and personality. Therapists can’t approach and find explanations of behavior or personality in the same manner due to the difference in client issues, diagnoses, and symptoms. Although different in nature each theoretical orientation consists of the general themes that can be seen and utilized universally. As a counselor, it is important to develop and have sense of which theoretical orientation works best for you and the type of clientele that you will be servicing. While it may be a challenge to pick one theoretical orientation and stick to it due to the vast variety, it is important that you incorporate your background, values, religious beliefs, as well as a host of other factors into your decision to ensure that that orientation can be utilized properly.

As a counseling student, it is very important to formulate a counseling theory tailored to ones’ own personality and beliefs. A counselor may choose a single theory to model when practicing therapy or pick and choose components and techniques from various theories, otherwise known as eclecticism. No theory is considered right or wrong. Understanding the different therapeutic approaches are important to effective counseling, however, counselors must also understand their own personal value, view of human nature, human behavior, counseling techniques and the purpose and goals of counseling. Understanding these components along with the different theoretical approaches will provide the counselor with a 9 knowledge of their own counseling, orientation and is essential to not only the productivity of counseling but the growth of the counselor as well.

As social workers, it is our responsibility to use the most effective method of practice to engage our clients, assess their situation, and help them create goals that will produce positive outcomes. Every client will present a unique set of challenges; therefore, the social worker must be careful in choosing an approach that will meet the client’s needs, compliment the skills of the therapist and are in line with the agency’s mission. According to Robert and Watkins (2009), psychotherapy is a therapeutic interaction between a trained therapist and a client that is

Based on the participant’s background and history, I determined that an integrative approach using CBT and Reality Therapy was appropriate. Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Reality Therapy are both effective in treating addictions. My participant struggles with negative thinking and irrational thoughts, poor decision making and problem solving which are common for a person struggling with substance use disorders. Therefore, integrating these two treatment modalities will assist the participant in restructuring his thoughts and finding effective ways to bring about changes in his life by taking responsibility for his own actions.

When a counselor has a new client they are working with, the client has to be assessed. When being assessed the counselor has to determine what issues the client may have. Through being assessed, the counselor may come to realize the client has more than one issue which is called co-occurring disorders. At this point the client will have to be treated for more than one disorder to effectively overcome the problems they are facing. Within this paper one will locate the prevalence of co-occurring disorders, mental health and substance abuse

Substance abuse is a tragedy that touches many lives. Abuse begins with a single use event that, with continued use and overindulgence, transforms into a battle. The abuser most always loses that battle. Personal relationships, social ties, and employment suffers. Irresponsible and erratic behavior becomes the norm, and though the abuser is aware on some level of the reckless and thoughtless acts that they commit, they continue to use and abuse their drug of choice. What starts as experimentation often ends in addiction. The best hope for a person in the grips of substance abuse is immediate,

Theoretical Orientation Reflection Paper Natasha Cartwright Senior Seminar February 8, 2017 Dr. Hill Theoretical Orientation Reflection Paper Introduction In the field of social work it is essential to be aware of theoretical approaches to incorporate into the work and realize which one fits more effectively with your different perspectives of life. With a better understanding of who you are, it becomes more easier to figure out your best way of counseling; figuring out which theories you find least and most appealing helps as well. When you are rooted in a theoretical orientation that aligns with your personal values and beliefs everything aligns up well. Applying your research of theoretical orientations to your actual work creates

A person’s theoretical orientation is important because it provides a framework for how an individual’s problem has developed and how the problem can be resolved. It is the guiding principle in treatment and how the counselor interacts with the client. A counselor’s theoretical orientation shows their personal style and traces back to several factors like the counselor’s life experiences, values, beliefs, and perspectives. Having knowledge of a particular theory helps to address the clients major life issues and confidence in their competence. This paper will depict the theoretical orientations used, case conceptualizations, and how I have become an instrument of social change in my internship experience.

Having a theoretical orientation as a counselor is important in working with clients in social work career. Theoretical orientation helps us as a social worker to attend to different challenges facing the clients and deal with family problems, behaviors and emotions. As a novice student, having a theoretical framework serve as a “road map.” The purpose of this paper is to explain the important of having a theoretical framework and its important when dealing with families, individuals and treatment groups.

Within psychology there are many different theories that counselors should get to know in order to figure out which theory fits their own personal style of counseling. Some counselors stick to one specific theory, but many take on an integrative approach and use multiple theories within their practice. The four psychological theories that I am focusing on in this paper are the contemporary psychodynamic, theory, cognitive behavioral therapy, person-centered therapy, and the family systems theory.

Approaches to Family Therapy: Minuchin, Haley, Bowen, & Whitaker Treating families in therapy can be a complex undertaking for a therapist, as they are dealing not only with a group of individuals but also with an overall system. Throughout history several key theorists have attempted to demystify the challenges families face and construct approaches to treatment. However, there have been key similarities and differences among the theoretical orientations along the way. While some have simply broadened or expanded from existing theories, others have stood in stark

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) was developed as a method to prevent relapse when treating people with alcohol problems and then later it was adapted for drug-addicted individuals. Cognitive behavioral strategies are based on the theory that in the development of maladaptive behavioral patterns.

In Addiction Training in Clinical Psychology: Are We Keeping up With the Rising Epidemic?, the authors and researchers discuss clinical psychology and its effectiveness when dealing with addiction. Clinical psychologists have always had an interest in addiction and its treatments. With treatments being focused into evidence-based aspects, the American Psychological Association and the Nation Institutes of Health formed programs such as the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Programs like the NIAAA and NIDA focused on alcohol and substance abuse and how different treatments worked and their effectiveness. Grants had been offered for psychology graduate students in

Although it is true that for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by frequent drug abuse can impair a person's self-discipline and ability to make sound judgements, and at the same time create an intense impulse to take drugs. It is because of these alterations in the brain that it is so puzzling for a person to stop abusing drugs. Luckily, there are treatments that help people to neutralize addiction's powerful disruptive effects and regain control of their lives. Study shows that combining addiction treatment medications, when suitable, with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are custom-made to each patient's drug abuse patterns and any concurrent medical, psychiatric, and social problems can help achieve sustained recovery and a life without drugs.

Cognitive and Behavioural approaches are also widely used with alcohol and drug using clients. In a meta-analysis of 17 studies Walters, Mortgenstern, & Rotgers (2003) found that behavioural self-control programs (training in drinking rate control, goal setting, identifying high risk situations, alternatives to alcohol use) were more effective than no treatment and at least as effective as abstinence based programs. CBT for substance abuse encompasses a variety of interventions that emphasize different targets. However, this essay will be focus only on motivational intervention and family therapy.