Applications of Counselling Psychology

Applications of Counselling PsychologyCase Study D Psychodynamic FormulationPete is a 34 twelvemonth old male, self-referred to therapy due to his recently developed fear of dogs that is disrupting his work and social career. He also feels distressed by his recent separation from his partner Sarah, which he attributes to job promotions and extra work responsibilities. Pete appears to be consuming large amounts of alcoholic drink on a daily basis and has become solitary in an endeavour to manage his feelings of low mood, hopelessness and fear. Based on developmental theories (Freud 1905, Erikson 1950, Bowlby,1969), research suggests thats individuals are deeply influenced by physical and emotional experiences, as well as the emotional atmosphere they are exposed to in early life (Kegerreis, 2010). Consequently, the most beneficial orientation to help explain and overcome Petes obstacles would be from a psychodynamic approach. This is a suitable orientation for this client as it ad dresses the past influences on Petes current fears and anxieties.Further background information, reveals Pete is the youngest of two siblings and has neer suffered from phobic episodes or holds history of any previous mental instability. Importantly, Pete rec solelys parental tension and conflict by means ofout his puerility up until his parents divorced when he was older 11 and also expresses a divide between himself and his father caused by family tension, which is still relevant today (See Kalmijn, 2013). Most significantly, Pete recalls a particular memory from his childhood in which he spent a uncomfortable weekend at his fathers home and only gained comfort through spending time with his fathers Alsatian dog.Based on the underlying influence of past events throughout Petes childhood, the preferred psychotherapeutic orientation for this clients clinical formulation would be establish on a psychodynamic theoretical perspective. This psychodynamic formulation acknowledges tha t it is through predisposing factors that Pete may be experiencing an underlying unconscious fear of kind breakdown. A fear that is precipitated by both conscious and unconscious thoughts and feelings that stem from his childhood and are increase levels of anxieties regarding his relationship breakdown with wife Sarah. It is reasonable to anticipate that the current trouble between himself and his wife, thought to be caused by extra work responsibilities, has resurfaced these childhood memories consequently triggering his new found phobia of dogs. As this is a completely new phobia it can be suggested that it is actually a displaced fear based on experiences within his past and further perpetuated by memories of his parents failed relationship.Freud (1915) believed that all human behaviour has a significant meaningful and motivated purpose in which anxieties and fears are very often connected with a combination of apart(p) feelings from the past. Often these feelings from childho od become repressed and proceed to manifest themselves as other negative symptoms in adulthood. Seemingly obscure behaviours, such as Petes recently developed fear of dogs, can attempt to be explained by unconscious motivations from which hidden meanings can be interpreted and it is reasonable to presume that the sign fear of which Pete has sort help for was triggered by feelings of anxiety and stress brought on by his increased employability responsibility and the impact this had on his current martial relationship. However, Petes fear of dogs is not the leading concern and there appears to be one central pervasive issue underlying the current problems in Petes life which can be traced back through his personal history. Reinforced through the use of Malans (1995) Triangle of persons as a means of relating transference matters between Client and therapist, it can be observed that Pete possesses a main underlying fear of relationship breakdown which has manifested itself as a displa ced fear of dogs, subsequently based on Petes childhood memories, lack of relationship with his father and feeling towards him as the main antagonist in his parents failed relationship.Supported by research (Cui Fincham, 2010), it appears that Pete is incline to possess such fears due to influential events in his childhood, mainly the breakdown of his parents relationship and the tensions and conflicts this created as a result, further reinforced by his mothers recalled negative view that marriages never work.. they just end in hurt. In an unconscious attempt to resolve these problems and alleviate symptoms of anxiety Pete has begun utilising the consumption of alcohol in an attempt to remain in control over his life. However this behaviour is in fact maintaining and reinforcing Petes problemsand a basic principle of the Psychodynamic sticker proposes that internal unresolved conflicts derived from early childhood development tend to repeat themselves in adult relationships if no t resolved. These maladaptive behaviours are further perpetuating his current problems and increasing Petes fear and belief that this relationship breakdown is out of his control and the past will indefinitely repeat itself.As based on the precept that an individuals behaviours and cognitions are influenced by unconscious thought processes and emotions from within the clients past , it is suggested that analytic thinking would be the most beneficial treatment. The classical technique of psychoanalysis is based on conflict theory (Erikson 1950) and places emphasis on both the past and present with the aim of making the unconscious conscious. It is also widely storied for its ability to help clients develop insight into the cause of deep-rooted problems that stem from childhood through the exploration and clarification of the clients expressed thoughts and feelings (Compton, 1990).In this way Pete is encouraged to engage in free association and express any thoughts that arise duri ng the session. This allows the therapist to try and reveal the unconscious thoughts and memories possessed by the Pete, in order to puddle sense of the origins of the problem Throughout the sessions Pete will also be encouraged to engage in transference and transfer feelings he has towards important people in his life, such as his parents onto the therapist as a means of understanding the influential relationships within his life (Freud, 1914). In order to represent the interactions between these elements diagrams shown in Figure 1 an 2 (See Appendices) will be utilised (Malan, 1979,1995). It is generally proposed that Pete would attend around 4 sessions a week in order to entrust a setting to explore these unconscious patterns, and try to make sense of them solely concentrated on the achievement of a cathartic experience through analysis.AppendicesFigure 1. Triangle of Persons (Malan, 1995)Figure2. Triangle of Conflict (Malan, 1979)ReferencesAuld, F., Hyman, M. (1991). Resoluti on of inner conflict An introduction to psychoanalytic therapy. Washington, DC American Psychological Association.Bowlby J. (1969).Attachment. Attachment and loss Vol. 1. Loss.New York base Books.Compton, A. (1990). Psychoanalytic process. Psychoanalytic Quarterly, 59, 585-598.Cui, M., Fincham, F. D. (2010). The differential effects of parental divorce and marital conflict on young adult romantic relationships.Personal Relationships,17(3), 331-343.Erikson, E. H. (1950).Childhood and Society. New York Norton.Freud, S. 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