Why Theory?

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Why Theory?
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What is a Theory?
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Theories

• Help explain and predict behavior
• Guide our thinking and actions when working with
  clients
• a set of interrelated ideas, constructs, and
  principles proposed to explain certain
  observations of reality (Hjelle Ziegler, 1992,
  p.7)

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So, why theory?

• There are over 400 different approaches to
  counseling
• Theory helps guide our thinking a sort of road
  map to therapy
• Subscribing to a theory helps the counselor
  determine if counseling is working
• Using a theory(ies) while conducting counseling
  is ethically responsible to the client
• ????

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CAUTIONSlippery Road Ahead

• Subscribing to a theory
• can be problematic when
• Counselor is rigid and theory
• does not fit client
• Counselor overlooks or disregards
• important information/data that
• does not fit into subscribed theory
• Counselor does not acknowledge
• the biases or misconceptions present
• in the theory
• ????

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Take home point

• Subscribing to a theory can help counselors
  (especially new counselors) approach therapy in
  an efficient, organized, systematic way.
  However, counselors should be knowledgeable about
  the major counseling theories and not become
  rigid or stuck in only one theory

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How do I pick a theory?

• 1st Step Know major theories
• 2nd Step Who am I?

• Helps you to make an informed choice
• Most counselors pick theories based on their own
  conceptions of human behavior, personality
  styles, etc.

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Characteristics of a good theory

• There are several ways to judge a theory (PESST)
• Precision/Testability
• Empirical Validity
• Simplicity
• Stimulation
• The real world

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Precision/Testability

• Does the theory have clearly defined constructs?
• Is the theory based on some sort of realistic
  view of human behavior?

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Empirical Validity

• Has the theory been tested? On whom? When? How?
• Ways to determine empirical validity
• Controlled case studies
• Case descriptions
• Meta-analysis
• Surveys
• Stringent comparison studies of therapy and
  control groups

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Simplicity

• How easy is the theory adhered to and
  implemented?
• Caution A simple theory may not be the best
  theory. Also, who says what is simple? And what
  seems simple today may not be so in the future

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Stimulation

• How enticing is the theory?
• Does it stimulate discussion, critique,
  research?
• Is it taken seriously?

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The real world

• How easily does the theory explain and fit into
  the real world?
• Does the conceptual framework make it practical
  to use? (Theories presented in this class are
  widely believed to be practical on a varying
  spectrum)

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Eclecticism

• This is when a counselor integrates two or more
  theories into counseling
• 40 of the counselors surveyed from 1982 to 2001
  (see Murdock, 2004) subscribed to an eclectic
  counseling approach
• Even those who were eclectic in their main
  approach usually integrated theories from a
  similar theoretical viewpoint (i.e., Becks
  cognitive therapy and RET) (Murdock, 2004)

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Steps to Applying Theory
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Applying Theory

• 1st Step Know Your Theory
• Understand core beliefs
• Understand constructs
• Know the process
• What constitutes psychological health,
  well-being, success?

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Applying Theory

• 2nd Step Know Your Client
• Know demographics (age, gender, sexual
  orientation, physical ability, religion,
  ethnicity, etc.) and understand the impact these
  characteristics have on the client
• Gather pertinent information about client
  according to theoretical constructs (cognitive
  theoryunderstand clients thoughts behavioral
  therapyunderstand productive or destructive
  behavior, etc.)
• Ask yourself if the clients presenting problem
  fits with theory (i.e., a young college student
  wants help dealing with feelings of frustration
  at school, however the counselor subscribes to
  the RET therapist who wants to focus on
  relationships)