MODULE 06

Methods in Counseling
Welcome!
This module introduces you the different methods used in counseling.

Objectives:
At the end of this module you will be able to:
1. Illustrate the different processes and methods involved in undertaking
counseling
2. Distinguish the needs of individuals, groups, organizations and communities

Please be reminded that at the end of this module you should comply the following:
1. Activities
2. Answer the quiz.

Preliminary Activity
Word Association

Write words that come into your mind when you hear the word method?

METHOD

Based on the words you have written, what is a method?

 Development of the Lesson

To understand fully the coverage of this lesson, read silently the material.

Methods in Counseling

1. CLASSIC THEORIES -The psychological theories developed by Sigmund Freud,

Alfred Adler, and Carl Jung are considered as the classic schools for the reason that
they primed the underpinning of clinical practice.

a. Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory

The approach of Freud in counselling and psychotherapy is popularly
known as psychoanalysis which is an analysis of the mind. Its objective is to
restructure the personality by resolution of intrapsychic conflict, which focuses in
the internal forces such as unconscious processes .It focuses on personal
adjustment through reorganization of internal forces within the person to help
him/her become aware of the unconscious aspect of his/her personality. It
focuses on personal adjustment through reorganization of internal forces within
the person to help him/her become aware of the unconscious aspect of his/her
personality.

Psychoanalysis has three goals:

1. to help clients gain insights about themselves
2. to help clients work unstuck issues
3. to help clients cope with the stresses of the society.

The following techniques may be used:

1. Free Association- a method to encourage the patient to discuss

whatever comes to his mind in order to release suppressed emotions.
2. Dream Analysis- a method to explore unconscious process using
dreams.
3. Confrontation And Clarification- a form of feedback procedure for
patients to become aware of what is happening to him/her and to
determine areas for further analysis.
4. Interpretation- a process of giving insights to patients about their inner
conflicts which can be reflected in resistance, transference, and other
processes.
 b. Adler’s Individual Psychology
The approach of Adler in counseling and psychotherapy focuses on the role of
cognition is psychological functioning.
Its objective is to gain an understanding of the clients and assess why clients
behave and think in certain ways.

Adlerian counseling focuses on four goals:

1. establishment and maintenance of egalitarian relationship

2. analysis of client’s lifestyle
3. interpretation of client’s lifestyle in a way that promotes insight
4. reorientation and reeducation of the client with accompanying behavior
change.

Adlerian techniques can be explained in four phases of Adlerian Psychotherapy.

First Phase: ESTABLISHING THE RELATIONSHIP

-Use of listening skills
-Winning respect and offering hope
-Encouragement

Second Phase: PERFORMING ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT

-Lifestyle Analysis
-Dream analysis may be used to conduct lifestyle analysis

Third Phase: PROMOTING INSIGHT

-Insight Process

Fourth Phase: REORIENTATION

-Spitting in the Client’s Soup
- The push-button techniques
-Catching oneself
-Acting as-if
-Task setting and commitment

c. JUNG’S ANALYTIC PSYCHOLOGY

The counseling and psychology approach of Jung is referred to as
psychotherapy.
Jung’s approach highlights the task of the unconscious processes in “psychological
functioning”
 The approach applies dreams and other procedures to determine the
unconscious processes to utilize the result to boost the functioning of personality and to
enhance mental health and wellness.

2. EXPERIENTIAL THEORIES

It falls under the affective theories which are concerned about generating impact
on the emotions of clients to effect change.
The well-known experiential theorists include Rogers and Perls

a. Roger’s Person-Centered Counseling

It has been described as the “if-then” approach.
 The following conditions were formulated by Rogers:
1. Counselor Congruence
2. Empathic Understanding
3. Unconditional Positive Regard

b. Pearl’s Gestalt Therapy

It focuses on the here and now.
It refers to the dialogue between the therapist and the client wherein the client
experiences from the inside what the therapist observes from the outside.
The goal of the approach is awareness on the environment, of responsibility
for choices, of self, and self-acceptance.

Gestalt’s technique include the following:

ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY- rephrase the statement and add “I take responsibility

for it”.
USING PERSONAL PRONOUNS- take personal responsibility by saying “I or me
“instead of “us or us”
NOW I AM AWARE- assists the clients to get in touch with himself/herself.
THE EMPTY CHAIR TECHNIQUE- helps client work through conflicting parts of
personality.

3. COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THEORIES

a. ELLIS RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY

REBT highlights the role of cognitions on emotions with assertion that persons
can be best appreciated in terms of internal cognitive dialogue or self-talk.
REBT views the emotional disorder is associated with cognitive processes that
are not rational.
REBT TECHNIQUES:

COGNITIVE- reforming ideas that are reasonable and irrational. Focus on “defeating
cognitions”.
EMOTIVE TECHNIQUES- focus on the client’s “affective or emotional domain”

BEHAVIORAL TECHNIQUES- Focus on the full array of behavioural methods such as

assertiveness training, relaxation therapy, self-management, self-monitoring, and
homework assignments.

b. BECK’S COGNITIVE THERAPY

 TECHNIQUES:
DECATASTROPHIZING- referred to as “what if”.
REDEFINING- rearticulating an obstacle to something that may be useful.
DECENTERING- This will help the client apprehend that they are not the “center of
attention”.
BEHAVIORAL TECHNIQUES – this method applies a broad selection of methods to
assist clients obtaining ‘essential skills, relaxing preparing for difficult situations, and
exposing them to feared, preparing for difficult situations, and exposing them to feared
situations”.

c. BERNE’S TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS

Refers to examining and dissecting transactions between people.
It includes evaluating the “three ego state of parent, adult, and child of each
person”.
The fundamental goal is for the client to be “autonomous, self-aware,
spontaneous and have the capacity for intimacy.”

TECHNIQUES:
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS- assists clients to be conscious of their “three ego”.
TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS- assists clients to “learn to communicate with
complementary transactions.”
SCRIPT ANALYSIS- looks into the “type of life script the client has developed and how
it can be re-written.”
ANALYSIS OF GAMES- comprise of determining “what games the clients play and how
the games interfere with interpersonal functioning.”

Analysis, Application and Exploration

 Based on what you have read about accomplish the following activity

Name:_________________________________________Date:_________________
Grade & Section: ________________________________Score:_________________

Activity 1.1

Instruction: Please fill out the required information in the table below.

Theories Founder / Methods Contribution to Strengths Weaknesses

Theorist the field

Freud’s
Psychoanalyti
c Theory

Adlerian
Counseling

Rogers
Person –
Centered
Counseling
Perls Gestalt
Theory

Beck’s
Cognitive
Theory

Ellis Rational
Emotive
Therapy

Berne
Transaction
Analysis
 Generalization

In summary, there are different methods of counseling. They are classified into three:
the classical theories, experiential theories and cognitive-behavioral theories.

Assignment

For your assignment, research the following:

Name:_________________________________________Date:_________________

Grade & Section: ________________________________Score:_________________

1. What is social work?

2. What are the goals of social work?

3. What is the scope of work of social workers?

4. Enumerate the core values and principles in social work.

 Congratulatory Note

CONGRATULATIONS on reaching the end of this module!!

Keep up the good work!!!

Reminder:
All exercises and activities done should be submitted before start of the succeeding lesson/s. You may now
proceed to the EVALUATION of the lesson covered in this module!

References

Dela Cruz et al. Disciplines and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences. Phoenix
Publishing House. Quezon City: 2016
 Name:_________________________________________Date:_________________
Grade & Section: ________________________________Score:_________________

Quiz No. 6

Matching Type
Match Column A with Column B and C

Column A Column B Column C

1. Psychoanalytic A. Eric Berne  I. Refers to examining and
Theory dissecting transactions
B. Alfred Adler 
2. Individual between people. 
C. Fritz Perls  II. It has been described as the
Psychology
“if-then” approach. 
3. Analytic Psychology D. Sigmund Freud 
III. It is an analysis of the mind 
4. Person-Centered E. Carl Jung  IV. Its objective is to gain an
Counseling understanding of the clients
F. Albert Ellis 
5. Gestalt Counseling and assess why clients
6. Rational Emotive G. Carl Rogersn  behave and think in certain
Behavior Theory ways. 
H. Aaron Beck
V. Views the emotional disorder
7. Cognitive Therapy
is associated with cognitive
8. Transactional processes that are not
Analysis rational. 
VI. The approach applies
dreams and other
procedures to determine the
unconscious processes to
utilize the result to boost the
functioning of personality
and to enhance mental
health and wellness. 
VII. DECENTERING- This will
help the client apprehend
that they are not the “center
of attention”. 
VIII. It focuses on the here and
now.