Year: 1995
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This research was undertaken to examine Martin's (1994) theoretical perspective on psychotherapeutic change.Through the use of an ethnographic strategy, the therapeutic experiences of two individuals were explored in detail.Both individuals had recently sustained spinal cord injuries, were undergoing rehabilitation, and had been referred to counselling for a vocational assessment.Major themes which arose in the counselling sessions were considered, with special attention given to therapeutic language which was vivid, repetitive, metaphoric, elaborative, had affective intensity, was used to draw conclusions, was linked to other memories, and focused on enduring concerns or unresolved conflicts.Emphasis was placed on exploring and examining the two clients' self-defining memories, goals, emotional concerns, and future plans.Through the use of journals, in which clients recorded their recollections of the counselling sessions they participated in, it was possible to explore how they used their recollections of each session in their everyday lives and experiences outside of counselling.The results indicate that discrete themes arose for each client.For D.H., these were: Denial of Disability, Frustration of Disability, VRS funding, and Return to work.The theme most frequently mentioned by D.H. was Return to Work.The least mentioned was Denial of Disability.The discrete themes for G.G. were: Loss of Wife, Future Priorities, and Coincidences, Fate, and the Accident.The most commonly mentioned theme was Loss of Wife.The least mentioned was Confronting his Disability.The themes in common between D.H. and G.G. were: Confronting Disability and the Results of a Vocational Assessment.Both clients utilized these themes as centerpieces to recall specific information from counselling sessions.Given these results, it is suggested that, through extensive therapeutic conversation, a revision of both clients' personal theories took place which was mediated by their memories.This is revealed in the clients' conversations, journals, and counselling session transcripts.They are replete with language which is concrete, vivid, somewhat metaphoric, contains specific illustrations, has affective intensity, was used to draw conclusions, was linked to other memories, and focused on enduring concerns or unresolved conflicts.They also reveal consistent, logical, ongoing problem-solving by the clients which, one assumes, revises their personal theories in ways supportive of more adaptive emotional, cognitive, and behavioral patterns.These findings support and build upon Martin's (1994) theoretical perspective on psychotherapeutic change and assist us to gain insights into the complex interconnection between self-defining memories, personal goals, emotions, and self-regulatory plans which motive individuals to act on a daily basis.Table of Contents ...
Source: Summit (Simon Fraser University)
Author: David K Metcalf
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W958903569