COUNSELING STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTION.pdf

COUNSELING STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTION

1. Counseling
Strategies &
Interventions
Gwyn Theresa B. Corpin - BSP 3-A

2. Gestalt
Therapy
01
Table of contents
02
Reality
Therapy
03
Existential
Therapy
04
Insights

3. Gestalt Therapy
01
“I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations
And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you and I am I,
And if by chance we find each other, it’s beautiful.
If not, it cannot be helped.”
(Fritz Perls, 1969, in Gladding, 2000)

4. Nature and Characteristics
➔Gestalt therapy is a form of psychotherapy
that is centered on increasing a person's
awareness, freedom, and self-direction. It's a
form of therapy that focuses on the present
moment rather than past experiences.

➔Gestalt therapy is based on the idea that
people are influenced by their present
environment. Each individual works to achieve
personal growth and balance. Gestalt therapy
focuses on the use of empathy and
unconditional acceptance. This helps
individuals get rid of distress by learning how
to trust and accept what they feel.

5. Nature and Characteristics
➔Holistic Approach: Views individuals as whole
beings rather than focusing on isolated parts
or symptoms.
➔Here and Now Focus: Emphasizes the present
moment experiences over past events or
future concerns.
➔Awareness and Responsibility: Encourages
heightened awareness of thoughts, emotions,
sensations, and behaviors in the present.
Promotes taking responsibility for one's
actions and choices.

6. Nature and Characteristics
➔Awareness and Responsibility : Encourages
heightened awareness of thoughts, emotions,
sensations, and behaviors in the present.
Promotes taking responsibility for one's actions
and choices.
➔Integration and Wholeness: Aims to integrate
fragmented aspects of the self to achieve a sense
of completeness and authenticity.
➔Non-Interpretative Approach: Often avoids
interpreting or analyzing the client's experiences
externally, instead focusing on the client's own
understanding and insights.

7. Founder of Gestalt Therapy
FRITZ PERLS (1893-1970)
●Primary Founder of Gestalt Therapy: Considered the primary
developer and influencer of Gestalt therapy, alongside his wife
Laura Perls and Paul Goodman.
●Background: Born in Germany, trained as a psychiatrist and
psychoanalyst, Fritz Perls was influenced by various
psychological theories and experiences.
●Innovator and Proponent of Humanistic Psychology :
Criticized traditional psychoanalysis and emphasized a more
experiential, holistic, and humanistic approach to therapy.

8. Founder of Gestalt Therapy
FRITZ PERLS (1893-1970)
●Development of Gestalt Principles: Formulated the key
principles of Gestalt therapy emphasizing awareness,
present-centeredness, personal responsibility, and
integration.
●Contributions to Therapeutic Techniques: Introduced several
influential techniques, including the empty chair technique,
dream work, and role-playing, aimed at enhancing
self-awareness and personal growth.
●Impact and Legacy: Popularized Gestalt therapy through his
workshops, writings, and teachings, leaving a significant mark
on the field of psychotherapy and the humanistic movement.

9. Initial Assessment Present-Centered Focus Awareness and Exploration
Therapeutic Process
●Establishing a therapeutic
relationship and rapport.
●Understanding the client's
concerns, history, and
goals.
●Assessing the client's
current experiences and
feelings.

●Emphasizing the 'here and
now' experiences of the
client.
●Encouraging awareness of
immediate thoughts,
emotions, sensations, and
behaviors.
●Exploring how unresolved
issues manifest in the
present moment.

●Encouraging
self-awareness and
mindfulness.
●Exploring the client's
internal experiences
without judgment or
interpretation.
●Highlighting unfinished
business or unresolved
conflicts.

10. Experimentation and
Techniques
Contact and Relationship Integration and Closure
Therapeutic Process
●Employing various
techniques, such as
role-playing, empty chair
technique, or guided
imagery.
●Experimenting with
different perspectives and
behaviors to increase
self-awareness.
●Encouraging clients to take
responsibility for their
experiences and choices.


●Focusing on the therapeutic
relationship between client
and therapist.
●Highlighting the importance
of contact, authenticity, and
trust within the therapeutic
setting.
●Exploring how the client
relates to others and the
world.


●Working towards
integrating newfound
awareness and insights into
daily life.
●Facilitating closure by
summarizing progress and
learnings.
●Preparing the client for the
termination of therapy while
emphasizing the
continuation of
self-awareness and growth.

11. Empty Chair
Technique
●Encourages clients to engage
in an imaginary dialogue with a
person or aspect of
themselves by using an empty
chair.
●Facilitates the expression of
conflicting feelings,
unresolved issues, or
unacknowledged parts of the
self.

●Involves clients taking on
different roles or perspectives,
often switching between
conflicting parts of themselves or
significant figures in their lives.
●Provides an opportunity for
clients to gain insights into their
feelings, thoughts, and behaviors
from different viewpoints.

Application: Therapeutic Techniques and
Procedures
Role-playing

12. Creative
Experimentation
●Involves using art, music,
movement, or other creative
means to express emotions and
explore inner experiences.
●Helps bypass verbal defenses and
access deeper emotions and
aspects of the self.

●Therapists maintain an ongoing
dialogue with clients, encouraging
exploration and deepening of
experiences, feelings, and
thoughts.
●Utilizes open-ended questions to
stimulate self-reflection and
insight.

Application: Therapeutic Techniques and
Procedures
Continual Dialogue
and Inquiry

13. Reality Therapy
02
“Too many of us fail to fulfill our needs
because we say no rather than yes, yes when
we should say no.”
William Glasser

14. Nature and Characteristics
➔ Reality therapy, developed by Dr. William Glasser in
1965, is founded on the principles of choice theory
and has developed into a widely recognized form of
therapy.
➔ Parents as well as many professionals in the fields of
education, mental health, and social services have
embraced the fundamentals of this therapy, which
suggests that all human issues occur when one or
more of five basic psychological needs are not met
and that an individual can only control their own
behavior.
➔ Glasser believed that when someone chooses to
change their own behavior rather than attempting to
change someone else's, they will be more
successful at attaining their own goals and desires.

15. Nature and Characteristics
➔ Focus on Present and Future : Reality Therapy
concentrates on the present moment and the future
rather than delving extensively into past experiences or
causes of issues.
➔ Personal Responsibility: Emphasizes that individuals
are responsible for their choices and behaviors,
encouraging them to take ownership and control of
their lives.
➔ Choice Theory: Based on the belief that human
behavior is driven by the need to fulfill basic human
needs such as belonging, power, freedom, fun, and
survival. The therapy focuses on understanding how
choices made are attempts to meet these needs.
➔ Emphasis on Behavior: Emphasizes the importance of
assessing and altering behaviors that are not fulfilling
and assisting individuals in making constructive
choices.

16. Nature and Characteristics
➔ Rejects Blame and Punishment : Avoids blaming or
punishing individuals for their behaviors, instead
concentrating on identifying more effective choices.
➔ Cultural Sensitivity: Acknowledges and respects the
influence of cultural factors on an individual's behavior
and choices.
➔ Practical Application: Strives to be practical and
solution-focused, offering strategies and techniques
that can be readily applied in daily life.
➔ Continuous Evaluation : Encourages ongoing
self-evaluation and monitoring of behaviors, choices,
and progress towards goals.

17. Founder of Reality Therapy
William Glasser (1925-2013)
●Born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
●Psychiatrist and author, renowned for his contributions to the
field of counseling and therapy.


Development of Reality Therapy:
●Founded Reality Therapy in the 1960s as an approach
to psychotherapy.
●Emphasized personal responsibility and choice in
one's behavior.
●Departure from traditional psychoanalysis, focusing
on present behavior and the future rather than the
past.

18. Founder of Reality Therapy
William Glasser (1925-2013)
Books and Publications:
●Authored several influential books including "Reality
Therapy: A New Approach to Psychiatry" and "Choice
Theory: A New Psychology of Personal Freedom."
●Advocated his therapeutic approach through his
writings and public lectures.



Application and Influence:
●Reality Therapy found applications in various fields
beyond counseling, including education, management,
and personal development.
●Influential in the development of other counseling and
therapy approaches emphasizing personal
responsibility and choice.

19. Establishing a Collaborative
Relationship
Assessment and Goal Setting Choice and Responsibility
Therapeutic Process
●Building a strong
therapeutic alliance based
on trust, empathy, and
collaboration between the
therapist and the client.
●Creating a safe
environment for open
communication.


●Identifying the client's
unsatisfactory or unfulfilled
needs and behaviors.
●Encouraging clients to set
specific, achievable goals
that focus on meeting their
needs effectively and
positively.


●Emphasizing personal
responsibility for choices
and behaviors,
acknowledging that
individuals have the power
to make changes.
●Exploring how current
behaviors are fulfilling or
failing to fulfill the client's
basic needs.

20. Exploration of Behavior Planning and Action Evaluation and Feedback
Therapeutic Process
●Examining the client's
present behaviors and
evaluating their
effectiveness in fulfilling
needs.
●Identifying behaviors that
contribute to the problem
and discussing alternative,
more effective behaviors.



●Developing an action plan
to facilitate behavioral
changes aimed at meeting
the client's needs.
●Implementing specific steps
and strategies to achieve
the agreed-upon goals.



●Continuously assessing
progress towards goals and
evaluating the
effectiveness of behavioral
changes.
●Providing feedback and
adjusting the action plan as
needed to ensure its
relevance and success.

21. Focus on Present and Future Counseling Techniques Closure and Follow-up
Therapeutic Process
●Concentrating on the
client's present behavior
and choices rather than
dwelling extensively on
past experiences.
●Encouraging clients to
envision a positive future
and work towards achieving
it through present actions.




●Utilizing questioning,
reflection, and active
listening to guide clients in
exploring their behaviors
and choices.
●Employing role-play,
assertiveness training, and
problem-solving techniques
to assist in behavioral
changes.




●Concluding the therapeutic
process by reviewing
progress made towards
goals and discussing
strategies for maintaining
positive changes.
●Encouraging clients to
continue self-evaluation
and growth independently
post-therapy.

22. Choice Theory
Emphasizes personal
responsibility and the idea
that individuals make
choices to meet their needs.

Stands for Wants, Doing,
Evaluation, and Planning. It's
a structured approach used
to guide therapeutic
discussions.

Application: Therapeutic Techniques and
Procedures

Reality Testing
Encourages clients to
evaluate their current
behaviors and choices
against their desired goals.

Emphasizes addressing
current behaviors and
attitudes rather than delving
extensively into past
experiences.

WDEP
Focus on the Present

23. Existential Therapy
03
“Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with
almost any 'how'.”
― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

24. Nature and Characteristics
●Existential therapy is a unique form of psychotherapy that
looks to explore difficulties from a philosophical
perspective. Focusing on the human condition as a whole,
existential therapy highlights our capacities and
encourages us to take responsibility for our successes.

●Emotional and psychological difficulties are viewed as an
inner conflict caused by an individual's confrontation with
the givens of existence. Rather than delve into the past,
the existential approach looks at the here and now,
exploring the human condition as a whole and what it
means for an individual.
○

25. Nature and Characteristics
●Philosophical Foundation: Rooted in existential
philosophy, focusing on the exploration of existential
themes like freedom, choice, responsibility, meaning, and
existence.
●Emphasis on Human Experience: Prioritizes the subjective
experiences and unique perspectives of individuals.
●Focus on the Here and Now : Encourages clients to
examine and confront their current experiences, feelings,
and thoughts rather than dwelling on the past.
●Exploration of Existential Concerns: Addresses
fundamental human concerns such as death,
meaninglessness, isolation, freedom, and responsibility.

○

26. Nature and Characteristics
●Integration of Therapeutic Techniques: Utilizes a variety
of methods, including phenomenological inquiry, dialogue,
reflection, and sometimes creative interventions like
artwork or journaling.
●Emotional Exploration and Acceptance : Encourages
clients to face and accept their emotions, even the difficult
or painful ones.
●Search for Meaning and Purpose : Focuses on helping
clients find or create meaning and purpose in their lives.
●Holistic Approach: Addresses psychological, emotional,
spiritual, and existential dimensions of an individual's
experience.
●Awareness of Existential Anxiety: Acknowledges and
works with the anxiety that arises from confronting life's
uncertainties and existential questions.

27. Founder of Reality Therapy
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)
●Early Life: Born in 1905 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary
(now Austria), Viktor Frankl was a neurologist and
psychiatrist.
●Experiences in Holocaust : Frankl survived
internment in Nazi concentration camps during World
War II, including Auschwitz. These experiences
profoundly influenced his perspective on human
suffering and resilience.
●Logotherapy: Developed logotherapy, a form of
existential therapy that emphasizes finding personal
meaning in life as a primary motivating and driving
force for individuals.

28. Founder of Reality Therapy
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)
●Search for Meaning: Frankl believed that discovering
and fulfilling a sense of purpose and meaning in life
was crucial for psychological well-being and
resilience, even in the face of extreme suffering.
●Will to Meaning: He emphasized the "will to meaning"
as a fundamental human motivation, suggesting that
individuals are driven by a desire to find significance
and purpose in their existence.
●Existential Vacuum: Coined the term "existential
vacuum" to describe a sense of emptiness and
meaninglessness that arises when individuals feel
disconnected from a deeper sense of purpose.

29. Founder of Reality Therapy
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)
●Contribution to Existential Therapy : Frankl's
emphasis on meaning and purpose as central to
mental health and his development of logotherapy
significantly influenced the field of existential
therapy, providing a framework for therapists to help
clients find meaning in their lives.
●Author and Academic Career: Authored the
influential book "Man's Search for Meaning," which
detailed his experiences in concentration camps and
outlined his ideas on finding meaning in life. He also
lectured and taught internationally, sharing his
insights into existential psychology and therapy.

30. Assessment and Exploration
Developing Therapeutic
Relationship
Exploration of Existential
Concerns
Therapeutic Process
●Begin by exploring the
client's subjective
experiences, concerns, and
personal worldview.
●Identify existential themes
such as freedom,
responsibility, meaning, and
mortality that may be
affecting the client's life.



●Foster a collaborative and
empathetic therapeutic
relationship.
●Encourage open dialogue
and authenticity between
therapist and client.

●Encourage clients to
confront and explore
existential issues such as
the meaning of life,
freedom, choice,
responsibility, and death.
●Assist clients in recognizing
and accepting the
inevitable existential
tensions present in life.

31. Encouraging Self-Reflection Finding Meaning and Purpose Emotional Exploration and
Acceptance
Therapeutic Process
●Encourage clients to reflect
on their values, beliefs, and
attitudes.
●Explore how these factors
impact their decisions,
behaviors, and overall
well-being.

●Assist clients in the search
for personal meaning and
purpose in life.
●Help clients discover or
create meaning through
engagement, relationships,
personal values, and
pursuits.

●Encourage clients to
confront and accept their
emotional experiences,
even those considered
difficult or painful.
●Support clients in
understanding the
significance of their
emotional responses to
life's challenges.

32. Integration and
Decision-Making
Promote Personal Growth and
Authenticity
Continual Evaluation and
Reflection
Therapeutic Process
●Help clients integrate
newfound insights into their
lives and decision-making
processes.
●Empower clients to take
responsibility for their
choices and actions based
on their newly discovered
meanings and values.

●Encourage clients to live
authentically by aligning
their actions with their
discovered meanings and
values.
●Support clients in
embracing personal growth
and ongoing
self-exploration.

●Regularly assess progress
and revisit existential
themes as needed.
●Encourage clients to
continue reflecting on their
lives and meanings
independently.

33. Phenomenological
Exploration
Utilizes a deep analysis of being and
existence to uncover underlying
motivations and help clients
understand their existence and its
significance.


Encourages clients to face their fears
or anxieties by deliberately
amplifying or exaggerating them,
leading to their reduction or
resolution.


Encourages clients to describe and
explore their subjective experiences,
thoughts, feelings, and perceptions
without judgment or interpretation.

Daseinsanalysis
Application: Therapeutic Techniques and
Procedures


Existential Analysis Socratic Dialogue
Involves identifying and addressing
the client's concerns related to
existential themes such as
freedom, responsibility, meaning,
death, and isolation.


Engages clients in deep, reflective
conversations to provoke
self-examination and insight into
their values, beliefs, and choices.

Includes logotherapeutic techniques
emphasizing the search for meaning,
such as dereflection (shifting focus
away from symptoms), Socratic
dialogue, and paradoxical intention.

Paradoxical
Intention
Logotherapy
Techniques

34. INSIGHTS
04

35. "Just take one thing out and the whole palace, the whole edifice of the human mind collapses. Take effort out of it
and desiring disappears, imagination disappears, past and future disappear, or take desire out and effort disappears and
time disappears and ego disappears. Just take one thing out of the gestalt and the whole gestalt simply disappears; it
cannot exist without certain things. Those are the very essentials of it - effort is one of the essentials. Hence all the great
Masters of the world have taught about grace." - Rajneesh.
I have always viewed life as a glass full of water. It can sometimes be full, half-filled, or empty. The water gets to be
changed; however, by different circumstances, it may be tipped, poured, or changed. But how does it relate to me? I am the
controller of the glass and the water. It is up to me how to fill my cup, what I fill my cup, and when I will fill my cup. It is me,
my cup, and the water that I fill it in. This cannot exist without certain things.
Reality therapy, Gestalt therapy, and existential therapy are three distinct approaches in the field of psychotherapy.
Each system has its unique principles, techniques, and theoretical foundations. Although they share some similarities, they
differ significantly in their perspectives on human behavior, therapeutic goals, and intervention methods. Reality therapy,
developed by William Glasser, emphasizes personal responsibility and focuses on the present rather than the past. It
centers on the idea that individuals can control their behavior and make choices to achieve fulfillment. The primary focus is
on the client's current behaviors and preferences, aiming to help them make more effective choices to meet their needs.

36. Reality therapists often use questioning, challenging, and creating a therapeutic relationship built on trust and
empathy. They encourage clients to examine their actions and behaviors, evaluate their effectiveness in meeting their
needs, and make realistic plans for change.
The main goal of reality therapy is to assist clients in identifying and fulfilling their basic needs for love and
belonging, power, freedom, and fun. It aims to help clients develop more effective ways of meeting these needs through
responsible decision-making and actions.
Gestalt therapy, founded by Fritz Perls, focuses on the here and now, emphasizing awareness, personal
responsibility, and the integration of fragmented aspects of the self. It highlights the importance of the whole
person—mind, body, and emotions—in understanding an individual's experiences. Gestalt therapists use techniques such
as role-playing, empty chair work, and focusing on bodily sensations to help clients become more aware of their thoughts,
feelings, and behaviors in the present moment. They encourage clients to take responsibility for their actions and explore
unresolved issues from the past that may affect their current behaviors. Gestalt therapy aims to help individuals develop
self-awareness, self-acceptance, and personal growth by integrating conflicting aspects of their personalities. It aims to
assist clients in achieving a greater sense of wholeness and authenticity in their lives.

37. Existential therapy, influenced by existential philosophers like Søren Kierkegaard and Martin Heidegger, focuses on
exploring the human condition, including themes of freedom, choice, responsibility, and the search for meaning. It
emphasizes exploring an individual's existence and the challenges of being human. Existential therapists use dialogue,
reflection, and exploring existential concerns such as mortality, freedom, and the meaning of life. They help clients
confront their anxieties about existence and encourage them to take responsibility for their choices and actions.
The goal of existential therapy is to assist individuals in facing the realities of existence and finding meaning and
purpose in their lives. It aims to help clients embrace their freedom to create meaning while taking responsibility for their
choices.
These three distinct therapies have their differences, such as time orientation: Reality therapy focuses on the
present, while Gestalt therapy emphasizes the present but also explores unresolved past issues. Existential therapy delves
into broader existential concerns related to the past, present, and future. Next is the theoretical underpinnings: Reality
therapy emphasizes choice theory, Gestalt therapy focuses on holistic awareness and integration, while existential
therapy explores philosophical concepts about existence and meaning. Lastly is the approach to change: Reality therapy
focuses on making practical changes in behavior. Gestalt therapy emphasizes awareness and integration, while existential
therapy focuses on embracing existential concerns and finding meaning.

38. On the other hand, they also have their similarities. First, focus on personal responsibility: All three therapies
emphasize personal responsibility and encourage clients to take ownership of their choices and actions. Secondly,
emphasis on the Here and Now: Both Gestalt and reality therapies focus on the present moment, while existential therapy
also involves exploring current existential concerns. Finally, goal of personal growth: Each approach aims to facilitate
personal growth, albeit through different means and perspectives.
In summary, while reality therapy, Gestalt therapy, and existential therapy share some common themes of personal
responsibility and the importance of the present moment, they differ significantly in their theoretical foundations, methods
of intervention, and ultimate goals for facilitating change and personal growth in individuals. However, it is important to
note that it is always up to us to make a choice whether to persevere in the path of healing or to the opposite side of the
road. Therapies are here as pavements we can walk through, but it is still up to us to stay or jump off. It is a guide to find
ourselves again however not the only thing that can make us feel okay. It is you. Only you.

39. REFERENCES:

● Good Therapy. (2009). Reality Therapy. Goodtherapy.org.
https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/reality-th
erapy
● Good Therapy. (2019, November 18). Existential Psychotherapy.
Goodtherapy.org.
https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/existential
-psychotherapy
● Guy-Evans, O. (2022, March 9). Gestalt Therapy: Definition, Types,
Techniques, and Efficacy. Www.simplypsychology.org.
https://www.simplypsychology.org/what-is-gestalt-therapy.html
● Loggins, B. (2021, October 16). How Reality Therapy Works. Verywell
Mind.
https://www.verywellmind.com/reality-therapy-definition-types-tec
hniques-and-efficacy-5191995
●Nicholls, K. (2018). Existential Therapy | Existential Counselling -
Counselling Directory. Counselling-Directory.org.uk.
https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/existential-therapy.html
● The Gestalt Centre. (2015). What is Gestalt Psychology? | The
Gestalt Centre. The Gestalt Centre.
https://gestaltcentre.org.uk/what-is-gestalt/

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Maraming
Salamat!
Thank you for the fruitful first semester, Ma’am Van. You
made Guidance and Counseling more enjoyable and
fun.