Counseling Theories

Front 1

altruism In this defense mechanism

Back 1

individuals learn to become helpful to avoid feeling helpless. They learn that they can satisfy their own egos as well as the demands of society.

Front 2

cathect Investing psychic energy in a mental representation of a person

Back 2

behavior

Front 3

conscious or consciousness That portion of the mind or mental functioning that individuals are aware of

Back 3

including sensations and experiences.

Front 4

countertransference An important concept in psychoanalysis

Back 4

this term can be defined in three different ways: 1. The neurotic or irrational reactions of a therapist toward the patient

Front 5

denial Individuals may distort or not acknowledge what they think

Back 5

feel

Front 6

displacement Individuals can place their negative feelings about a dangerous object or person

Back 6

not on that person

Front 7

drive A physiological state of tension such as hunger

Back 7

sex

Front 8

eros The life instinct

Back 8

derived from libidinal energy

Front 9

false self (Winnicott) When good-enough mothering is not available in infancy

Back 9

children may act as they believe they are expected to. Basically

Front 10

free association The patient relates feelings

Back 10

fantasies

Front 11

id The biological instincts

Back 11

including sexual and aggressive impulses

Front 12

identification When individuals take on characteristics of another

Back 12

often a parent

Front 13

identification with aggressor This is a defense mechanism in which the individual identifies with an opponent that he or she cannot master

Back 13

taking on characteristics of that person.

Front 14

individuation The process of becoming an individual

Back 14

becoming aware of one’s self in relationship to others.

Front 15

Instinct Basic drives such as hunger

Back 15

thirst

Front 16

interpreting dreams Dream interpretation may be done rather frequently as dreams represent an excellent source of unconscious material. How the therapist interprets the dream depends on whether the therapist is using a listening perspective from drive

Back 16

ego

Front 17

interpreting projective identification Patients may take negative aspects of themselves

Back 17

project them onto someone else

Front 18

interpreting resistance Patients may resist uncovering repressed material in therapy. Often

Back 18

through unconscious processes

Front 19

interpreting transference Transference refers to the patient’s feelings and fantasies

Back 19

both positive and negative

Front 20

interpreting transference psychosis In transference psychosis

Back 20

patients may act out early childhood destructive relationships with the therapist that they had with their parents. Interpretations are done carefully

Front 21

intrapsychic processes Introduced in the object relations section

Back 21

this term is used throughout psychoanalysis to refer to impulses

Front 22

latency Following the phallic stage

Back 22

there is a relatively calm period before adolescence. When Oedipal issues are resolved

Front 23

mirroring When the parent shows the child that he or she is happy with the child

Back 23

the child’s grandiose self is supported. The mother or father reflects or mirrors the child’s view of him or herself.

Front 24

object A term used in psychoanalytic theory to refer

Back 24

usually

Front 25

object cathexis The investment of psychic energy or libido in objects outside the self

Back 25

such as a person or activity. Such investment is designed to reduce needs.

Front 26

object relations A study of significant others or love objects in the child’s life

Back 26

focusing on how the child views the relationship (usually unconsciously).

Front 27

Oedipus complex The unconscious sexual desire of the male child for his mother

Back 27

along with feelings of hostility or fear toward the father. This conflict occurs in the phallic stage.

Front 28

one person psychology In psychoanalysis

Back 28

the view that the patient is influenced by the analyst

Front 29

oral stage The initial stage of psychosexual development lasts about eighteen months. Focus is on gratification through eating and sucking that involves the lips

Back 29

mouth

Front 30

preconscious Memories of events and experiences that can be retrieved with relatively little effort

Back 30

such as remembering what one said to a friend yesterday. Information is available to awareness but not immediately.

Front 31

primary process An action of the id that satisfies a need

Back 31

thus reducing drive tension

Front 32

psychoanalysis Based on the work of Freud and others

Back 32

psychoanalysis includes free association

Front 33

psychoanalytic or psychodynamic counseling Meetings are usually once a week for a year or two

Back 33

and the patient sits in a chair. Therapists may use more active techniques than those described in Chapter 2 in the text.

Front 34

psychoanalytic therapy Free association and exploration of unconscious processes may not be emphasized as strongly as in psychoanalysis. Meetings are usually one to three times per week

Back 34

and the patient sits in a chair.

Front 35

regression When an individual retreats to an earlier stage of development that was both more secure and pleasant

Back 35

this is referred to as regression. A child hurt by a reprimand of the teacher may suck his thumb and cry

Front 36

relational responses Comments on issues that arise in the therapeutic hour which reflect the therapist-patient relationship

Back 36

rather than just making transference and countertransference interpretations.

Front 37

selfobject Unconscious thoughts

Back 37

images

Front 38

sublimation Sexual or aggressive drives can be modified into acceptable social behaviors. For example

Back 38

anger at others can be sublimated by expressing anger or frustration while being an active spectator at a sports event.

Front 39

superego That portion of the personality that represents parental values

Back 39

and more broadly

Front 40

true self (Winnicott) A sense of being real

Back 40

whole

Front 41

altruism

Back 41

"In this defense mechanism

Front 42

anal stage

Back 42

The second stage of psychosexual development occurs between the ages of about eighteen months and 3 years. The anal area becomes the main source of pleasure.

Front 43

anticathexes

Back 43

The control or restraint exercised by the ego over the id to keep id impulses out of consciousness.

Front 44

bipolar self

Back 44

This refers to the tension between the grandiose self (“I deserve to get what I want”) and an idealized view of parents forming the two poles of the bipolar self.

Front 45

cathect

Back 45

"Investing psychic energy in a mental representation of a person

Front 46

conscious or consciousness

Back 46

"That portion of the mind or mental functioning that individuals are aware of

Front 47

countertransference

Back 47

"An important concept in psychoanalysis

Front 48

denial

Back 48

"Individuals may distort or not acknowledge what they think

Front 49

displacement

Back 49

"Individuals can place their negative feelings about a dangerous object or person

Front 50

drive

Back 50

"A physiological state of tension such as hunger

Front 51

ego

Back 51

A means of mediating between one’s instincts or drives and the external world. The ego mediates between the id and the superego.

Front 52

ego ideal

Back 52

A representation in the child of values that are approved by the parents. It is present in the superego as a concern with movement toward perfectionist goals.

Front 53

empathy

Back 53

Kohut used this term in a very specific sense. He believed that the therapist should be empathic with the patient’s narcissistic or grandiose self. Therapist interpretations would show that the therapist understood an aspect of the development of narcissism.

Front 54

eros

Back 54

"The life instinct

Front 55

false self

Back 55

"(Winnicott) When good-enough mothering is not available in infancy

Front 56

free association

Back 56

"The patient relates feelings

Front 57

genital stage

Back 57

The final stage of psychosexual development usually starts about the age of twelve and continues throughout life. The focus of sexual energy is toward members of the other sex rather than toward oneself.

Front 58

good-enough mother

Back 58

(Winnicott) A mother who adapts to her infant’s gestures and needs during early infancy and gradually helps the infant develop independence.

Front 59

id

Back 59

"The biological instincts

Front 60

identification

Back 60

"When individuals take on characteristics of another

Front 61

identification with aggressor

Back 61

"This is a defense mechanism in which the individual identifies with an opponent that he or she cannot master

Front 62

individuation

Back 62

"The process of becoming an individual

Front 63

Instinct

Back 63

"Basic drives such as hunger

Front 64

intellectualization

Back 64

Emotional issues are not dealt with directly but rather are handled indirectly by abstract thought.

Front 65

interpretation

Back 65

The process by which the psychoanalyst points out the unconscious meanings of a situation to a patient. Analysts assess their patients’ ability to accept interpretations and bring them to conscious awareness.

Front 66

interpreting dreams

Back 66

"Dream interpretation may be done rather frequently as dreams represent an excellent source of unconscious material. How the therapist interprets the dream depends on whether the therapist is using a listening perspective from drive

Front 67

interpreting projective identification

Back 67

"Patients may take negative aspects of themselves

Front 68

interpreting resistance

Back 68

"Patients may resist uncovering repressed material in therapy. Often

Front 69

interpreting transference

Back 69

"Transference refers to the patient’s feelings and fantasies

Front 70

interpreting transference psychosis

Back 70

"In transference psychosis

Front 71

intersubjectivity

Back 71

The view that both analyst and patient influence each other in therapy.

Front 72

intrapsychic processes

Back 72

"Introduced in the object relations section

Front 73

latency

Back 73

"Following the phallic stage

Front 74

libido

Back 74

The basic driving force of personality which includes sexual energy but is not limited to it.

Front 75

mirroring

Back 75

"When the parent shows the child that he or she is happy with the child

Front 76

object

Back 76

"A term used in psychoanalytic theory to refer

Front 77

object cathexis

Back 77

"The investment of psychic energy or libido in objects outside the self

Front 78

object relations

Back 78

"A study of significant others or love objects in the child’s life

Front 79

Oedipus complex

Back 79

"The unconscious sexual desire of the male child for his mother

Front 80

one person psychology

Back 80

"In psychoanalysis

Front 81

oral stage

Back 81

"The initial stage of psychosexual development lasts about eighteen months. Focus is on gratification through eating and sucking that involves the lips

Front 82

phallic stage

Back 82

The third stage of psychosexual development lasts from about the age of three until five or six. The major source of sexual gratification shifts from the anal to the genital region.

Front 83

pleasure principle

Back 83

The tendency to avoid pain and seek pleasure; the principle by which the id operates. It is particularly important in infancy.

Front 84

preconscious

Back 84

"Memories of events and experiences that can be retrieved with relatively little effort

Front 85

primary process

Back 85

"An action of the id that satisfies a need

Front 86

projection

Back 86

People can attribute their own unacceptable desires to others and not deal with their own strong sexual or destructive drives.

Front 87

psychoanalysis

Back 87

"Based on the work of Freud and others

Front 88

psychoanalytic or psychodynamic counseling

Back 88

"Meetings are usually once a week for a year or two

Front 89

psychoanalytic therapy

Back 89

"Free association and exploration of unconscious processes may not be emphasized as strongly as in psychoanalysis. Meetings are usually one to three times per week

Front 90

rationalization

Back 90

Individuals can provide a plausible but inaccurate explanation for their failures. An individual who blames her roommate for her own poor performance on an examination may be making excuses for her lack of study and thus rationalizing.

Front 91

reaction formation

Back 91

Unacceptable impulses can be avoided by acting in an opposite way. Claiming that you like your occupational choice when you do not can help you avoid dealing with problems that result from not liking your work.

Front 92

reality principle

Back 92

A guiding principle of the ego. It allows postponement of gratification so that environmental demands can be met or so that greater pleasure can be obtained at a later time.

Front 93

regression

Back 93

"When an individual retreats to an earlier stage of development that was both more secure and pleasant

Front 94

relational responses

Back 94

"Comments on issues that arise in the therapeutic hour which reflect the therapist-patient relationship

Front 95

repression

Back 95

Threatening or painful thoughts or feelings are excluded from awareness.

Front 96

secondary process

Back 96

A process of the ego that reduces intrapsychic tension by dealing with external reality. Logic and problem solving skills may be used. It is in contrast with the primary process of the id.

Front 97

selfobject

Back 97

"Unconscious thoughts

Front 98

separation

Back 98

The process that occurs when children gradually distinguish themselves from their mother and others in their world.

Front 99

splitting

Back 99

A process of keeping incompatible feelings separate from each other. It is an unconscious way of dealing with unwanted parts of the self or threatening parts of others. Because of problems of early development adults may have difficulty integrating feelings of love and anger and “split” their feelings by seeing others as all bad or all good.

Front 100

sublimation

Back 100

"Sexual or aggressive drives can be modified into acceptable social behaviors. For example

Front 101

superego

Back 101

"That portion of the personality that represents parental values

Front 102

thanatos

Back 102

An instinct toward self-destruction and death in opposition to the life instinct (eros).

Front 103

transitional object

Back 103

(Winnicott) An object such as a teddy bear that serves as a transition for infants to shift from experiencing themselves as a center of the world to a sense of themselves as a person among others.

Front 104

true self

Back 104

"(Winnicott) A sense of being real

Front 105

two person psychology

Back 105

(similar to intersubjectivity) The idea that both patient and analyst influence each other during therapy

Front 106

unconscious

Back 106

The part of the mind that people have no knowledge of. It includes memories and emotions that are threatening to the conscious mind and are pushed away.

Front 107

altruism

Back 107

"In this defense mechanism

Front 108

anal stage

Back 108

The second stage of psychosexual development occurs between the ages of about eighteen months and 3 years. The anal area becomes the main source of pleasure.

Front 109

anticathexes

Back 109

The control or restraint exercised by the ego over the id to keep id impulses out of consciousness.

Front 110

bipolar self

Back 110

This refers to the tension between the grandiose self (“I deserve to get what I want”) and an idealized view of parents forming the two poles of the bipolar self.

Front 111

cathect

Back 111

"Investing psychic energy in a mental representation of a person

Front 112

conscious or consciousness

Back 112

"That portion of the mind or mental functioning that individuals are aware of

Front 113

countertransference

Back 113

"An important concept in psychoanalysis

Front 114

denial

Back 114

"Individuals may distort or not acknowledge what they think

Front 115

displacement

Back 115

"Individuals can place their negative feelings about a dangerous object or person

Front 116

drive

Back 116

"A physiological state of tension such as hunger

Front 117

ego

Back 117

A means of mediating between one’s instincts or drives and the external world. The ego mediates between the id and the superego.

Front 118

ego ideal

Back 118

A representation in the child of values that are approved by the parents. It is present in the superego as a concern with movement toward perfectionist goals.

Front 119

empathy

Back 119

Kohut used this term in a very specific sense. He believed that the therapist should be empathic with the patient’s narcissistic or grandiose self. Therapist interpretations would show that the therapist understood an aspect of the development of narcissism.

Front 120

eros

Back 120

"The life instinct

Front 121

false self

Back 121

"(Winnicott) When good-enough mothering is not available in infancy

Front 122

free association

Back 122

"The patient relates feelings

Front 123

genital stage

Back 123

The final stage of psychosexual development usually starts about the age of twelve and continues throughout life. The focus of sexual energy is toward members of the other sex rather than toward oneself.

Front 124

good-enough mother

Back 124

(Winnicott) A mother who adapts to her infant’s gestures and needs during early infancy and gradually helps the infant develop independence.

Front 125

id

Back 125

"The biological instincts

Front 126

identification

Back 126

"When individuals take on characteristics of another

Front 127

identification with aggressor

Back 127

"This is a defense mechanism in which the individual identifies with an opponent that he or she cannot master

Front 128

individuation

Back 128

"The process of becoming an individual

Front 129

Instinct

Back 129

"Basic drives such as hunger

Front 130

intellectualization

Back 130

Emotional issues are not dealt with directly but rather are handled indirectly by abstract thought.

Front 131

interpretation

Back 131

The process by which the psychoanalyst points out the unconscious meanings of a situation to a patient. Analysts assess their patients’ ability to accept interpretations and bring them to conscious awareness.

Front 132

interpreting dreams

Back 132

"Dream interpretation may be done rather frequently as dreams represent an excellent source of unconscious material. How the therapist interprets the dream depends on whether the therapist is using a listening perspective from drive

Front 133

interpreting projective identification

Back 133

"Patients may take negative aspects of themselves

Front 134

interpreting resistance

Back 134

"Patients may resist uncovering repressed material in therapy. Often

Front 135

interpreting transference

Back 135

"Transference refers to the patient’s feelings and fantasies

Front 136

interpreting transference psychosis

Back 136

"In transference psychosis

Front 137

intersubjectivity

Back 137

The view that both analyst and patient influence each other in therapy.

Front 138

intrapsychic processes

Back 138

"Introduced in the object relations section

Front 139

latency

Back 139

"Following the phallic stage

Front 140

libido

Back 140

The basic driving force of personality which includes sexual energy but is not limited to it.

Front 141

mirroring

Back 141

"When the parent shows the child that he or she is happy with the child

Front 142

object

Back 142

"A term used in psychoanalytic theory to refer

Front 143

object cathexis

Back 143

"The investment of psychic energy or libido in objects outside the self

Front 144

object relations

Back 144

"A study of significant others or love objects in the child’s life

Front 145

Oedipus complex

Back 145

"The unconscious sexual desire of the male child for his mother

Front 146

one person psychology

Back 146

"In psychoanalysis

Front 147

oral stage

Back 147

"The initial stage of psychosexual development lasts about eighteen months. Focus is on gratification through eating and sucking that involves the lips

Front 148

phallic stage

Back 148

The third stage of psychosexual development lasts from about the age of three until five or six. The major source of sexual gratification shifts from the anal to the genital region.

Front 149

pleasure principle

Back 149

The tendency to avoid pain and seek pleasure; the principle by which the id operates. It is particularly important in infancy.

Front 150

preconscious

Back 150

"Memories of events and experiences that can be retrieved with relatively little effort

Front 151

primary process

Back 151

"An action of the id that satisfies a need

Front 152

projection

Back 152

People can attribute their own unacceptable desires to others and not deal with their own strong sexual or destructive drives.

Front 153

psychoanalysis

Back 153

"Based on the work of Freud and others

Front 154

psychoanalytic or psychodynamic counseling

Back 154

"Meetings are usually once a week for a year or two

Front 155

psychoanalytic therapy

Back 155

"Free association and exploration of unconscious processes may not be emphasized as strongly as in psychoanalysis. Meetings are usually one to three times per week

Front 156

rationalization

Back 156

Individuals can provide a plausible but inaccurate explanation for their failures. An individual who blames her roommate for her own poor performance on an examination may be making excuses for her lack of study and thus rationalizing.

Front 157

reaction formation

Back 157

Unacceptable impulses can be avoided by acting in an opposite way. Claiming that you like your occupational choice when you do not can help you avoid dealing with problems that result from not liking your work.

Front 158

reality principle

Back 158

A guiding principle of the ego. It allows postponement of gratification so that environmental demands can be met or so that greater pleasure can be obtained at a later time.

Front 159

regression

Back 159

"When an individual retreats to an earlier stage of development that was both more secure and pleasant

Front 160

relational responses

Back 160

"Comments on issues that arise in the therapeutic hour which reflect the therapist-patient relationship

Front 161

repression

Back 161

Threatening or painful thoughts or feelings are excluded from awareness.

Front 162

secondary process

Back 162

A process of the ego that reduces intrapsychic tension by dealing with external reality. Logic and problem solving skills may be used. It is in contrast with the primary process of the id.

Front 163

selfobject

Back 163

"Unconscious thoughts

Front 164

separation

Back 164

The process that occurs when children gradually distinguish themselves from their mother and others in their world.

Front 165

splitting

Back 165

A process of keeping incompatible feelings separate from each other. It is an unconscious way of dealing with unwanted parts of the self or threatening parts of others. Because of problems of early development adults may have difficulty integrating feelings of love and anger and “split” their feelings by seeing others as all bad or all good.

Front 166

sublimation

Back 166

"Sexual or aggressive drives can be modified into acceptable social behaviors. For example

Front 167

superego

Back 167

"That portion of the personality that represents parental values

Front 168

thanatos

Back 168

An instinct toward self-destruction and death in opposition to the life instinct (eros).

Front 169

transitional object

Back 169

(Winnicott) An object such as a teddy bear that serves as a transition for infants to shift from experiencing themselves as a center of the world to a sense of themselves as a person among others.

Front 170

true self

Back 170

"(Winnicott) A sense of being real

Front 171

two person psychology

Back 171

(similar to intersubjectivity) The idea that both patient and analyst influence each other during therapy

Front 172

unconscious

Back 172

The part of the mind that people have no knowledge of. It includes memories and emotions that are threatening to the conscious mind and are pushed away.