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Clinical Psychology Paper Kelly R. Deslauriers PSY 480- Elements of Clinical Psychology University of Phoenix March 28, 2011 Jennifer Hope, MS, LPC, CCADC Clinical Psychology Paper At its most primary level, clinical psychology consists of an educated and licensed person using their knowledge of human behavior and techniques to influence human behavior to attend to, ease, or otherwise moderate the troubles and concerns of another person’s life be them relational, emotional, or psychological.
In other words, clinical psychology, “focuses on the assessment, treatment, and understanding of psychological and behavioral problems and disorders” (Plante, 2005, p. 7). This paper will compare the history and evolving practice of clinical psychology and touch on the use of counseling within the realm of clinical psychology. History No discussion on the history of psychology would be complete without looking at the theories of Hippocrates.
Although misguided, Hippocrates had great interest in what caused emotional and psychological maladjustment and developed a theory involving the quantity and quality of “four fluids”: namely, black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood. He theorized that an imbalance in any or all of these fluids was responsible for psychological disorders. Plato was one of the first theorists who differentiated between the body and the soul and theorized that mental illness was caused from a disorder in the “logistikon” which he defined as the “part of the soul that operates the head, controlling reason” (Plante, 2005, p. 7). Galen developed a holistic theory that blended both Hippocrates and Plato’s theories resulting in a uniquely holistic theory. This is when leeches and bloodletting were brought into fashion as a treatment for mental illness. The Middle Ages featured the work of Thomas Aquinas, Paracelsus, and Weyer who guided the practice of psychology towards more physical explanations such as behavior, bodily functions, or even the movement of the stars.
During the Renaissance, a bigger emphasis was placed in scientific experimentation and observation and this led to a more humane and less mystical approach to psychological problems. Rush, Pinel, and Bernard were very influential scientists during this period and for the first time in history, mental illness was seen as an illness, not as a weakness. Modern psychological practices can be traced back to the end of the nineteenth century with the publishing of Wundt’s The Elements of Psychophysics and James’ Principals of Psychology (Plante, 2005).
Wundt created the first psychological laboratory which led to the development of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1892. This era is defined by observation of behavior and research on the field of psychology. The first formal classes on the subject of psychology began at the University of Pennsylvania in 1904 with the first edition of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology coming out just three years later. Evolving Nature Like Hippocrates, no discussion on the evolution of psychology in the twentieth century would be complete without at least touching on Sigmund Freud’s theories.
Freud theorized that unconscious conflict within the psyche had a direct impact on mental health. His theory has been the basis for many, many clinical psychologists. In 1949 the Boulder Conference afforded the opportunity for training guidelines to be set, enabling a homogenous teaching and evaluating system to be developed within the practice of clinical psychology. In the middle of the twentieth century there was the creation of humanism, cognitive-behaviorism, and family systems approaches.
The development community mental health facility as well as the development of medications for use in treatment of mental disorders were the precipitating factors for the biggest changes in how the practice of psychology was approached. This was a time when the different, and sometimes contradictory, theories were developed as a byproduct of such increased interest in the science of psychology. Current Issues Clinical issue is at this time characterized by an illness ideology that emphasizes treatment or prevention of mental disorders (Maddux, 2008).
There is a movement at this time towards what is being called “positive psychology. ” Maddux (2008) describes positive psychology as aiming to “…promote health,, happiness, physical fitness, and pleasure, and personal fulfillment through the free pursuit of chosen and valued goals. ” Positive psychology can be compared to the parenting style commonly referred to as “positive reinforcement” where an emphasis is put on a child’s positive attributes, behaviors, and accomplishments.
The theory is that by avoiding negativity, there is less stress and ideally less dysfunction within the child. By focusing on positive psychology, a person’s strengths can be used to promote good mental health preemptively and hopefully combat mental illness where possible. Interestingly, virtual reality is being looked at as a way in which patients can manipulate situations that may be causing them stress and work through them on a virtual and safe playing field, thereby lessening stress by allowing the patient essentially a “do over” if it is needed (Riva, 2009).
Research and Statistics in Clinical Counseling Psychology Although great advances have been made in the field of clinical psychology, the role of research and statistics will always be essential in clinical counseling psychology. Development of new drugs, new approaches, and new treatments will become more necessary as the world population grows and evolves over the next millennium. Unique problems that modern humans have will require new solutions.
For example, Freud did not have any need to understand the effects of exposure to violent video games have on children. Jung was not inclined to research the effects of prenatal exposure to crack cocaine on school-age children. Humans are living longer and with this increased advanced age comes a unique set of family dynamics such as middle-aged children being responsible for not only their own children at home, but aging parents. There will undoubtedly be more changes in the coming decades and therefore research will continue to be necessary.
Conclusion Since the beginning of man’s self-awareness there has been an interest in what causes our emotions, our behaviors, and any type of perceived abnormality to our psyche. From Hippocrates’s theory on the four fluids to Freud’s theory involving subconscious workings of the mind, each held merit as a step to where we are today in our understanding and treatment of mentally ill patients. The research that is being done today will undoubtedly pave the way to further understanding of the unique problems facing future generations.
References Bakar, A. R. , Jaafar, W. M. , Mohamed, O. , Tarmizi, R. A. (2009). The influence of counseling self-efficacy towards trainee counselor performance. International Journal of Learning, 16(8), 247-260. Retrieved March 27, 2011, from Education Research Complete database. Maddux, J. E. (2008). Positive psychology and the illness ideology: Toward a positive clinical psychology. Applied Psychology, 57(1), 54-70. Retrieved March 28, 2011, from Business Source Complete database.
Niles, D. T. (2010). Retrieved March 27, 2010, from Thinkexist. com web site: http://thinkexist. com/quotation/christianity_is_one_beggar_telling_another_beggar/203369. html Plante, T. G. (2005). Contemporary clinical psychology (2nd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Riva, G. (2009). Virtual reality: An experiential tool for clinical psychology. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 37(3), 337-345. Retrieved March 27, 2010, from Education Research Complete database.