blog entry # 3

              

Metaphysics What is the nature of reality? How does reality operate? It operates from a feelings perspective.  How does that make you feel? It focuses a lot on the unconscious mind. Behavior is influenced by our interactions with our parents s a child. Is there a ground to our being? Psychodynamic is like the middle ground to the being of an individual.	The psychodynamic theory :-)	Epistemology How is knowledge acquired? Knowledge is acquired through an evaluation of your past experiences and how that made you feel. Knowledge of the person is  gathered through what they say and do i therapy. What are the criteria for “truth” or knowledge? Knowledge is gained through an understanding of the unconscious mind and behaviors.
Anthropology What is the human nature? Of the interpersonal? What motivates and/or explains a person’s affect, cognition, and behavior? Human nature in the psychodynamic theory is driven by the innate biological instinct of an individual but also heavily influenced by upbringing.   What is the individual’s place in the universe?		Axiology What is of value? The unconscious mind is most valuable in this theory. How should persons be? What is normal and acceptable? There really are no absolutes in this theory fro what I understand.  There are only behaviors that are problematic to the individual. Really this depends on the individual client.
Process and Counselor’s Role How are problems defined and diagnosed? Problems are defined through an interpretation of behaviors and thoughts.  Looking at how a persons action is symbolic of issues in their unconscious mind. An example of this might be if a client has a problem with an authority figure then he/she may have an unconscious problem with his/ her parents as authority figures. What are the mechanisms of change? When you get to the root of the problem in the unconscious mind. What is the extent of the changed hoped for? Solutions to present problems through an evaluation of unconscious thoughts and behaviors. What is the nature of the counseling relationship? The nature of the counseling relationship is that the counselor is like the facilitator of awareness and change through the interpretation of the clients behaviors. there is a mutual and  collaborative, shared approach that is utilized.	Research and Evaluation What ways and means are used to evaluate the effectiveness of counseling process? Often times the effectiveness of counseling is observed through the client gaining an understanding and awareness. Also through the client making a connection to things that have happened in the past and that were hidden in the unconscious mind.   What criteria is used to justify the veracity of the counseling theory? Psychodynamic theory recognizes the complexities of human behavior and that human being can be irrational in their behavior at times.	Counseling Goals Where and/or What is the counseling process heading towards? Psychodynamic process to counseling helps the client to focus on the unconscious thoughts and behaviors so as to  move unacceptable thoughts and actions to acceptable ones.  What are the desirable outcomes of the counseling process? To change the behavior to a more positive and acceptable one or the change of irrational behavior to rational behavior.

Blog # 4 Voice thread experience

The discussion on What It Means to Be White :-)

I thought this experience was interesting. I tried to be mindful of my feelings as I read through the responses. It's a shame that just about anyone reading them could tell who (which race) was writing the response. It has been my experience that Caucasians in general are notoriously racist. I can only hope that one day the way that many of them view themselves will line up with the way they themselves actually are. I love the beautiful skin that I am in and only hope that one day we will all be able to live together in a world where this is no longer a factor. I did find some of the Caucasian responses interesting and did not look at it from a perspective of ... Some do not want to be seen as racist and would like to some how disassociate themselves from the actions of the previous generations in their family. I liked this exercise because it gives the individuals participating in it an opportunity to really look at just how different the answers are :-(

Jahaan