Hill Chapter 11 Overview of Insight REL E 600 Pastoral Counseling and Chaplain Care Ministry

KASPAR 227 Chapter 11 Overview of the Insight Stage “Daring as it is to investigate the unknown, even more so is it to question the known.” KASPAR 227

Intellectual Chapter 11 Overview of the Insight Stage What is Insight? versus emotional insight Why is it necessary?

What is Insights When clients come to insights, they see things from a new perspective, are able to make connections between things, or have an understanding of why things happen as they do. For some insight is like a light bulb going off. Insight comes gradually, bit, by bit. Sometimes clients are lucky and hit a gold nugget. More likely than not, it is like collecting gold dust. (229)

What is Intellectual vs. Emotional Insight Both are needed for action (like revelation in joining head and heart) Intellectual insight makes sense of it, but emotional leads to change

Theoretical Background of Psychoanalytic Theory Repression 11. Rationalization 2. Intellectualization Denial 4. Regression 5. Displacement 6. Identification 7. Projection 8. Undoing Reaction Formation 10. Sublimation Repression: Not allowing painful material into one’s conscious thought Intellectualization: Avoiding painful feeling by not focusing on ideas Denial: Actively rejecting painful thoughts. Regression: Engaging in behaviors from and earlier stage of development at times when one is anxious Displacement: Shifting blame Identification: Emulating characteristics in others Reaction formation: Acting in a manner that is opposite to what one is feeling Sublimation: Changing unacceptable impulses into socially appropriate actions Rationalization: Making excuses

Other Psycho-analytical Theories Attachment Theory (Bowlby, Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, and Wall) secure anxious-ambivalent anxious-avoidant Treatment from a Psychoanalytic perspective How Psychoanalytic theories relate to the three stage model: Insight with deeper questions regarding meaning Dealing with problems during a therapeutic relationship Therapist is a coach (especially in the insight stage) The big difference is the action stage (how?) (238) Developing Conceptualization about Client Dynamics: (239) conceptualizations vs. speculations

Hill Chapter 11 Goals and Skills of the Insight Stage Three Main Goals ad Skills for the Insight State: Challenging to Foster Awareness Facilitate insight Work on the Therapeutic relationship Through Immediacy “…it takes most students many years and much practice to learn the insight Skills and apply them in the appropriate situations in a helpful setting.” Clara Hill p. 243

Exhibit 11.2 (241) List of Skills to Facilitate Goals of the Insight Stage Goal Skill Challenge client to foster awareness Challenges of discrepancies Challenges of thought Challenge through chair work Humor Silence Take responsibility Using non-verbal behaviors Questions Open questions and probes Interpretation Disclose Insight Immediacy

What do you Think? What is the role of insight in your life? Describe your thought is insight necessary before action (stage) Defense mechanism? What are they? Is Psychoanalytical theory relevant today?

Skills for Challenging Clients and Fostering Awareness Chapter 12 This chapter focuses primarily on challenges as a skill in fostering awareness. Challenges are used to help clients recognize maladaptive feelings, motives, and desires of which they are not aware or unwilling to change. p 247 see Exhibit 12.1

Challenges Challenges help the client become aware of their maladaptive thoughts or behaviors. Examples of challenges in discrepancies of thought: Between two verbal statements: You say there is no problem, but you say you are annoyed with me. Between words and actions: You say you want to get good grades, but all you do is party.

Challenges Between two behaviors: You are smiling but your teeth are clenched. Between two feelings: You feel angry at your sister, but pleased that everyone will see what type of person she is. Between values and behavior: You say you believe in respecting other’s choices, but you want your way and no others… Between ideal of self and real self: You say you want to achieve, but you also say you can’t.

Rational for Challenges Why are Challenges used: Helps clients recognize motives, feelings, and desires. Ambivalent feelings Explore deeper feelings, e.g., “I want good grades but I do not want to study…” Challenges not always negative

Theoretical Perspectives Why are Challenges used: Several theorists refer to the concept of challenges/confrontation Carkhuff and Berenson (1967) state that the purpose of pointing out discrepancies is to help reduce ambiguities and incongruities in the client’s experiencing and communication. P 250. Carkhuff (1969) noted that at the point of confrontation the client is pressed to consider the possibility of changing…. Greenson (1967) defined confrontation as a demonstration to the client of their resistance.

How to do Challenges Present challenges in such a way that the clients can hear what you are saying without feeling that you are attacking them. Helper’s manner should be one of puzzlement rather than hostility. Helper’s should not make judgments when challenging. It’s hard to remain humble. (give example) It’s hard to understand ourselves

Types of Challenges Challenges of Discrepancies Challenges of Thoughts Challenging Through Chair Work Humor as a Type of Challenge Silence as a Type of Challenge Challenging Clients to Take Responsibility Using Nonverbal Behaviors to Challenge Challenging Through Questions

Challenges of Discrepancy between two verbal statements Between words and actions Between two behaviors Between two feelings Between values and behaviors Between one’s perspective of self and experience Between one’s ideal self and reality Between the helper’s and the client’s opinions Between values and feelings Examples: https://youtu.be/80sMfx7WhIs

Challenges of Thoughts Irrational ideas: I must be loved by everyone… I must be completely competent and perfect… I’m a failure as a person… There should be someone stronger than me to take care of me… I cannot be forgiven for what I’ve done… I am alone… She makes me so angry… I am just the way I am, I cannot change… Examples:

Challenging Through Chair Work Chair work explores feelings and unfinished business: Two-Chair Work: Client sits in one chair to express one side of an issue that they are conflicted about. Then, sit in another opposite chair to explore the other side of their conflicted issue. Personal conflict is often shaped by “shoulds”, i.e. I should do the following, but… Empty Chair work: Like two-chair work, this focuses on a conflict with someone, and a conversation can be used to direct comments to the empty chair as if that person were present.

Challenging Through Chair Work Difficulties with Chair work: hesitance because it is different feels risky might move too quickly can you even remember to do this? coach the client so they know what to expect practice before engaging a client

Challenging with Humor Humor can be good as long as we do not laugh at the client, but with them. A good relationship can do much to strengthen the comfort zone needed to use humor.

Silence as a type of Challenge Silence can be very helpful in assisting a client to express what they want to say, waiting for a client to say what they may be wanting to say. A helper must decide if a silence is helpful. A trust relationship must be present for silence to not be threatening.

Challenging Clients to Take Responsibility Watch for impersonal 3rd person pronouns, they, everyone, etc. instead of I and my, which can indicate ownership. a client may be speaking softly, but has a clenched fist A raised inflection of tone can indicate a question of what was just discussed Even a raised eyebrow can be a question

How to do Challenges I’m hearing__________, but I’m also hearing______ On one hand _________, but on the other hand_____. On one hand you say you love her, but on the other hand you say you hate her. You say______, but you also say________. You say you are happy, but you also say that you can’t wait to get out of here. I’m hearing__________, but I’m also hearing______

How to do Challenges Challenges should be used as soon as possible. Just then you smiled in a strange way. I wonder what’s going on. Your foot seems agitated when you were talking about how much you loved your…… Tell me more of what that means. Cultural challenges……..

Responses to Challenges Denial No reaction No change, but behavior/thoughts/feelings continue…… Timing of challenge

Examples of Challenges Read examples on page 264

Difficulties Using Challenges Helper does not want to force, misinterpret, offend, or get into someone’s dirty laundry Helper feels afraid of negative feelings. He/she does not feel it appropriate to minimize negative feelings, e.g., suicidal feelings. Helper’s have a difficult time when client’s disagree.