The most widely cited contemporary definition of therapeutic use of self describes it as a therapist’s “planned use of his or her personality, insights, perceptions, and judgments as part of the therapeutic process” (Punwar & Peloquin, 2000, p. 285 as cited by Taylor et al. 2009).
Full Answer
Does self help treatment work?
* It is unlikely that any formal or self help treatment will work if the individual is not fully willing to end the addiction. Those who are ambivalent about recovery will usually fail. * There is currently no single approach to recovery that is guaranteed to work for everyone.
Does “therapeutic use of self” exist?
Of course since 2009, “therapeutic use of self” has evolved in the clinical setting and dedicated researchers acknowledge that in the growing literature.
How do you use self in therapeutic relationships?
By reviewing audio tapes, video tapes, and/or process recordings with your agency supervisor and field instructor, you can obtain feedback on your strengths and weaknesses regarding your use of relational dynamics. The fourth aspect of use of self is recognizing your own anxiety when engaging in a therapeutic relationship.
What do therapist self-disclosures tell us?
Results of the study indicate that the most common type of therapist self-disclosure was positive feelings towards the patient (reported by 84 percent of participants) and the least common was sexuality (only reported by 14 percent of participants). Most therapist self-disclosures were rated between neutral and helpful.
What does use of self mean in therapy?
Therapeutic Use of Self: What is it? • A technique used in psychotherapy, Occupational Therapy & Nursing. • Conscious use of one's personality and knowledge. • Involves thoughtful self-disclosure & non verbal language. • “The use of oneself in such a way that one becomes an effective.
What is therapeutic use of self in nursing?
The therapeutic use of self is the central focus of nursing and requires that the nurse is aware of his or her own thoughts, feelings and actions. 'Psychiatric nursing is a voyage into self-exploration and awareness. ' (Lancaster, 1980).
What is an example of therapeutic use of self?
Maintain their dignity and privacy. Avoid taking control or choice away. Work to maintain comfort. Show sincere concern for their well-being and appreciation for their company.
Why therapeutic use of self is important?
Therapeutic use of self is what creates a meaningful relationship between the therapist and the patient in order to produce meaningful participation and progress in occupations that matter to the patient.
What does use of self mean?
The use of self in social work practice is the combining of knowledge, values, and skills gained in social work education with aspects of one's personal self, including personality traits, belief systems, life experiences, and cultural heritage (Dewane, 2006).
What is self-awareness in nursing?
Self-awareness in nursing entails identifying responses to challenging situations and discerning actions to provide both culturally competent and ethical care to patients. Self-aware nurses positively affect patients through bridging the relational space and improving the nurse–patient relationship.
What is intentional use of self?
The intentional use of self occurs when we actively and strate- gically engage our resources in what feels and looks like an effortless application of our presence.
How do Counsellors make therapeutic use of the self?
The Authentic Therapist Authentic presence in the relationship is one of the most fundamental examples of use of self in counselling. Authenticity and self-awareness go hand-in-hand; attunement to ourselves, our bodies and our experiencing allows for authentic and intuitive responses in our interactions with clients.
Who developed therapeutic use of self?
Taylor RR and Melton J (2009) Therapeutic use of self: A model of the intentional relationship. In: Duncan EAS (ed.) Skills for Practice in Occupational Therapy. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Ltd, 123–144.
What does therapeutic use of self include quizlet?
listening, observing, validating, reflecting.
What is self-disclosure in psychology?
Self-disclosure involves sharing personal information – such as your thoughts, dreams, fears, goals, preferences, and experiences. It's an important way to strengthen relationships and build trust.
Do you have self-awareness?
Self-awareness is the ability to focus on yourself and how your actions, thoughts, or emotions do or don't align with your internal standards. If you're highly self-aware, you can objectively evaluate yourself, manage your emotions, align your behavior with your values, and understand correctly how others perceive you.
When did the therapeutic use of self evolve?
Of course since 2009, “therapeutic use of self” has evolved in the clinical setting and dedicated researchers acknowledge that in the growing literature.
What happens if a therapist dictates the patient's goals and how they are to be addressed without the?
If the therapist dictates the patient’s goals and how they are to be addressed without the patient’s input, then it just cultivates a one-sided relationship that won’t produce results.
What does a therapist need to do to Cynthia?
The therapist needs to let Cynthia have the say in her own treatment, or else intervention is meaningless and much less enticing for her. The therapist needs to take a little and then give a little like you would in any other relationship.
What would you offer in exchange for a patient?
In exchange, you would offer information about yourself, find the similarities, and harbor trust. Of course, developing a relationship with a patient has its own framework and limitations in order to maintain professionalism.
What is the one concept we have a harder time grasping until we’ve developed it in practice?
The one concept we have a harder time grasping until we’ve developed it in practice is “therapeutic use of self.”
Why is the medical model so nice?
It is why the medical model is so nice because we can observe diagnoses and symptoms in our patients/clients.
Can Cynthia lose interest in therapy?
Reviewing required tasks during intervention time repetitively will get old and Cynthia could lose interest in attending therapy sessions. By using hobbies that are relevant to treatment and that Cynthia enjoys, the therapist can strategically hook her into therapy in order to increase functional progress.
What are the challenges of treating oneself?
Treating oneself or a member of one’s own family poses several challenges for physicians, including concerns about professional objectivity, patient autonomy, and informed consent.
What is the purpose of the e-learning module?
This e-learning module will help physicians identify and understand how to maintain boundaries with their patients as well as boundaries for treating family, self and colleagues.
What is self help?
Self help can be defined as the act of helping or improving oneself without relying on the assistance of others. For many people it involves joining a fellowship of people who are dealing with a similar problem. These groups do not rely on professional guidance but instead the members support each other.
What is formal treatment?
Formal treatments are those offered by trained professionals. These will be individuals who have been fully trained to offer a service and will be able to rely on resources available to their profession. Most professionals will be able to make use of evidence based treatments and solutions – this means that their efforts will be backed by reliable research. The aim of formal treatments is to offer a professional approach because this is believed to be more effective than mere guesswork. Examples of formal treatments for drug abuse would include:
What are some examples of self help groups?
Examples of self help treatments would include: * 12 Step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous are the most well known of all the self help groups.
What are some examples of formal treatment for drug abuse?
Examples of formal treatments for drug abuse would include: * Addiction therapy. * Inpatient and outpatient rehabs. * Motivational interviewing.
What does addiction mean?
Addiction is a highly destructive force in people’s lives. It can mean that they lose everything they value, and it can also cause a great deal of harm to loved ones. If the individual fails to escape the downward spiral of drug abuse it can take them towards insanity and death. When the addict reaches a stage where they’ve had enough they will ...
What is the best treatment for addiction?
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered to be one of the best formal addiction treatment modalities – it is also the one with the highest amount of empirical support. There have been numerous studies on the effectiveness of this approach and quite a number of these indicate that this treatment option is more effective than other approaches – some studies suggest that it is equally effective as other treatments.
Which is better for sobriety: cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT?
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered to be one of the best formal addiction treatment modalities – it is also the one with the highest amount of empirical support.
What is the use of self in social work?
The use of self in social work practice is the combining of knowledge, values, and skills gained in social work education with aspects of one’s personal self, including personality traits, belief systems, life experiences, and cultural heritage (Dewane, 2006). It is the use of self that enables social workers to strive for authenticity ...
What is the fourth aspect of self?
The fourth aspect of use of self is recognizing your own anxiety when engaging in a therapeutic relationship. It is normal to feel anxious and nervous during the initial stages of your field placement. It is also normal to experience some anxiety when serving clients. What is important is not to become paralyzed by fear or to deny your experience ...
How does the use of self affect social work?
The use of self in social work practice places the client and social worker at greater risk for transference and countertransference negatively affecting the helping relationship. Transference occurs when a client “attributes characteristics of a significant person, generally a primary caregiver, onto the social worker” (Poorman, 2003, p. 197). Countertransference “includes both conscious and unconscious feelings of the helper toward his or her client” (Poorman, 2003, p. 199). As you seek to integrate aspects of your authentic self in daily practice, it is imperative to review ethical concerns and potential boundary violations with an agency supervisor or field instructor. In addition, students should continually review the NASW Code of Ethics (1996) to ensure standards of professional practice are followed.
How to use authentic self in social work?
To integrate the authentic self into the skills required for your social work field placement, it may be helpful to view the use of self from five different perspectives: Use of Personality, Use of Belief System, Use of Relational Dynamics, Use of Anxiety, and Use of Self Disclosure (Dewane, 2006). Through analyzing each of the constructs and their application to your daily practice, you will begin to discover the unique attributes that will enable you to relate to clients in a more authentic manner and contribute to the field of social work in a way that is uniquely reflective of you.
What is self disclosure?
Self Disclosure. A final aspect of use of self is self disclosure. Sharing your own experiences and past problems can often normalize a client’s experience and provide an opportunity for modeling appropriate behaviors and responses. Yet, inappropriate self disclosure can result in a client’s lack of confidence in the social worker’s abilities ...
What is important when you first experience anxiety?
When you first experience anxiety, you need to realize that your sense of self is speaking to you as a social worker.
How to integrate personality traits into social work?
The first step toward this authentic integration is taking time for personal discovery. Making a list of your most prominent personality traits and identifying how these traits can help you relate to clients, as well as limit your efficacy, is a helpful exercise. A second exercise that may prompt personal discovery is identifying what first attracted you to the field of social work and analyzing your motivation for choosing social work as a career. What need did becoming a social worker meet in your life? Was it a healthy need, and how does this need affect your work with clients and families? In addition, individual and group therapy can also be effective tools for understanding your personality traits and how these traits affect your relationships with others.
What is an outpatient setting?
Outpatient Settings – While there is wide variety in the types of outpatient settings, they all involve office visits with no overnight stay. Some are based in community mental health centers; others are located in general hospitals where individuals visit an outpatient clinic for an appointment. In addition, many individuals in need ...
How long does a hospital stay in a mental hospital?
Inpatient hospitals provide treatment to more severely ill mental health patients, usually for less than 30 days.
What is a residential psychiatric center?
Psychiatric residential centers are tailored to people with a chronic psychiatric disorder, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, or who have a dual diagnosis (i.e., a mental disorder and substance abuse problems), which impairs their ability to function independently.
What is telepsychiatry?
Telepsychiatry, Telemental Health Services refer to the remote delivery of psychiatric assessment and care, or psychological support and services, via telephone or the Internet using email, online chat or videoconferencing. Most commonly, these services improve access to care for individuals with mental health issues living in remote locations or underserved areas, or who can’t leave home due to illness, emergencies or mobility problems. They also allow clinicians to support their patients or clients between visits.
How long does an inpatient hospital stay?
Inpatient hospitals provide treatment to more severely ill mental health patients, usually for less than 30 days. A person admitted to an inpatient setting might be in the acute phase of a mental illness and need help around the clock.
How long does an alcohol rehab facility last?
Patients typically reside in this type of facility for 30 days but stays may be individualized according to each facility’s policy.
How long are intensive outpatient programs?
Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are similar to PHPs, but are only attended for three to four hours and often meet during evening hours to accommodate persons who are working. Most IOPs focus on either substance abuse or mental health issues. IOPs may be part of a hospital’s services or freestanding.
What is treatment planning?
Treatment planning is a team effort between the patient and health specialist. Both parties work together to create a shared vision and set attainable goals and objectives.
What is the role of model and technique in a treatment plan?
Treatment plans provide structure patients need to change. Model and technique factors account for 15 percent of a change in therapy. Research shows that focus and structure are critical parts of positive therapy outcomes. Goal-setting as part of a treatment plan is beneficial in itself. Setting goals helps patients:
How do mental health professionals use treatment plans?
Psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, social workers, and other health professionals use treatment planning as a tool to effectively treat patients and clients. Without a clear plan in place, it can be hard to track progress, stay organized and keep a record of individual patient care. We understand that every person who enters our intensive outpatient programs is unique. Our experienced clinicians will work with patients to develop a comprehensive treatment plan using evidence-based methods. When health professionals create a comprehensive treatment plan specially designed to meet their patients’/clients’ needs, they give their patients directions towards growth and healing. Although not all mental health professionals are required to produce treatment plans, it’s a beneficial practice for the patient. In this article, we’ll show you why treatment plans are essential and how to create treatment plans that will make a difference in your and your patient’s lives. Each patient must have an individualized, goal and action-oriented treatment plan that is based upon information obtained in the assessment process .
What information does a counselor need to fill out for a treatment plan?
Patient information: At the top of the treatment plan, the counselor will fill in information such as the patient’s name, social security number, insurance details, and the date of the plan.
What does individualized mean in medical?
Individualized means that problems that are identified in the assessment process must be “addressed” —whether the treatment planned them, refer them (because your treatment center doesn’t provide that service), or defer them (because it’s not a good time, such as if the patient needs to be stabilized before job hunting)
What is a goal in a patient's life?
Both parties work together to create a shared vision and set attainable goals and objectives. A goal is a general statement of what the patient wishes to accomplish. Examples of goals include: The patient will learn to cope with negative feelings without using substances.
What is objective in a patient?
An objective, on the other hand, is a specific skill a patient must learn to reach a goal. Objectives are measurable and give the patient clear directions on how to act.
What is the objective of self management plan?
The objective of a self-management plan is two-fold: to teach ASD learners (1) specific skills; and (2) the concept of self-regulation.
What is self management in ABA?
The concept of self-management in applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy involves doing just that—applying ABA principles to create a plan that’s designed to encourage self-management and self-regulation among ASD learners.
What is the purpose of modifying the environment?
Modifying the environment to increase the likelihood that those goal can be reached
What is the most common type of therapist self disclosure?
Results of the study indicate that the most common type of therapist self-disclosure was positive feelings towards the patient (reported by 84 percent of participants) and the least common was sexuality (only reported by 14 percent of participants). Most therapist self-disclosures were rated between neutral and helpful. The researchers did not find differences between therapists’ personal self-disclosures and disclosures of intimacy. For both types of therapist self-disclosures, results indicated that the greater the perceived helpfulness of the therapist self-disclosure, the stronger the therapeutic alliance; the stronger the therapeutic alliance, the greater the patient self-disclosure; the greater the patient self-disclosure, the lower the shame; and the lower the shame, the lower the eating problems. There was no evidence that helpfulness of therapist disclosures (either personal or immediacy) were related to eating problems independent of therapeutic alliance, patient self-disclosure, or shame. The most common reason for patient non-disclosure was self-consciousness (i.e., shame, guilt, or fear of negative judgment). Therapist qualities and the therapeutic intervention were applicable to patient’s non-disclosure but played a less significant role.
Why is patient non-disclosure important?
The most common reason for patient non-disclosure was self-consciousness (i.e., shame, guilt, or fear of negative judgment). Therapist qualities and the therapeutic intervention were applicable to patient’s non-disclosure but played a less significant role.
Does self disclosure help with eating disorders?
They hypothesized that the perceived helpfulness of therapist self-disclosure would enhance the therapeutic relationship, which in turn would promote patient self-disclosure, which would reduce shame, which would be associated with an improvement in eating disorder symptoms.
Should a therapist disclose their own recovery status?
The stance on therapists’ self-disclosure varies widely based on theoretical orientation; classically trained psychoanalysts often avoid personal self-disclosure in an attempt to be a “blank slate” while it is not uncommon for counselors working in the substance abuse field to share their own recovery status with their patients. Some think that therapist self-disclosure shifts the focus of treatment away from the patient; others believe that therapist self-disclosure could help demystify the therapeutic alliance, model disclosure for the patient, normalize their experience, and challenge negative beliefs the patient might hold about their impact on others. There is little research examining whether therapist self-disclosure of different types may have a positive impact on patients’ non-disclosure and shame in patients with eating problems.
Is a therapist's self disclosure neutral?
Most therapist self-disclosures were rated between neutral and helpful. The researchers did not find differences between therapists’ personal self-disclosures and disclosures of intimacy. For both types of therapist self-disclosures, results indicated that the greater the perceived helpfulness of the therapist self-disclosure, ...
Does self disclosure affect eating?
This study suggests that therapist self-disclosure—if perceived as helpful—might have a potentially beneficial indirect effect on eating problems, through the impact on therapeutic alliance, patient self-disclosure, and shame. Whether or not the patient found the therapist’s self-disclosure helpful was a key finding in this study; it was perceived helpfulness that influenced the relationship between therapist self-disclosure and eating problems, more so than the content of the disclosure. Prior research has suggested that therapist disclosure of personal information could be considered inappropriate (and, in turn, likely not perceived as helpful). My take? Self-disclosures should be well thought-out in context of each unique therapist-patient relationship. If you are a therapist and considering self-disclosure, consider asking yourself: for what purpose am I self-disclosing? Will this self-disclosure aid in the patient’s treatment? Is it likely that the patient will perceive this disclosure as helpful versus inappropriate?
Why do we need treatment plans?
Treatment plans can reduce the risk of fraud, waste, abuse, and the potential to cause unintentional harm to clients. Treatment plans facilitate easy and effective billing since all services rendered are documented.
What is a goal in counseling?
Goals are the broadest category of achievement that clients in mental health counseling work towards. For instance, a common goal for those struggling with substance abuse may be to quit using their drug of choice or alcohol, while a patient struggling with depression may set a goal to reduce their suicidal thoughts.
What is the treatment contract?
Treatment Contract – the contract between the therapist and client that summarizes the goals of treatment. Responsibility – a section on who is responsible for which components of treatment (client will be responsible for many, the therapist for others)
What is the part of effective mental health?
Part of effective mental health treatment is the development of a treatment plan. A good mental health professional will work collaboratively with the client to construct a treatment plan that has achievable goals that provide the best chances of treatment success. Read on to learn more about mental health treatment plans, how they are constructed, ...
What are the sections of a treatment plan checklist?
The checklist breaks down treatment plans into five sections: Problem Statements, Goals, Objectives, Interventions, and General Checklist.
What is a mental health treatment plan?
At the most basic level, a mental health treatment plan is simply a set of written instructions and records relating to the treatment of an ailment or illness. A treatment plan will include the patient or client’s personal information, the diagnosis (or diagnoses, as is often the case with mental illness), a general outline ...
What is intervention in therapy?
Interventions – the techniques, exercises, interventions, etc., that will be applied in order to work toward each goal. Progress/Outcomes – a good treatment plan must include space for tracking progress towards objectives and goals (Hansen, 1996)
How Does Therapy Work?
- There are many different ways to arrive at desired therapeutic outcomes—a more secure, confident sense of self, better relationship and professional function, treatment for depression, anxiety and other conditions, reduced negative thinking, better self-understanding, and so on. Goals also evolve over time, making defining goals itself a meta-goal ...
The Use of The Self
- Using an approach called “Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis”, researcher-therapists Sleater and Scheiner, in their paper Impact of the Therapist’s “Use of Self”(2020), conducted semi-structured interviews with therapists of varying levels of experience. They analyzed the transcripts of those conversations, and developed a model based on three major factors which emerged fro…
Further Considerations
- Given the importance of the therapeutic alliance and common factors for different forms of therapy, understanding the best ways for therapists to use the self is essential for both training and practicing therapy. The current research identifies and spells out three over-arching, and interrelated aspects of using oneself most effectively. Future research might look at how differe…
Model: Therapist "Use of The Self"
- An ExperiMentations Blog Post ("Our Blog Post") is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. We will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information obtained through Our Blog Post. Please seek the advice of professionals, as appropriate, regarding the evaluation of any specific information, opinion, advice, or other content. We are no…
So What Exactly Is Therapeutic Use of Self?
A Case Study
- Cynthia is a 48-year-old female patient residing at a skilled nursing facility. She was admitted following a 4-day hospital stay after sustaining a right lower extremity femur fracture as a result of a ground level fall in her home. Lauren is the occupational therapist at the skilled nursing facility and has just received the order to evaluate Cynthia. According to the medical chart, Cynthia has …
Collecting Information Through Communication and Observation
- During the evaluation, the therapist needs to collect information or “insight” about Cynthia verbally and through observation:
Additional References and Resources
- Taylor, R.R., Lee, S.W., Kielhofner, G., & Ketkar, M. (2009). Therapeutic Use of Self: A Nationwide Survey of Practitioners’ Attitudes and Experiences. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, March/April 63(2). Using Therapeutic Use of Self to Maximize Occupational Therapy Outcomes (Seniors Flourish Podcast) Lifelong Learning with OT: Therapeutic Use of Self