Week 10: Developing a Theoretical Orientation

Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.

—Carl Jung

Although following in the footsteps of prominent theorists or experienced counselors is a beneficial strategy to help start your path as a scholar-practitioner, there is much to be said about venturing into the unknown to create a path all your own. Throughout this course, you have examined paradigms outside of yourself to learn the best practices, approaches, and techniques counselors can integrate into their practice. It is now time for you to use this knowledge to look inside yourself and begin to create your own theoretical orientation. As a start, consider how you might adapt these theories to fit your own counseling style. What unique qualities, ideas, and goals might you share with clients/students to help them to get to know you and your theoretical orientation?

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze personal theoretical orientations
• Analyze theoretical development
• Analyze the importance of integrating theories in your approach to counseling

Photo Credit: [sirup]/[iStock / Getty Images Plus]/Getty Images

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Learning Resources

Required Readings

Corey, G. (n.d.). Designing an integrative approach to counseling practice. Vistas. Retrieved September 4, 2018, from http://www.counseling.org/Resources/Library/VISTAS/vistas04/29.pdf

Required Media

Instructor’s Theoretical Orientation. Your Instructor will create a posting or video this week explaining his or her own theoretical orientation. Access this post or video in the Discussion thread area. (this has not been posted yet so we will have to work w the other resources)

Laureate Education (Producer). (2012c). Theoretical orientations. Baltimore, MD: Author.Dr. Matt Buckley and Dr. John Marszalek discuss their own theoretical orientations.Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 2 minutes.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2012a). Course wrap-up. Baltimore, MD: Author.Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 5 minutes.

Discussion: Developing Your Theoretical Orientation

As a counselor, how do you develop a theoretical orientation? Do you just wake up one morning and—voila—you have your theoretical orientation?

Your theoretical orientation will not magically come to you in a dream or vision. In fact, developing a theoretical orientation is a process that begins when you take your first counseling theories course and continues throughout your master’s program, your field experience, and beyond. As you progress through your studies, you will likely find that you are continually developing a clearer picture of your theoretical orientation. Over the years following your master’s degree, your orientation will begin to solidify as you work and learn from observing other counselors. In truth, the process probably never ends because you will always learn about new theories, work with new clients, and develop a deeper understanding of yourself.

For this Discussion, you listen to the personal stories of how two distinguished counselor educators, Dr. John Marszalek and Dr. Matthew Buckley, developed their own theoretical orientations. Read your Instructor’s post regarding his or her theoretical orientation in this week’s Discussion Board.

Then, reflect upon the various factors that can influence the development of a counselor’s theoretical orientation. What factors might be influencing your own development process?

To Prepare:

• Review Corey article.
• Review this week’s Learning Resources, specifically focusing on the two media programs: Theoretical Orientations and Course Wrap-Up.
• Visit the Discussion Board to review your Instructor’s post on his/her theoretical orientation.

By Day 3

Post and include the following elements about developing a theoretical orientation:

• What are your initial reactions and thoughts about your Instructor’s theoretical orientation?
• What did you learn about theoretical orientations from Drs. Marszalek and Buckley?
• Explain where you are now in the process of beginning to develop your own theoretical orientation. Include a description of the factors that are currently influencing your development process.
• Explain your future plans for personal theoretical development.

No response is required for this post; however, please feel free to respond to your colleagues’ posts.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights that you have gained as a result of your colleagues’ comments.