Submitted by: Submitted by dheilicious08
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Words: 3194
Pages: 13
Category: Philosophy and Psychology
Date Submitted: 02/04/2012 04:41 PM
Non Directive Approach/ Client Centered Approach
Barbara Brodley, a master therapist and strong proponent of the client-centered
approach in the U.S., provides a session excerpt of one of her clients who initiated
homework in order to deal with alcohol use which had become a danger to his life
and his marriage (Brodley, in press):
Client: I’ve got to admit it, I get drunk and I’m a bastard to her. I’ve scared the kids.
(Pause 10 seconds.) I’ve got to stop drinking, I’m out of control and I’m killing myself.
Therapist: Mhm, hmm. It’s not only hurting your marriage, your children. You’re killing
yourself. You’re risking your life.
Client: Yeah, I’m really in danger (pause) and dangerous (pause). I need something besides this [he gestures, referring to the relationship]. I believe I’ll cut down or stop,
while we’re talking. (T: Mhm, hmm) But I lose resolve after a few days. Tension builds
up, I start drinking and I’m out of control.
Therapist: (Mhm, hmm) Talking like this isn’t enough to hold you. You loose control.
Client: Right. (Pause.) I got off cocaine. I stopped killing myself that way. But now I’ve
gotta put some brakes on the drinking! (Pause) I think I need a group, maybe AA, to
support me between sessions.
Therapist: Uhmmm. You need other people who are in this with you more than I can be;
others who can support you getting control.
Client: Yeah. I really do. (Pause) I should make some calls for an AA group. (Pause) I’m
not sure it’ll work for me ‘cause I don’t like their religion part. (Pause) I guess I’ll do
that. I’ll do that before I see you next.
Therapist: Mhm, hmm. You’ve got reservations, and you’re not sure it’ll help (pause) but
you want to try it at least. (C: Yeah) And you want to get to it right away because you
feel really desperate. (C: Yeah)
Brodley comments, “The client continues about the risks he takes and his remorse.
He starts the next session spontaneously reporting on the action he has taken to get a
group.”...