Phenomenology Paper
Phenomenology of Blair Staton: An Integrative Approach
If someone were to have asked me prior to my graduate school experience how I would describe myself, I would have had a very specific, rehearsed answer. I always had considered myself to be a good thinker, solution focused, and goal oriented. I also was very good at organization and strongly preferred, almost required, that everything had a plan. I felt that I was a strong person who cared about others and that I had an ultimate goal of changing and impacting as many people as I could. After not only this class but also my overall experience with James Madison University, I am not so sure I could so simply define myself anymore.
When I applied to graduate schools, I only wanted to go to James Madison University. I only applied to other schools as a backup plan. The campus was beautiful, the professors were truly confident in the program, and the way of learning emphasized self change in order to help others change made it a perfect fit for me. I knew that I belonged, but I almost did not get the opportunity to attend my dream school. I was placed on the waiting list only to find out a month before I started school that I had actually been accepted. I was so consumed with excitement and had so many things to worry about doing before classes started that I never questioned the process of waiting until the last minute for my acceptance. When I went to my classes for the first day, I was already overwhelmed. In this class, I was not given a specific plan of what would be discussed, assigned, or done during the summer, which was something that I had always required up until this summer. In my other counseling class, I found out that I would be thrust into showing my counseling skills, something I never expected so early in the program. I knew my first day that this was going to be harder than I expected in a different kind of way.
As the summer progressed, I attributed my difficulties to not being admitted to school until someone else denied their own acceptance to the program. I felt as though I did not belong because I was the program’s last minute decision. I was having a hard time learning the technique taught in my Counseling Techniques class, and I felt overwhelmed with my overall work load. I began to feel as though I was an imposter in the program and that my professors knew that I was only there as a last resort. These insecurities combined with my new loneliness in living alone proved to be an unhealthy combination. I felt lost and could not figure out where I was supposed to be going.
I would probably consider this semester to be the beginning in a different chapter. I went from a town where I grew up where I knew everyone to a college where I knew only one person. I considered myself to be happy living at home, only to find out that I was much happier in a different place. Now I have found myself in the same situation with the same hesitations about whether I will be able to adjust to my classes and new lifestyle. I feel frustrated that I just found somewhere that I feel completely happy and have had to move again in order to get my degree. This semester has been the starting point for a new environment and a new place to start over. Though this semester has been hard, I have definitely enjoyed my classes and my experience with my classmates. For the past four years, I have been in classes that I did not really care about and did not have a desire to actually learn the information with the exception of a few classes. Within the past six weeks, I have learned so much information that I have not only been actually interested in learning but also things that I know will help me in my future career.
This semester has definitely affected who I am. I have been forced to become more independent. I have always considered myself to be an independent person who can take care of myself, but these six weeks have pushed me that much farther as an independent person. I am actually on my way to being an adult. Another part of me that has slightly changed is my need for planning. For as long as I can remember, I have always needed things planned. If I am going on vacation or am even going out to dinner, I need a specific plan as to what is going to happen. One of my favorite things to get in the beginning of the semester was the syllabus. I loved having everything lined out for me so that I knew what was coming, how to do it, and when it would need to be done. Having things set in place puts my mind at ease and helps me know that situations are somewhat under control. When I got the syllabus for this class, I had a small panic reaction. The syllabus was full of gaps and holes and did not lay out our assignments as cut and dry as I had been used to. I did not know what this class was going to entail, and this was especially stressful since it was one of my first graduate level classes. With the absence of a plan in addition to my nerves for perfection, needless to say I was not excited about this class and worried about my performance under such different circumstances.
At some point within the past week, I have managed to grow somewhat accustomed to the new teaching styles and have become more familiar with myself as a person. There was not a specific epiphany moment where I managed to figure out all of the answers to life’s questions but rather a realization that I had changed within such a short amount of time. I had found friends within five or six weeks and have become almost as close to them as I am some of my other friends. I have done fairly well in the class that did not provide me with the plan I normally needed. In my Counseling Techniques class, I have managed to become at least average at the counseling skills taught and have progressed very far in such a short amount of time.
In addition to overcoming some struggles in my classes this summer, I have also managed to start actually thinking about things. I have lived my life telling myself that I was not sure how some things worked or what made people do the things that they do but that I did not have the intelligence to figure some of these things out, so I should just focus on what I was trying to accomplish. This class’s focus is on thinking about thinking, and I now understand that in order to help others, it would be hard to do so without understanding my view of human nature.
As I progressed throughout the semester and learned about different theories, they all seemed to make sense. I could understand the thoughts behind every theory, and it increased the difficulty that I had in developing my own thoughts about my own view of human nature. How could I decide which view is the right view if there are so many options that all have research based knowledge and all seem to make sense? The answer to my question came in a handout that I received that summarized George Kelly’s theory. The handout classified his theory as phenomenological, cognitive, existential, and humanistic. Though the answer had been staring me in the face prior to this handout, I knew that my own view of human nature did not have to eliminate the other views and say that other theories were wrong. I just had to figure out which aspects of which theory I agreed and identified with and integrate them to form my own view of human nature.
One aspect of my view of human nature is in agreement with one of Alfred Adler’s basic concepts that the force behind human’s activity is the striving for success. I think that all humans have some sort of desire to be the best at something. This is especially evident in our society today where the ultimate goal is to find a dream job that you love and that you are good at doing and this in turn makes you a successful person. I think that we all have certain things that we want to accomplish or achieve, and our behaviors are all expressions or attempts to succeeding at our planned goals.
Another aspect of Adler’s theory that I agree with is the notion that the goal of therapy is to reorganize patients’ mistaken beliefs about themselves and others and implement the new goals that will help them realize their potential as human beings. I think that I will definitely apply this in my work as a school counselor. Clients who are having struggles in their lives are dealing with problems with themselves, other people, or some sort of environmental problem. As counselors, we cannot change how a situation is for our clients. The only thing that we can change is the client’s behaviors and reactions to the situation. The goal of therapy should be to help them realize the problem at hand and help them realize how to change their reaction and behaviors to that specific problem.
Another theorist that I partially agree with is Albert Ellis. The therapy that he founded, Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy, was based on the principle that a person is rarely affected emotionally by outside things but rather by his or her perceptions and attitudes about outside things and events. My views on Adler are expanded by a part of Ellis’s theory. Humans’ perceptions of outside events are what cause them distress. I think that our own perceptions are what cause us discomfort and unhappiness, and the focus of therapy should be on removing those negative perceptions.
As a counselor, I intend to apply John Watson’s theories as well. The main theory that Watson was responsible for initiating was behaviorism. Behaviorism is a theory of human development that attempts to study observable behavior. Behaviorism is also called the learning theory. This is because it describes the laws and processes by which behavior is learned. Behaviorism arose and was a direct contradiction of the previous focus of psychology. Behaviorism negated the emphasis on unconscious, hidden urges. A justification for doing so was that unconscious thoughts and urges could not be directly measured. Watson argued that if psychology was a science, psychologists should examine only what they can measure, behavior.
Behaviorism enforces that current conditioning is crucial. Watson also argued that early habits and patterns can be reversed if appropriate reinforcements and punishments are used. He proposed that all behavior is learned step by step and that learned behaviors become habit that people began to repeat without much added thought. Behaviorism can be used by teachers to develop thought processes as well as mannerisms that will help them inside and outside of the classroom.
Another crucial point of Watson’s was that he felt that he could teach any child anything. He felt that regardless of talents, tendencies, race, and etc. that he could use his theories to teach that child what he wanted them to learn. He thought by using reinforcements for certain behaviors, those behaviors could be learned. Watson also believed that by studying behaviorism, scientists would be able to find ways to eliminate destructive behaviors, such as addictions or crippling phobias.
By applying Watson’s theory that early habits and patterns can be reversed, I can attempt to help students who may have destructive patterns or habits that are preventing them from personal advancement. Since I somewhat agree with Watson’s opinion that any child can be taught anything, I can apply that theory to the career planning aspect of my career. I can use this theory to encourage students who do not feel as though they will be able to pursue higher education or job training that they truly can. Reinforcing Watson’s ideas of reinforcements can help me give my students the support that they may need in order to seek out their dreams.
I also intend to apply the theories of B.F. Skinner. The primary beliefs of Skinner were that the focus of psychology should be on behavior rather than goals, desires, or motives for behavior. The main theory that Skinner is known for is his theory of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is when an action is followed by something desired, such as a reward. Skinner felt that if a response felt to a behavior is pleasurable or useful, the behavior is more likely to be repeated. The technique for conditioning behavior in which that behavior is followed by something desired is called reinforcement.
Skinner believed that anyone had the capacity to learn anything. For example, if there was a desired behavior in a classroom, such as an all quiet, attentive room, all that would need to be done would be to reinforce the moments of quiet. Once rewards of good reactions were experienced by the children for facilitating a quiet room, the children would be conditioned to facilitate a quiet room at all times. By reinforcing the good behaviors that my students exhibit, I will be able to promote success so that they will be able to have fulfilling high school experience as well as be motivated to create a plan for after they graduate. By reinforcing rewards for my students, desired learning techniques, behaviors, and skills can be taught more easily.
One of my main struggles in identifying what exactly my view of human nature is has been my struggle with my religion. I grew up in a religious household. My grandfather was a Baptist preacher, and we went to church every Sunday. I looked up to my grandfather, and although I did not get the chance to get to know him as well as I would have liked before he died, I can tell from the stories that I have heard and through my own experiences that he was the best man that I have ever known. The quality that I admired most was his selfless ability to do whatever was in his power to ensure the well-being of as many people as he came in contact with. His selflessness was put to the test during the Christmas of 1970. Since he was a preacher, his income was very limited. He always saved his money wisely in order to get his kids great presents for Christmas each year. However, while he was Christmas shopping, he encountered a man crying. Upon talking to this man, he discovered that this man had been struggling to find a job for the past year and was unable to buy his kids Christmas presents. Without thinking, my grandfather gave this man that he did not know his money that he had been saving. This selfless act was the best Christmas present for my mom, her siblings, and my grandmother that any of them could have asked for. This Christmas present proved how lucky they were to have him in their lives.
He died when I was a senior in high school, and after that, I moved five hours away to go to college. When I moved, I did not attempt to find a church to attend, and I have managed to lose my closeness to my religion. I moved to a very liberal school where I was surrounded mostly be people who were either fairly religious or were not religious at all. It was difficult being surrounded by people who were not passionate about religion when I was struggling to find my religion again. Since my move, I have had a hard time figuring out my beliefs religiously. I have not taken the initiative to figure things out, and when I think about it, I simply feel guilty for not doing it.
One of the problems that I struggle with in finding my religion relates to my view of human nature. I have always focused on the humanistic views of nature, which goes back to my prior religious beliefs. I was raised to believe that everyone is the same in God’s eyes. I was raised to believe that everyone deserves unconditional love and that everyone has the capacity to change. As I previously mentioned, my goal throughout my entire life has been to find something that I am good at doing and use those skills to help others and better the world, whether that is a small scale or a larger one. I have always assumed that all people have some part of them, whether that part is large or small, that is good natured. I have always felt that all people have the capability to be good, but some of those people are not able to be because of some sort of event or problem that they have experienced or simply because they choose not to be good.
A lot of my beliefs about human nature still stem from humanism even though I have not defined myself religiously yet. One of the main theorists that I share a similar view with is Carl Rogers. One of his key concepts that I agree with is that the need for fulfillment is innate and human nature is motivated toward positive change. I think that all humans have some sort of need to feel as though their lives are fulfilling, though those aspects of fulfillment are always different. In order for people to feel fulfilled, they gravitate toward positive change in order to feel as if their lives have some sort of meaning.
Another key aspect of Rogers’s theory is his theory of self-concept, which he defined as our foundation of personality that represents our thoughts and perceptions of ourselves. Rogers felt that we strive to realize our own potential. I also think that our personality reflects our thoughts and perceptions of not only ourselves but also of others and others’ perceptions of us. I think that a big struggle that humans face is to develop a healthy personality in which our perceptions of ourselves and others’ perceptions of us align with one another.
Another aspect of Rogers’s that I agree with is that a positive self-concept allows us to overcome our struggles and become more mature. To me, a big part of growing up is dealing with our own problems and figuring out our own perceptions and beliefs. In order to do so, I think that our job is to develop a self-concept that allows us to be happy with ourselves and our lives. The main and key concept that I agree with Rogers on is that receiving conditional love, love that is dependent on other things, causes a negative self-image. I think that receiving love that others only give under certain circumstances causes us to feel as though we are only able to be loved or accepted if we present certain qualities or do certain behaviors. I think striving for acceptance is an essential part of human nature.
One of the therapy approaches that I mostly agree with is solution-focused therapy. One of the key concepts is that people are unique and general strategies never apply to everyone. Another main concept is that figuring out why the client has the problem rarely helps and that the therapist should work with the client and not on them. I think that this is a very important concept to me because one of my basic beliefs is that a counselor is not some sort of magician that waves their magic wand and “fixes” their clients. I think that a counselor’s role is to work with the client to help them see their problem at a more objective level and help them to work through the problem themselves. One of the quotes of solution-focused therapy that I like is to “ride the horse in the direction it wants to go.” I think that giving clients the ability to work through their own problems is the best method of therapy.
The theory that we studied in class that I felt drawn to that I never imagined myself to be drawn to was existentialism. Since I had such a religious background, we were taught to always see the good in people and that all people have a good side. Existentialism focuses on the condition of human existence, emotions, actions, responsibilities, thoughts, and the purpose of life. Humanism stresses that there are not bad people but just bad environments. One of my interests in existentialism is that it focuses on the meaning of life. I have always felt that it is important for everyone to have a purpose in life. My feelings are part of the reason I chose to be a school counselor. I came from a very poor town in Southern West Virginia, in the coalfields, where only certain students were expected to go to college. Our counselors never emphasized the importance of finding the right career for each student, and my goal has been to make sure that all students have equal opportunities to pursue the career of their choice. To me, careers are chosen based on something that you have a passion for and usually end up being your purpose in life.
One of existentialists’ critiques of humanism is that it assumes that people are inherently good and will always make the correct choices if they are given an opportunity. Existentialists believe that all humans have the capacity for good and evil. Since I have grown up learning that all people are inherently good, this was an interesting concept for me to have grasped. I had always wondered if there is a God, why would God let children die painful deaths before they have the time to experience life? Why would God inflict so much pain on those who did nothing to deserve such pain? Learning about existentialism made my mind start to work a little harder than it was used to. Having learned more thoroughly about this philosophy, I have some answers to my questions. Maybe people really do have the capacity for good and evil. Maybe life is about having the option of making right and wrong choices and what defines you is how you handle those decisions. If we all have the capacity for good and evil, then life is about finding purpose and meaning in your life so that you are able to make the decisions towards good. I had the perception of my religion that I should assume that all people are good but that they were just raised in a bad environment. Now I think that my own personal religious beliefs are that bad things happen to good people and vice versa. Life is about finding your purpose in life and using that purpose to make those right decisions. I found this cartoon that I think demonstrates how I feel about human nature now, and it also shows my feelings in a school counseling setting, which I thought was really good.
I think that my career goals have slightly changed this semester. I think that this switch in my view of counseling and human nature has caused me to want to show my students their capacity for good and that though they may have a similar capacity for evil, their choices dictate how their lives will play out. I also think that my friends and family would probably not notice a difference in me from this summer. All of the switches in views are conflicts that I have had within myself and have rarely, if ever, shared with other people. My struggles, debates, and change have all been within myself, and though I do not think you could see it from an outside perspective, I know that this change was significant and has given me clarity towards something that I have been struggling with for the past four or five years. If I had to attribute my change to one person’s theory, it would have to be to George Kelly’s. His integration of cognitive, existential, and humanistic approaches made me realize that I could assimilate several theories into my own complete view of human nature. I think that Kelly integrates key aspects of the different theories, all of which are the key components to my own theory of human nature. His view that our cognition affects how we think about reality, humans are free to choose their own destinies between good and evil, and humans have the capability for improvement covers the basis of my newly formed, integrative approach at looking at human nature.
If someone were to have asked me prior to my graduate school experience how I would describe myself, I would have had a very specific, rehearsed answer. I always had considered myself to be a good thinker, solution focused, and goal oriented. I also was very good at organization and strongly preferred, almost required, that everything had a plan. I felt that I was a strong person who cared about others and that I had an ultimate goal of changing and impacting as many people as I could. After not only this class but also my overall experience with James Madison University, I am not so sure I could so simply define myself anymore.
When I applied to graduate schools, I only wanted to go to James Madison University. I only applied to other schools as a backup plan. The campus was beautiful, the professors were truly confident in the program, and the way of learning emphasized self change in order to help others change made it a perfect fit for me. I knew that I belonged, but I almost did not get the opportunity to attend my dream school. I was placed on the waiting list only to find out a month before I started school that I had actually been accepted. I was so consumed with excitement and had so many things to worry about doing before classes started that I never questioned the process of waiting until the last minute for my acceptance. When I went to my classes for the first day, I was already overwhelmed. In this class, I was not given a specific plan of what would be discussed, assigned, or done during the summer, which was something that I had always required up until this summer. In my other counseling class, I found out that I would be thrust into showing my counseling skills, something I never expected so early in the program. I knew my first day that this was going to be harder than I expected in a different kind of way.
As the summer progressed, I attributed my difficulties to not being admitted to school until someone else denied their own acceptance to the program. I felt as though I did not belong because I was the program’s last minute decision. I was having a hard time learning the technique taught in my Counseling Techniques class, and I felt overwhelmed with my overall work load. I began to feel as though I was an imposter in the program and that my professors knew that I was only there as a last resort. These insecurities combined with my new loneliness in living alone proved to be an unhealthy combination. I felt lost and could not figure out where I was supposed to be going.
I would probably consider this semester to be the beginning in a different chapter. I went from a town where I grew up where I knew everyone to a college where I knew only one person. I considered myself to be happy living at home, only to find out that I was much happier in a different place. Now I have found myself in the same situation with the same hesitations about whether I will be able to adjust to my classes and new lifestyle. I feel frustrated that I just found somewhere that I feel completely happy and have had to move again in order to get my degree. This semester has been the starting point for a new environment and a new place to start over. Though this semester has been hard, I have definitely enjoyed my classes and my experience with my classmates. For the past four years, I have been in classes that I did not really care about and did not have a desire to actually learn the information with the exception of a few classes. Within the past six weeks, I have learned so much information that I have not only been actually interested in learning but also things that I know will help me in my future career.
This semester has definitely affected who I am. I have been forced to become more independent. I have always considered myself to be an independent person who can take care of myself, but these six weeks have pushed me that much farther as an independent person. I am actually on my way to being an adult. Another part of me that has slightly changed is my need for planning. For as long as I can remember, I have always needed things planned. If I am going on vacation or am even going out to dinner, I need a specific plan as to what is going to happen. One of my favorite things to get in the beginning of the semester was the syllabus. I loved having everything lined out for me so that I knew what was coming, how to do it, and when it would need to be done. Having things set in place puts my mind at ease and helps me know that situations are somewhat under control. When I got the syllabus for this class, I had a small panic reaction. The syllabus was full of gaps and holes and did not lay out our assignments as cut and dry as I had been used to. I did not know what this class was going to entail, and this was especially stressful since it was one of my first graduate level classes. With the absence of a plan in addition to my nerves for perfection, needless to say I was not excited about this class and worried about my performance under such different circumstances.
At some point within the past week, I have managed to grow somewhat accustomed to the new teaching styles and have become more familiar with myself as a person. There was not a specific epiphany moment where I managed to figure out all of the answers to life’s questions but rather a realization that I had changed within such a short amount of time. I had found friends within five or six weeks and have become almost as close to them as I am some of my other friends. I have done fairly well in the class that did not provide me with the plan I normally needed. In my Counseling Techniques class, I have managed to become at least average at the counseling skills taught and have progressed very far in such a short amount of time.
In addition to overcoming some struggles in my classes this summer, I have also managed to start actually thinking about things. I have lived my life telling myself that I was not sure how some things worked or what made people do the things that they do but that I did not have the intelligence to figure some of these things out, so I should just focus on what I was trying to accomplish. This class’s focus is on thinking about thinking, and I now understand that in order to help others, it would be hard to do so without understanding my view of human nature.
As I progressed throughout the semester and learned about different theories, they all seemed to make sense. I could understand the thoughts behind every theory, and it increased the difficulty that I had in developing my own thoughts about my own view of human nature. How could I decide which view is the right view if there are so many options that all have research based knowledge and all seem to make sense? The answer to my question came in a handout that I received that summarized George Kelly’s theory. The handout classified his theory as phenomenological, cognitive, existential, and humanistic. Though the answer had been staring me in the face prior to this handout, I knew that my own view of human nature did not have to eliminate the other views and say that other theories were wrong. I just had to figure out which aspects of which theory I agreed and identified with and integrate them to form my own view of human nature.
One aspect of my view of human nature is in agreement with one of Alfred Adler’s basic concepts that the force behind human’s activity is the striving for success. I think that all humans have some sort of desire to be the best at something. This is especially evident in our society today where the ultimate goal is to find a dream job that you love and that you are good at doing and this in turn makes you a successful person. I think that we all have certain things that we want to accomplish or achieve, and our behaviors are all expressions or attempts to succeeding at our planned goals.
Another aspect of Adler’s theory that I agree with is the notion that the goal of therapy is to reorganize patients’ mistaken beliefs about themselves and others and implement the new goals that will help them realize their potential as human beings. I think that I will definitely apply this in my work as a school counselor. Clients who are having struggles in their lives are dealing with problems with themselves, other people, or some sort of environmental problem. As counselors, we cannot change how a situation is for our clients. The only thing that we can change is the client’s behaviors and reactions to the situation. The goal of therapy should be to help them realize the problem at hand and help them realize how to change their reaction and behaviors to that specific problem.
Another theorist that I partially agree with is Albert Ellis. The therapy that he founded, Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy, was based on the principle that a person is rarely affected emotionally by outside things but rather by his or her perceptions and attitudes about outside things and events. My views on Adler are expanded by a part of Ellis’s theory. Humans’ perceptions of outside events are what cause them distress. I think that our own perceptions are what cause us discomfort and unhappiness, and the focus of therapy should be on removing those negative perceptions.
As a counselor, I intend to apply John Watson’s theories as well. The main theory that Watson was responsible for initiating was behaviorism. Behaviorism is a theory of human development that attempts to study observable behavior. Behaviorism is also called the learning theory. This is because it describes the laws and processes by which behavior is learned. Behaviorism arose and was a direct contradiction of the previous focus of psychology. Behaviorism negated the emphasis on unconscious, hidden urges. A justification for doing so was that unconscious thoughts and urges could not be directly measured. Watson argued that if psychology was a science, psychologists should examine only what they can measure, behavior.
Behaviorism enforces that current conditioning is crucial. Watson also argued that early habits and patterns can be reversed if appropriate reinforcements and punishments are used. He proposed that all behavior is learned step by step and that learned behaviors become habit that people began to repeat without much added thought. Behaviorism can be used by teachers to develop thought processes as well as mannerisms that will help them inside and outside of the classroom.
Another crucial point of Watson’s was that he felt that he could teach any child anything. He felt that regardless of talents, tendencies, race, and etc. that he could use his theories to teach that child what he wanted them to learn. He thought by using reinforcements for certain behaviors, those behaviors could be learned. Watson also believed that by studying behaviorism, scientists would be able to find ways to eliminate destructive behaviors, such as addictions or crippling phobias.
By applying Watson’s theory that early habits and patterns can be reversed, I can attempt to help students who may have destructive patterns or habits that are preventing them from personal advancement. Since I somewhat agree with Watson’s opinion that any child can be taught anything, I can apply that theory to the career planning aspect of my career. I can use this theory to encourage students who do not feel as though they will be able to pursue higher education or job training that they truly can. Reinforcing Watson’s ideas of reinforcements can help me give my students the support that they may need in order to seek out their dreams.
I also intend to apply the theories of B.F. Skinner. The primary beliefs of Skinner were that the focus of psychology should be on behavior rather than goals, desires, or motives for behavior. The main theory that Skinner is known for is his theory of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is when an action is followed by something desired, such as a reward. Skinner felt that if a response felt to a behavior is pleasurable or useful, the behavior is more likely to be repeated. The technique for conditioning behavior in which that behavior is followed by something desired is called reinforcement.
Skinner believed that anyone had the capacity to learn anything. For example, if there was a desired behavior in a classroom, such as an all quiet, attentive room, all that would need to be done would be to reinforce the moments of quiet. Once rewards of good reactions were experienced by the children for facilitating a quiet room, the children would be conditioned to facilitate a quiet room at all times. By reinforcing the good behaviors that my students exhibit, I will be able to promote success so that they will be able to have fulfilling high school experience as well as be motivated to create a plan for after they graduate. By reinforcing rewards for my students, desired learning techniques, behaviors, and skills can be taught more easily.
One of my main struggles in identifying what exactly my view of human nature is has been my struggle with my religion. I grew up in a religious household. My grandfather was a Baptist preacher, and we went to church every Sunday. I looked up to my grandfather, and although I did not get the chance to get to know him as well as I would have liked before he died, I can tell from the stories that I have heard and through my own experiences that he was the best man that I have ever known. The quality that I admired most was his selfless ability to do whatever was in his power to ensure the well-being of as many people as he came in contact with. His selflessness was put to the test during the Christmas of 1970. Since he was a preacher, his income was very limited. He always saved his money wisely in order to get his kids great presents for Christmas each year. However, while he was Christmas shopping, he encountered a man crying. Upon talking to this man, he discovered that this man had been struggling to find a job for the past year and was unable to buy his kids Christmas presents. Without thinking, my grandfather gave this man that he did not know his money that he had been saving. This selfless act was the best Christmas present for my mom, her siblings, and my grandmother that any of them could have asked for. This Christmas present proved how lucky they were to have him in their lives.
He died when I was a senior in high school, and after that, I moved five hours away to go to college. When I moved, I did not attempt to find a church to attend, and I have managed to lose my closeness to my religion. I moved to a very liberal school where I was surrounded mostly be people who were either fairly religious or were not religious at all. It was difficult being surrounded by people who were not passionate about religion when I was struggling to find my religion again. Since my move, I have had a hard time figuring out my beliefs religiously. I have not taken the initiative to figure things out, and when I think about it, I simply feel guilty for not doing it.
One of the problems that I struggle with in finding my religion relates to my view of human nature. I have always focused on the humanistic views of nature, which goes back to my prior religious beliefs. I was raised to believe that everyone is the same in God’s eyes. I was raised to believe that everyone deserves unconditional love and that everyone has the capacity to change. As I previously mentioned, my goal throughout my entire life has been to find something that I am good at doing and use those skills to help others and better the world, whether that is a small scale or a larger one. I have always assumed that all people have some part of them, whether that part is large or small, that is good natured. I have always felt that all people have the capability to be good, but some of those people are not able to be because of some sort of event or problem that they have experienced or simply because they choose not to be good.
A lot of my beliefs about human nature still stem from humanism even though I have not defined myself religiously yet. One of the main theorists that I share a similar view with is Carl Rogers. One of his key concepts that I agree with is that the need for fulfillment is innate and human nature is motivated toward positive change. I think that all humans have some sort of need to feel as though their lives are fulfilling, though those aspects of fulfillment are always different. In order for people to feel fulfilled, they gravitate toward positive change in order to feel as if their lives have some sort of meaning.
Another key aspect of Rogers’s theory is his theory of self-concept, which he defined as our foundation of personality that represents our thoughts and perceptions of ourselves. Rogers felt that we strive to realize our own potential. I also think that our personality reflects our thoughts and perceptions of not only ourselves but also of others and others’ perceptions of us. I think that a big struggle that humans face is to develop a healthy personality in which our perceptions of ourselves and others’ perceptions of us align with one another.
Another aspect of Rogers’s that I agree with is that a positive self-concept allows us to overcome our struggles and become more mature. To me, a big part of growing up is dealing with our own problems and figuring out our own perceptions and beliefs. In order to do so, I think that our job is to develop a self-concept that allows us to be happy with ourselves and our lives. The main and key concept that I agree with Rogers on is that receiving conditional love, love that is dependent on other things, causes a negative self-image. I think that receiving love that others only give under certain circumstances causes us to feel as though we are only able to be loved or accepted if we present certain qualities or do certain behaviors. I think striving for acceptance is an essential part of human nature.
One of the therapy approaches that I mostly agree with is solution-focused therapy. One of the key concepts is that people are unique and general strategies never apply to everyone. Another main concept is that figuring out why the client has the problem rarely helps and that the therapist should work with the client and not on them. I think that this is a very important concept to me because one of my basic beliefs is that a counselor is not some sort of magician that waves their magic wand and “fixes” their clients. I think that a counselor’s role is to work with the client to help them see their problem at a more objective level and help them to work through the problem themselves. One of the quotes of solution-focused therapy that I like is to “ride the horse in the direction it wants to go.” I think that giving clients the ability to work through their own problems is the best method of therapy.
The theory that we studied in class that I felt drawn to that I never imagined myself to be drawn to was existentialism. Since I had such a religious background, we were taught to always see the good in people and that all people have a good side. Existentialism focuses on the condition of human existence, emotions, actions, responsibilities, thoughts, and the purpose of life. Humanism stresses that there are not bad people but just bad environments. One of my interests in existentialism is that it focuses on the meaning of life. I have always felt that it is important for everyone to have a purpose in life. My feelings are part of the reason I chose to be a school counselor. I came from a very poor town in Southern West Virginia, in the coalfields, where only certain students were expected to go to college. Our counselors never emphasized the importance of finding the right career for each student, and my goal has been to make sure that all students have equal opportunities to pursue the career of their choice. To me, careers are chosen based on something that you have a passion for and usually end up being your purpose in life.
One of existentialists’ critiques of humanism is that it assumes that people are inherently good and will always make the correct choices if they are given an opportunity. Existentialists believe that all humans have the capacity for good and evil. Since I have grown up learning that all people are inherently good, this was an interesting concept for me to have grasped. I had always wondered if there is a God, why would God let children die painful deaths before they have the time to experience life? Why would God inflict so much pain on those who did nothing to deserve such pain? Learning about existentialism made my mind start to work a little harder than it was used to. Having learned more thoroughly about this philosophy, I have some answers to my questions. Maybe people really do have the capacity for good and evil. Maybe life is about having the option of making right and wrong choices and what defines you is how you handle those decisions. If we all have the capacity for good and evil, then life is about finding purpose and meaning in your life so that you are able to make the decisions towards good. I had the perception of my religion that I should assume that all people are good but that they were just raised in a bad environment. Now I think that my own personal religious beliefs are that bad things happen to good people and vice versa. Life is about finding your purpose in life and using that purpose to make those right decisions. I found this cartoon that I think demonstrates how I feel about human nature now, and it also shows my feelings in a school counseling setting, which I thought was really good.
I think that my career goals have slightly changed this semester. I think that this switch in my view of counseling and human nature has caused me to want to show my students their capacity for good and that though they may have a similar capacity for evil, their choices dictate how their lives will play out. I also think that my friends and family would probably not notice a difference in me from this summer. All of the switches in views are conflicts that I have had within myself and have rarely, if ever, shared with other people. My struggles, debates, and change have all been within myself, and though I do not think you could see it from an outside perspective, I know that this change was significant and has given me clarity towards something that I have been struggling with for the past four or five years. If I had to attribute my change to one person’s theory, it would have to be to George Kelly’s. His integration of cognitive, existential, and humanistic approaches made me realize that I could assimilate several theories into my own complete view of human nature. I think that Kelly integrates key aspects of the different theories, all of which are the key components to my own theory of human nature. His view that our cognition affects how we think about reality, humans are free to choose their own destinies between good and evil, and humans have the capability for improvement covers the basis of my newly formed, integrative approach at looking at human nature.