While a similarity between professional counseling and other mental health professions is the required graduate education on the family unit and development, differences may emerge when actually working with a client due to the macro values instilled in a profession. Give an example of a specific client problem and the various ways a professional counselor, applied psychologist, social worker, and marriage and family therapist might approach it.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The ways the various practitioners approach the problems should focus on the following:

Professional counselor – Treating the client using an individually oriented theory (such as cognitive-behavioral therapy)

Applied psychologist – May view problem as stemming from an intrapsychic conflict or disease

Social worker – Views problem as a result of variety of contextual/social factors (such as poverty, geographical location)

Marriage and family therapist – Use a systemic approach (such as strategic family therapy) and focus on the relationships and interactions the client is engaged in