Experience-focused counselling

Experience-focused counselling (EFC) is an approach to counselling aimed specifically at those who experience auditory hallucinations, visions or other phenomena which are commonly associated with schizophrenia and other mental disorders.

History

The term "experience-focused counseling" originated from traditional talk therapy,[1] which focuses on discussing the experiences of the individual to examine the cause of their symptoms. This type of therapy is most common in trauma survivors. Experience-focused counseling is used or referred to in the long-term treatment of trauma and mental health conditions and is focused on the traumatic experiences and symptoms of the person receiving the treatment to work through them and slowly move towards recovery.

Experience-focused counseling is now a new sub-type of counseling which has become the foundation of the peer movement, and is often used in peer support.

Providers

Counselors,[2] mentors, psychologists,[3] psychiatrists, and social workers[4] all provide different levels of experience-focused counseling depending on the training they have received and their scope of practice. Many use traditional talk therapy[5] methods which were the original foundation of the experience-focused counseling movement.

In addition to individual practitioners, many agencies and nonprofits have also began to provide peer supportive services, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI),[6] the National Peer support Network,[7] the National Peer Helpers Association,[8] SAMHSA,[9] National Peer Review Committee,[10] and numerous independent service providers and community mental healthcare providers. Now, each state in the U.S. has incorporated this type of experience-focused counseling into their mental healthcare practices.

Method

Depending on the symptoms, histories and traumas of the individual receiving treatment, the methods of treatment may vary, as the experience-focused counseling and peer support movement[8] focuses on the worldview of the individuals. Typically, experience-focused counseling is performed by discussing the symptoms of the individual and their emotional and physical responses to trauma and/or mental illness by examining the individuals' current and past experiences to locate the cause(s) of their symptoms.

By focusing on the experience of the individual rather than the illness, the provider can begin to assist their client in finding the root cause of the trauma and onset of the symptoms causing the distress.

Various therapeutic techniques are used to assist the client in gaining insight and working through symptoms and emotional responses to their individual experiences. These may include:

Recipients

While many individuals with other forms of mental illnesses often benefit from a combination of therapies including experience-focused counseling, it is of note that peer support[17] is provided to every individual seeking help, regardless of diagnosis.

Due to the fact that each person is unique in their traumas and experiences, people can and often do pursue other therapeutic interventions and treatments as well.

Training and accreditations

Counselors, mentors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers all provide different levels of experience-focused counseling depending on the type of therapy they choose to practice, the training they have received, and their scope of practice.

As multiple types of therapists have the ability to perform this type of counseling, the main providers of this technique are listed below:

  • Board-certified art therapists (ATR)[18]
  • Peer wellness specialists (PWS)[19]
  • Peer support specialists (PSS)[17][20]
  • Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) specialists[21]
  • Brain spotting (BSP) specialists[22][23]

See also

References

  1. ↑ American Psychiatric Association (2013-05-22). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. American Psychiatric Association. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596. ISBN 0890425558.
  2. ↑ "American Counseling Association |A professional home for counselors". www.counseling.org. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  3. ↑ "Psychologists: Occupational Outlook Handbook:: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics". www.bls.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  4. ↑ "Social Workers: Occupational Outlook Handbook:: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics". www.bls.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  5. ↑ "Does Talk Therapy Really Work?". Psychology Today. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  6. ↑ "NAMI".
  7. ↑ "National Peer Support Network | Peers For Progress". peersforprogress.org. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  8. 1 2 3 "National Peer Helpers Associat... - Organizations - TakingITGlobal". orgs.tigweb.org. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  9. ↑ "SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration". www.samhsa.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  10. ↑ "National Peer Review Committee (NPRC)". AICPA. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  11. ↑ "NIMH » Psychotherapies". www.nimh.nih.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  12. ↑ "EMDR Therapy - EMDR International Association". emdria.site-ym.com. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  13. ↑ "Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD - PTSD: National Center for PTSD". www.ptsd.va.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  14. ↑ "American Art Therapy Association". American Art Therapy Association. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  15. ↑ "Nature Therapy". Nature Therapy. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  16. ↑ "American Music Therapy Association | American Music Therapy Association (AMTA)". www.musictherapy.org. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  17. 1 2 "Center for Peer Support". Mental Health America. 2016-05-27. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  18. ↑ ATCB. "ATCB - Art Therapy Credentials Board". www.atcb.org. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  19. ↑ "Oregon Health Authority : Peer Wellness Specialist (PWS) : Office of Equity and Inclusion : State of Oregon". www.oregon.gov. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  20. ↑ "From the Society for General Psychology". www.socialpsychology.org. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  21. ↑ "What is EMDR? | EMDR Institute – EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING THERAPY". www.emdr.com. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  22. ↑ "Brainspotting - Where you look affects how you feel". brainspotting.com. Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  23. ↑ PESImentalhealth (2016-10-26), Brainspotting with David Grand, Ph.D., retrieved 2018-07-30
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.