Postmodernism;
What it means to me
And how it will affect
My relationships with Clients?
Daniel Cooper
Methods of Counseling PS 3000
Professor J. Sexton
January 10, 2011
We have been asked to write a paper describing what we believe “postmodernism” is and how it may impact our clients and ourselves in a helping profession. As always, let us consult with Mr. Merriam and Mr. Webster for a functioning definition and then we will bring it home.
postmodern : 1 of, relating to, or being an era after a modern one <postmodern times> <a postmodern metropolis>
2 a : of, relating to, or being any of various movements in reaction to modernism that are typically characterized by a return to traditional materials and forms (as in architecture) or by ironic self-reference and absurdity (as in literature) b : of, relating to, or being a theory that involves a radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, history, or language <postmodern feminism>
As we can see, 2 b, is more closely related to our field of study. Although we are reticent to use the term radical reappraisal, none the less, there have been numerous reappraisals since the turn of the 19th century culminating with our theories of today on therapy and the relationships between therapist and client. So, with all that in mind let us explore how “…we feel about…” this.
Postmodernism means little more to me than… we have adjusted our thinking, as it pertains to the creature we call therapy, from 100 years ago. When I use the un-glamorous word, adjusted, I mean just that. I really don’t believe we have turned 180 degrees in any direction from the “founding fathers of psychology” and how they did business. We have simply learned that some things worked for these types of folks and didn’t work for those types of folks. We have tracked, tested, poked, and prodded until we have discovered that, indeed, we must treat each individual as simply that, an individual! What works wonderfully for Mary doesn’t even scratch the surface for Eve. The Adlerian Theory produced fantastic results for Larry but had a definite backlash for Steve; and on it goes.
The Review on Modernism And Postmodern Harvey Postmodernism Cultural
Book Review: The Condition of Postmodernity, David Harvey is well-known in social theory circles for books like Social Justice and the City (1973), The Limits to Capital (1982), The Urbanization of Capital (1985), and Consciousness and The Urban Experience (1985) - all seminal attempts to chart the relatively new and unexplored interface between political economy and urban geography. The Condition ...
We as counselors/therapists must learn to tailor a unique therapy for each individual that enters our sanctum. We must continue to realize there are as many issues as there are folks who suffer from them. There can be no complacency, no cookie cutter tricks, and no weather-beaten attempt at stuffing and labeling everyone we talk with into the same bag. No, no, no…we must rise afresh each time the door opens and a soul walks into our lives to pour out a world of hurt and ask for hope. Affectively, we ought muster our best “Jesus” and listen to the heart of an over-burdened brother or sister and do what we can to share the yolk of heavy laden. If we are going to be Christian counselors, then let’s be on with it! We will not live their lives or do all the work but we will share briefly in the moment or season and hopefully, they will emerge the better for it.
Our text book believes that, “We have entered a postmodern world in which truth and reality are often understood as points of view bounded by history and context rather than as objective, immutable facts.” “Modernists believe in objective reality that can be observed and systematically known through the scientific method…postmodernists, in contrast, believe that realities do not exist independent of observational processes…” It goes on to report that, “… DeJong and Berg (2008) put this notion about a therapist’s task well when they said:
We do not view ourselves as expert at scientifically assessing client problems and then intervening. Instead, we strive to be expert at exploring client’s frames of reference and identifying those perceptions that clients can use to create more satisfying lives.” (p. 375).
The Essay on David Life Reality Dead
David The chaos from my teenage sister's birthday party was deafening. Somehow through the noise, I registered that the phone was ringing. Jumping up, my sister answered it in hopes of hearing her boyfriend's voice. A look of concern and confusion crossed her face as she handed me the phone. She mouthed the word 'David' as I placed the receiver to my ear. Immediately I began fighting off a panic I ...
Postmodernism…just another word for change.
