COUN 5223 Week 9 Assessment 1 Consultation

COUN 5239 Week 9 Assignment Applications of Theory: Person-Centered Theory

COUN 5239 Week 9 Assignment Applications of Theory: Person-Centered Theory Student Name Capella University COUN5239 – Theories for the Counseling Profession Professor Name Submission Date Applications of Theory: Person-Centered Theory Modern counseling owes a great deal to an insightful and humanistic understanding of individuals to help them through their own personal struggles and guide the counselors as well as the clients. Carl Rogers (Yao & Kabir, 2023) pioneered such an important school of thought as person-centered theory, which rests on the concepts of empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness, and is unlike any other school of thought in that it centers on the client’s self-awareness and self-actualization instead of focusing on the client’s problems or maladaptive behaviors. This paper will layer the person-centered theory with its concepts, principles, and assumptions, and seek to understand the philosophical basis of the theory and its alignment with personal counseling values. Moreover, this paper will seek to provide data and research regarding the person-centered approach and its clientele, and provide a case study of the application of the person-centered theory on a middle-aged woman, Juanita, who faces emotional difficulties arising from conflicting family and personal goals. Theoretical Analysis: Person-centered theory Concepts, Principles, and Assumptions of Person-Centered Theory Person-centered theory presumes an optimistic humanistic stance that sees individuals as a work in progress who are self-actualizing and self-happy. Rogers proposed the “innate actualizing tendency”. This term illustrates the potential each person has to grow and become their true self and actual self (Wilson, 2024). When there is suffering, it is a discrepancy between individuals’ actual feelings and self-concept. The theory observes that people have a self-concept, which is how they perceive and evaluate themselves. Self-concept is also how they understand themselves. If love and acceptance come with certain conditions of worth, people tend to love and accept themselves on the condition that they meet the worth conditions. Thus, they conceal their true feelings and behavior in order to secure and maintain self-acceptance (Yao & Kabir, 2023). There are three main person-centered therapeutic conditions, which are: unconditional positive regard, empathy, and congruence. The theory focuses largely on the interaction between the client and the therapist. The client and the therapist have their own concerns, and the client won’t be told what to do by the therapist. Some people need more guidance and direction, and this theory lacks that (Latif & Gulzar, 2025). The client also has to be responsible for their actions, and to a certain extent this is not possible for every individual. A therapist can adopt several other methods along with person-centered therapy to make this therapy fit better. The other methods provide the client with the structure that is lacking in this therapy, and they also help the client solve their problems. Personal Philosophies and Views Counseling Person-centered theory is in Person-centered therapy strong conviction that people have the ability to change and grow, and that this can happen in a safe and empathetic environment. Counseling should be respectful of a person’s autonomy and should provide space for the individual to tell their story free from judgment (Disha et al., 2025). This relates to some of the core assumptions of the person-centered approach to counseling, where in the counseling process, the counselor is required to provide the relationship with empathy and unconditional positive regard. Of the elements of the person-centered approach to counseling, human connection seems vital to me as well. Counseling is not only about the resolution of the individual’s problems, but also about building the relationship to the level at which the individual is able to express the full depth of their issues (Kumar, 2025). This process is invaluable in the individual gaining an understanding of the issues and the confidence to take control and make choices regarding the direction of their life. In the future, I intend to practice counseling based on the assumptions of the person-centered approach. This will be the means by which I build an empowering relationship, which allows individuals to express the full extent of their narratives. Evaluation of Evidence Supporting Person-Centered Theory Person-Centered Theory has roots as a mid-20th century movement, but contemporary research continues to validate the role and importance of humanistic therapies in the field of counseling. The contemporary field of psychotherapy recognizes the strengths and role of the therapist-client relationship, as well as therapist empathy, acceptance, and genuineness. Current research indicates the therapeutic relationship may be as important as the therapeutic technique or intervention (Yao & Kabir, 2023). There has also been the recent development of evidence articulating the role and importance of humanistic and person-centered therapies in the treatment of psychological distress. For example, the systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies of humanistic-experiential therapies for the treatment of depression indicated a positive and significant change for study participants. The authors indicated the therapeutic relationship and empathy were central mechanisms of change (Duffy et al., 2023). A different stream of evidence indicates a focus on person-centered outcomes. The studies indicate the role of the therapeutic relationship as an essential element of a successful therapeutic process, and the outcome of the process is an increased state of well-being, quality of life, improved social functioning, and increased personal empowerment (Papola & Patel, 2025). This is the philosophy of person-centered therapy wherein the therapist aids in the fulfillment of the client’s autonomy by supporting the client’s achievement of their personally defined life goals. The positive potential and effects of humanistic therapy from the perspective of clients are also evident from the qualitative studies of the therapy. These studies emphasize both the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic setting where empathy and emotional validation are provided. The therapeutic setting where clients are enabled to unreservedly express their thoughts and feelings is reported by clients to be useful in the development of insight and the establishment of sound interpersonal relationships (Cooper et al., 2025). From the evidence available, it can be reported that person-centered theory is a counseling theory that does not seem to be

COUN 5223 Week 9 Assessment 1 Consultation, Supervision, and Advocacy Plan

Leave a Comment / Capella University, COUN 5223 / James Alstott

COUN 5223 Week 9 Assessment 1 Consultation, Supervision, and Advocacy Plan Student Name Capella University COUN 5223 Professor Name Submission Date Attention Deficient and Hyperactive Disorder co-occurring with Substance Use Disorder Substance use disorder (SUD) significantly complicates the delivery of behavioral health services to people who have ADHD. Services must be designed to meet the behavioral health needs of people who have ADHD and SUD. People experiencing this dual diagnosis are known to have challenges such as relapse, poor performance, and emotional dysregulation. It is known that about 25-30% of adults who are in treatment for substance use disorders have ADHD (Barbuti et al., 2023). This article reviews the historical development of clinical mental health counseling for people with a dual diagnosis of ADHD and SUD. Additionally, it reviews the role of a community-based service in the comprehensive care system and describes models and methods for the provision of on-site and outreach consultation, supervision, and advocacy services. Serving Individuals with ADHD co-occurring with SUD Particularly challenging are individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) alongside a developing Substance Use Disorder (SUD). These individuals belong to the developing group referred to as adolescents, between the ages of 12 and 18 years, when the individual starts developing their sense of identity, but is also most vulnerable to engaging in risky behaviors. The ADHD symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and dysregulation can predispose individuals to experiment with substances during adolescence. Young et al. (2023) indicate that ADHD and SUD co-occurrence is evident and can be directly linked to environmental influences. Integrated counseling approaches, which combine ADHD symptoms and substance use behaviors, are necessary to address this group of adolescents. Counselors would employ structured and systematic interventions that include behavioral and relapse prevention therapies and pharmacological interventions to enable adolescents to gain self-regulation and control, reduce their substance use, and achieve sustained recovery. Historically, mental health systems separated the treatment of adolescents with co-morbid ADHD and SUD. Relapse rates were high as treatment sought to remediate substance misuse with no consideration for ADHD. Modern ADHD treatment practices recognize the importance of integrated and coordinated care in addressing the combination of ADHD and substance misuse behaviors (Srichawla et al, 2022). One of the most widely researched counseling practices for this population has been cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps improve their impulse control and coping skills and adjust their dysfunctional thinking. Additionally, Haugan (2022) expressed the importance of careful consideration in the regulation of stimulant medications and the inclusion of sustained-release or non-stimulant options, as this can mitigate some of the risks of developing SUD in the presence of ADHD. These innovations to address behavioral substance misuse and ADHD significantly transformed the clinical mental health care practices for adolescents, emphasizing the need for integrated and evidence-based treatment. Counseling Services across the Continuum of Care Ambrosia Behavioral Health is a behavioral health treatment center located in South Florida that offers a diverse range of services to customers experiencing issues with both behavioral health and substance use. Some of the organization’s programs include outpatient and inpatient therapy, intensive outpatient therapy, partial hospitalization therapy, and a range of traditional and integrative holistic therapies such as medicinal therapy, mindfulness therapy, and wellness therapy (Dfasam, 2026). Thus, Ambrosia Behavioral Health is positioned throughout the behavioral health continuum of care, with an emphasis on the range of residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient services. These programs are designed to offer supportive therapeutic structure to individuals who are in need of more than conventional outpatient services, yet do not require the acute level of therapeutic intervention that is offered in a hospital setting. To provide comprehensive services, the agency partners with health and community service providers across the full range of mental health continuum services. Individuals with severe psychiatric symptoms who also have physical health complications or who are in crisis are referred to an inpatient psychiatric hospital to provide daily medical supervision and care. Individuals on an inpatient unit who show symptoms of improvement are transitioned to an intensive outpatient program. This outpatient program allows individuals to attend therapeutic group sessions during the weekday while leaving the program to attend to their obligations. Therapeutic groups are held on a daily basis and allow the individual to be present during work, school, or home obligations for the duration of the program. Services that promote recovery after one is discharged from an intensive therapeutic program and provide counseling that addresses the prevention of relapse, recovery support services, and community mental health services are geared toward the promotion of sustained recovery and the prevention of relapse. These services are especially important to persons with ADHD and those individuals who have challenges with substance use disorders. Consultation Plan This consultation plan will utilize Caplan’s Mental Health Consultation Theory with a specific focus on the Program-Centred Administrative Consultation Model and associated strategies. The strategies mentioned will include needs assessment as well as interdisciplinary case consultation meetings, staff training on both CBT and Motivational Interviewing (MI), and the use of proprietary ADHD and substance use screening assessment tools. (Isaacs & Duncan, 2025). The aim of the consultation is to enhance the provision of integrated services for adolescents presenting with co-occurring ADHD and SUD. In agreement with Caplan’s consultation model, the first step of the consultation process is the assessment of the needs and requests of the agency. This is in order to better understand the prevailing treatment approaches, the systems of referral, and the staff and team capabilities with respect to understanding and treating ADHD and substance use disorders (Dfasam, 2026). This entails the analysis of the agency’s treatment policies, case/clinical documentation, and the interviews of the agency’s staff and administrators. The goal is to identify the gaps in the agency’s coordinated/integrated care. The next step involves the initiation of specialized training and consulting for the clinical personnel. Training will cover the use of evidence-based treatment such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. These therapies are mostly used for treating clients with co-occurring mental and behavioral

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