Counseling Theories and Therapies

Linda Seligman

Theories and therapies of counseling are the building blocks of the profession. Probably every counselor Counseling Theories and Therapies has had at least one course in theories of counseling, and the names of the leading theorists, such as Sigmund Freud, Albert Ellis, Carl Rogers, and others, are both legendary and familiar. This entry will address what constitutes a theory of counseling, why counseling theories and therapies are so important, and how these theories have evolved. Estimates are that more than 350 counseling theories and therapies have been advanced. Although most of these have received little attention or validation, a core group of about 10 major theories, and fewer than 50 secondary approaches or modifications of the major theories, dominate the counseling profession. Most of these theories are characterized by the following important ingredients: A concept of how people develop throughout the life span. Typically, this involves a sequence of stages ...

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