Therapy

Multiple points of view also characterize the therapies derived from theories
of personality. Most therapists take an eclectic approach, sampling from the
ideas of various theories to tailor their treatment to a specific client. Each
therapist, however, also may have her or his own biases, based on a particular
theoretical orientation. For example, a client who often feels anxious and
seeks help from a psychoanalytic therapist may find that the therapist encourages
the client to explore memories of childhood experiences to discover
the unconscious roots of the anxiety. Slips of the tongue, dreams, and
difficulty remembering or accepting therapeutic interpretations would be
viewed as important clues to unconscious processes. The same client seeking
treatment from a humanistic therapist would have a different experi ence. There, the emphasis would be on current experiences, with the therapist
providing a warm and supportive atmosphere for the client to explore
feelings. A behavioral therapist, from the social learning orientation, would
help the client pinpoint situations in which anxiety occurs and teach the client
alternative responses to those situations. Again, no one form of therapy
is superior for all clients. Successes or failures in therapy depend on the
combination of client, therapist, and mode of treatment. 621