Personal Model of Helping
Janet Bragg
BSHS/312
November 26, 2012
Michael Hoffman

Personal Model of Helping
There are many models of helping for the Human Service Workers to choose from. Although there are many models to choose from, prior to taking this class, I was not sure about what model of helping that I favored. I was not sure of what model I preferred to use, because it was difficult for me to choose one technique, for I believed there was not just one technique that would solve every problem. For example, the theory that may work for one client with a certain situation may not help a different client with a similar situation. This made it difficult for me to choose, because I wanted to be able to use the model of helping that would be the best one for the client.
While I was taking this course, I noticed that I already use Behavior Therapy on a daily basis. I prefer to use the Behavior Therapy. Behavior Therapy is changing the client’s undesired behavior with a more desirable behavior. According to Herkov (n.d.), “Behavior therapy is focused on helping an individual understand how changing their behavior can lead to changes in how they are feeling.” (para. 1). Indeed, I prefer to use the Behavior Therapy Model, because I have been already using some of major methods and techniques within the Behavior Therapy model. These major techniques, that I have been using prior to taking this course, include: positive reinforcement, token economies, and modeling. These are a few of the major techniques of Behavior Therapy that I have been using prior to taking this class.
My personal view of helping is that there are different techniques for different types of people, and different types of issues. I believe that there is no one fits all type of theory. This is because there is not just one solution for the many types of issues that people come to get help from counseling; furthermore, one model of helping may work for a client and his or her problem, but may not help a different client with a similar problem. Indeed, one particular model of helping does not solve each and every problem that is out there.
I currently work with youth that have been removed from their home due to some type of trauma that they have endured. Before I became employed at my current job, I was not familiar with the different models of helping; however I used positive reinforcement, and type 1 punishment with my children. I had learned that positive reinforcement works, for I had learned by trial and error. In the beginning I would use type 1 punishment, but that would not work well with my children. After finding out that type 1 punishment would not work, I than begin to reward them for their good behavior. For Example, I would give them a sticker for using the restroom when they were being potty trained. Rewarding my children for their positive behavior worked very well, so I began to use it on a regular basis when it came to parenting my children. This is one example on how I used positive reinforcement when I was parenting my children although I did not know about Behavior Therapy.
Approximately four and half years ago, I became employed at an emergency shelter for children. While working at this facility, I have become more comfortable using major methods and techniques of Behavior Therapy. At first I became more comfortable using the major methods and techniques of Behavior Therapy, because I was educated and trained on how and when to use it with our clients. Than later on I became comfortable using the techniques within the Behavior Therapy approach. One of the techniques within the Behavior Therapy, which I became comfortable, using at my place of employment, is “Token Reward.” According to Parrott III (2003), “under this system, appropriate behavior may be reinforced with “tokens” that can be later exchanged for desired objects or privileges. The only difference is at my place of employment we use “points” instead of tokens. The clients receive points for the chores that he or she does. For example, if a client cleans the bathroom, he or she will receive three hundred points. These points are a set value for each chore. For example, trash is one hundred points, bathroom, windows, vacuuming and closets are each three hundred points, and dusting is two hundred points. This is an example of how many points a client will earn for each chore he or she does. Client’s can also receive points by going above and beyond what they are required to do. For example, a client cleans up a dorm, which was destroyed by another client, can receive points for cleaning a dorm that was a disaster. The points are determined on the amount of work that he or she has put into it. These are a few examples on how clients can earn “points.” The points are than redeemed later for allowance. The amount of allowance a client receives is based on his or her age. For example, a client 6-8 yrs of age receives two dollars, 9-11 years of age receives four dollars, 12-14 years of age receives six dollars and clients who are 15-18 receive eight dollars for allowance. The client than has to have the amount of points that his or her allowance is in order to receive an allowance. For example, a client who is age six years old has to have at least two hundred points to exchange the points in order to receive his or her allowance for two dollars at the end of the week. The points that a client has earned by doing his or her chores can be exchanged at the point store in order to get any desired product for the amount of points that he or she redeemed. For example, a client has two thousand five hundred points, and he sees a remote control car for fifteen hundred points, he than trades fifteen hundred points for the remote control car. This is an example on how the clients at my job trade his or her points for a desired object. Indeed, the “token” system works very well with the client’s that I work with. The relationship between the Therapist and client is to remain “professional” at all times. This means that the Therapist is not to have a dual relationship with the client. The Therapist is to maintain proper boundaries with the client in order to keep from doing any harm to the client. Indeed, it is vital to maintain a “professional” relationship with the client at all times in order to keep from doing any harm to the client. The Therapist has a very active role when it comes to Behavior Therapy. The Therapist is someone who has a role of a consultant, which is someone who the client consults with, about the changes that he or she wants or needs to make. The Therapist also has a supportive role with the client. The client also comes to the Therapist, as if he or she is the client’s resource. Finally the Therapist serves as the model for the client. According to Parrott III (2003), “functionality, the behavior therapist facilitates a process involving four major steps: accurately defining the problem, gathering the developmental history of the client, establishing specific goals, and dete3rmining the best methods for change.” Indeed, the Behavior Therapist has an active role with his or her client. Major methods and techniques vary from the many different therapies that out there. The major methods and techniques that are commonly used within the Behavior Therapy are: Positive Reinforcement, Token Economies, Assertiveness Training, Modeling, Relaxation Training, Systematic Desensitization, and Hierarchy. (Parrott III, 2003). Indeed, these are the major methods and techniques that are used in Behavior Therapy. There are many different types of problems that can be addressed by Behavior Therapy. A few of the problems that can be addressed by Behavior Therapy are: anger, obsessive compulsive disorder, phobias, depression, alcoholism, sexual dysfunctions, paraphilias, marital distress, and childhood disorders. (Parrott III, 2003). These are a few of the wide variety of problems that can be addressed by the Behavior Therapist. Behavior Therapy is more successful with certain populations. One of these populations that Behavior Therapy is more successful with is educational settings. According to Parrott III (2003), “Behavior Therapy has been used successfully in hospital and prison settings, in rehabilitation counseling, and in special education environments.” Indeed, Behavior Therapy is more successful with certain populations than with other populations. Although Behavior Therapy is more successful with certain populations, it is still successful with other populations as well. Since Behavior Therapy focuses on changing behavior rather than focusing on a client’s past, this gives the multicultural clients an advantage. Behavior Therapy can work with the multicultural client with the current issue that he or she is experiencing rather than focusing on anything else. For example, a client who has anger issues and is seeking help is going to focus on changing his or her behavior (anger issues) and only that issue. Indeed, Behavior Therapy is beneficial to clients who are multicultural because it focuses on replacing the undesired behavior with a more desirable behavior. There is a downside to using Behavior Therapy with multicultural clientele. This downside to Behavior Therapy is since it does deal with the person’s behavior rather than the person as a whole it can have negative effects with a multicultural client who is trying to find a deeper meaning in his or her life. According to Parrott III (2003), “on the downside, ethnic-minority clients who are functioning at a relatively high levels but who are searching for meaning, purpose, or a better sense of identity within a particular culture will find little solace through Behavior Therapy.” Even though Behavior Therapy is beneficial to the multicultural clients who are looking to change his or her undesirable behavior with a more desirable behavior, it is not beneficial to the multicultural clients who are searching for his or her deeper meaning in life. The strengths that Behavior Therapy has is it can help a variety of people change his or her undesirable behavior with a more desirable behavior. For example, it can people who need help controlling his or her anger, it can help people with obsessive compulsive disorders, it can help people, and it can help people with phobias. These are a few examples of the strengths of Behavior Therapy. It can also help people of different populations, different cultures, and people of different ages. Indeed, this is also strength of Behavior Therapy. There is much strength within the Behavior Therapy. There are some limitations to the Behavior Therapy. These limitations are that Behavior Therapy does not deal with the person as a whole, for it only deals with the undesirable behavior. This is a limitation because if a person is trying to deal with a deeper issue than Behavior Therapy is not right for himself or herself. For Example, a person is coming to a therapist to find a sense of purpose, and then Behavior Therapy is not the right type of therapy for him or her. Indeed, Behavior therapy is not the right choice for the client, because Behavior Therapy only deals with replacing undesirable behavior with a more desirable behavior. Indeed this is the limitations of Behavior Therapy. Prior to taking this course, I was undecided which model of helping that I favored. After taking this course and being educated about each and every model, I favor Behavior Therapy. I believe that I favor Behavior Therapy, because it helps a variety of clients who I currently work with. For example, I have many clients who come into the facility where I work with many undesirable behaviors, and many of them leave with a more desirable behavior. Indeed, seeing these clients leave with a more desirable behavior is rewarding in itself. I do feel that Behavior Therapy is not a solution every problem or every person; moreover, there is no one model of therapy to solve each and every problem that each and every person may have. Although Behavior Therapy is not a solution to every problem, it works well with the population that I work with which are children who have been removed from their homes due to trauma that they have endured. Indeed, I favor Behavior Therapy, because it does work well with the population that I serve.

Furthermore, I like the major techniques that Behavior Therapy has.

References
Herkov, M. (n.d.). About Behavior Therapy. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/about-behavior-therapy/
Parrott III, L. (2003). Counseling and Psychotherapy (2nd ed.). Pcific Grove, Ca.: Thomson/Brooks/Cole