Towards a wholistic approach to self-concept
Towards a wholistic approach to self-concept
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Issue Date
1983
Authors
Lawless, Linda
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Abstract
The field of Psychology is populated with diverse theories and practitioners. As wide a spectrum as this may be, the methods of application of theoretical frameworks, again, enlarge the scope. At John F. Kennedy University, the Graduate Psychology department is comprised of a traditional Cognitive Therapy program and a Dance/Movement Therapy program. As a student of both these programs, I found common threads as well as polarized beliefs both in the literature and the professors I was exposed to. The hypothesis of this study was that a therapist who used in-depth cognitive process, as well as dance/movement techniques, would be able to address their client's self-concept in a more wholistic manner. The first task of this work was to frame self-concept in such a way that it could be discussed and evaluated. Practicing therapists were then selected from three specific fields: Cognitive, Movement/Somatic, and Bridgers (therapists trained in both cognitive and somatic schools). This was accomplished through a snowball sample. Therapists were interviewed and the tape-recorded conversations were transcribed and evaluated for frequency and types of self-concept referents. The referents were broken into past, present, future, and cognitive and somatic. Of the three types of therapists, Cognitive, Movement, and Bridgers, the Cognitive therapists provided a more balanced reference to self-concept encompassing past, present, and future. The Movement therapists showed a balanced use of cognitive and somatic reference. In all identified areas. The therapists identified as Bridgers provided a balanced blend of the work of the Cognitive and Movement therapists.