Developmental Therapy: Integrating Developmental Processes into the Clinical Practice

Abstract

The facilitation of development may be considered the primary goal of counseling and therapy. Developmental theory, however, remains relatively divorced from direct clinical work. Developmental therapy is oriented toward identifying how to use basic developmental theory in clinical consultation. Developmental therapy differs from life span developmental psychology in emphasizing specific processes of change, growth, and development rather than outcomes and life stages. Thus, developmental therapy supplements life span theory and provides specific suggestions for clinical‐counseling interventions that may be used to assess the developmental level of a client on a specific task, select counseling skills and theory to match client cognitive‐developmental level, and obtain feedback on the effectiveness of the intervention that will enable one to change counseling style to meet client needs. Basic to developmental therapy is a modern adaptatio of Platonic and Piagetian constructs that allows the systematic integration of counseling and therapy theory. Implications of the model for training and practice are discussed.

Developmental levels in adult's conceptions of health and disease

“…Each sequence level includes responses characterized by a higher degree of differentiation, integration and complexity than the previous level. The results are congruent with those of other reflexive and empirical studies in the field of health psychology (e.g., Barros, 1992;Fradique, 1993;Joyce-Moniz & Reis, 1991;Reis, 1992Reis, , 1998Reis, , 2005Reis, , 2007Travado & Reis, 2000) and psychotherapy (e.g., Ivey, 1986;Ivey & Gonçalves, 1988;Joyce-Moniz, 1989;Rigazio-DiGilio & Ivey, 1990). Interestingly, not all participants were able to understand or Note: N1/N2, N3, N4 and N5 = representative narratives of levels 1/2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, and included in the Interview Protocol.…”

“…Typical examples of higher developmental levels should be presented. This would offer the opportunity for the person to evolve to a more highly differentiated and complexly organized level of meaningmaking (Barros, 1992;Fradique, 1993;Ivey & Gonçalves, 1988;Reis, 1992). Alternatively, the client would have the choice to keep functioning at the same level but doing it in an improved and structured manner.…”

Bibliotherapy and DCT: Co‐Constructing the Therapeutic Metaphor

“…DCT provides both a theoretical model and techniques for fostering second order change (Ivey, 1986(Ivey, , 1991Ivey & Gonçalves, 1988). The theory is based in a metaphorical interpretation of Piaget's cognitive stages and Plato's cognitive stages as presented in the allegory of the cave.…”

“…A central aspect of sensorimotor experience is the phenomenon of images. Experiences in life become physically embedded in one's body and are expressed in images that reflect conscious or unconscious thoughts and feelings (Ivey & Gonçalves, 1988). In the process of therapy, clients need to connect in the present with these images and with the physical sensations and feelings that are the basis of their affective responses.…”

“…vey (1986,1991) stated that the primary goal of counseling is to facilitate development, or, more specifically, structural development of clients (Ivey & Gonçalves, 1988). Developmental Counseling and Therapy (DCT) is presented as a philosophical position, a theory of human development, a practice of therapy and counseling, and a co-constructed model of the therapy session (Ivey, 1986).…”