Using Conflict in a Developmental Therapeutic Model

Abstract

The present article consists of two parts. Part 1 describes five major characteristics of the developmental therapeutic model. The basic content is the phenomenological-dialectic personality model, which is based on six major questions regarding oneself and the surrounding world, and which constitutes a useful contentual frame of reference for psychotherapeutic practice.The underlying motivational process is that of dialectics, thanks to which personality contents can originate and develop.The goal of the therapy is the development of personality towards maximum self-actualization, through the individual's discovery of his potential and strengths in a harmonious relationship with significant others and the whole surrounding world.The reflection upon self and others is the means of personality development. But reflection and development are possible only if selfacceptance and positive self-evaluation have been achieved.The method for stimulation of (self)-reflection is that of actiontechniques, to be implemented in a secure atmosphere.Part 2 is a demonstration of how, within this theoretical framework, action-techniques can be used to work with conflicts in a constructive fashion.A number of specific cases from therapeutic group-work with adolescents show how conflicts are handled by means of three kinds of oppositions: at the inter-dimensional level (e.g. the way I am vs. the way others perceive me); L. Verhofstadt-Deneve is Professor in theoretical and clinical developmentalPsychology and head of the 151 Brought to you by | University of Arizona Authenticated Download Date | 7/18/15 5:18 PM LENI, M.F.VERHOFSTADT-DENEVE at the intra-dimensional level (e.g. what I express externally vs. what I think internally); and the oppositions between subjective interpretations and "reality".

Transition and Conflict in the Development of Individuals and the Group in Group Psychotherapy With Adolescents

“…The phenomenal aspect of this process is based on the subjective potential and restrictions in the construction of the self which we may refer to as the weakness of the ego; the dialectic aspect refers to an underlying dynamic process which enables the individual to change qualitatively through a constantly renewing series of crises or transitions to the next phase of development or the next developmental stage of the group process. This option of using conflict in a developmental therapeutic model is clarified by Verhofstadt-Deneve (1995).…”

“…For this article we have selected two concepts from the group-analytic model, the focal conflict and the group theme in order to link these with the above conflict model and the dialogical process described by Verhofstadt (1988Verhofstadt ( ,1995.…”

Action- And Drama-Techniques With Adolescent Victims of Violence a Developmental Therapeutic Model

“…(Verhofstadt-Den£ve, 1988, 1995, 1997, 2000. Clearly, in this model the reflection of the I on the ME is much more comprehensive than the conventional "self'-reflection, since the ME contains not only the self, but also the whole social and object world.…”