Analyzing and Treating Alcoholism Term Paper

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Treating Alcoholism presents therapists with multi-dimensional issues -- multicultural understanding and contextual setting of the client (profession, family, history, work conditions and exposure to extraordinary conditions, in the case of those serving in the military), dominates these settings within which psychotherapists are required to work. Lack of adequate and healthy outlet for feelings; absence of recreation, often lead to excessive, and harmful drinking. Yet, each case is an independent experience requiring the therapist to be flexible, yet focused on creating value at all times. As such, a therapist's work with each client may be termed aptly as a 'discovery'.

A psychologist deals with interpersonal exchanges using a worldview (i.e., group of attitudes) that aids in shaping their opinion of other people. Their worldview is partly governed by cultural experiences. In fact, multicultural and cross-cultural literature constantly highlight the following facts (Duncan, 2010):

1) Man is a multicultural being (Duncan, 2010);

2) One's lifetime experiences are governed and perceived from within one's respective cultural perspective (Duncan, 2010); and

3) Every interaction is cross-cultural (Duncan, 2010).

A psychologist is urged to understand the way cultures differ from one another in fundamental premises shaping the worldview. For instance, understanding that mainstream American persons prefer to be independent, focus on success and achievement, value logical decision-making, and know and control their respective personal goals forms a particular cultural aspect, might be important (Duncan, 2010).

An interesting and persuasive article, written after conducting thorough empirical analysis, describes a six-stage (lay helper-senior professional) therapist development model and discusses the significance of constant reflection. Authors maintain that constant reflection and a receptive attitude towards learning new things is essential for professional growth at every level of experience. In the field of psychology, personal growth accompanied by considering and defining, editing, refining, expanding, or completely altering how one works is beneficial. At this juncture, one must give due importance to integrity and how it's importance for therapists to have faith in the solutions and explanations they employ (i.e., in the words of Frank, how important it is to believe in applied therapeutic methods' restorative power). Considering the effect of psychologists' expectations (i.e., their allegiance to how they aid clients), describing their work in a way that takes care not to restrict their flexibility, and in which they believe, makes sense (Duncan, 2010).

Multiculturalism in Psychology

With the debate on multiculturalism in the field of psychology prevailing with mutually exclusive and varying perspectives, it becomes increasingly vital to look both internally and externally. Today's psychology research, education, and practice are guided by numerous societal influences introduced because of events across the globe as well as by other branches of learning. Global migration, global terrorism, cloning, breakthroughs in genetic research, climate change, and the effectiveness of diverse medications in the health as well as mental healthcare domains represent some external forces that impact psychologists' training and practice (APA, 2003). Their Guideline aims at informing them of:

(1) Present and impending contexts which motivate psychologists to exhibit proactive behavior when it comes to organizational change (APA, 2003);

(2) Models and frameworks for facilitating multicultural institutional growth (APA, 2003);

(3) Perspectives concerning psychotherapists in transition (APA, 2003); and (4) Practice and process examples, which reflect leadership of psychologists in developing culture-focused organizations (APA, 2003, p. 51).

To endorse this Guideline, one can find contextual information providing a base on which multiculturalism can be positioned as thematic to organizational strategic planning, structures, and functions, in addition to examples of modification in psychology practices and policies (APA, 2003).

It is clear that the psychology landscape is evolving -- psychologists are now entering political life, and are assuming responsibilities in healthcare organization and EAP (Employee Assistance Program) (APA, 2003) administration; as provosts and deans in colleges/universities; as corporate consultants; and in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). All these divergent roles require psychologists to perform different functions and use different systems guided by different forces, as well as interacting with individuals belonging to different professions and social classes/groups (APA, 2003).

Stress 'Show Up' In Their Work

A major military problem is heavy alcohol consumption. Armed forces personnel frequently turn to alcohol for coping with stress, loneliness, lack of recreation, and boredom. Easy alcohol availability, inconsistent policies, and ritualized opportunities for drinking have given rise to a military culture facilitating heavy, binge drinking. Prevention strategies like alcohol consumption-related policies, together with campaigns that concentrate on alcohol "de-glamorization," health promotion, and personal responsibility, are currently being put into practice for reducing heavy alcohol consumption.

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However, additional research studies are required for evaluating the impacts of such efforts. Another aspect that will aid creation of sound prevention strategies is the understanding of military culture characteristics that permit or promote binge and heavy drinking (Ames & Cunradi, 2012). Almost 29% of United States Armed Forces members on active duty tested positive for drinking to "at-risk" levels, while 5.6% scored 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C). Interviewers recognized potential alcohol-related issues in just 61.8% of army personnel who tested positive for drinking up to "at-risk" levels, and just 74.9% of individuals who scored 8 or more on AUDIT-C. Only 29.2% of individuals at risk and 35.9% having an 8+ score on AUDIT-C were referred to settings such as primary care for follow-up (Larson, 2014). According to Furuya's 2015 report, military personnel with drinking issues were advised to enroll themselves in the Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) at American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Level 1 (outpatient service), and to continue treatment till they were given the go-ahead for discharge by clinicians. In the course of this program, they were required to abstain completely from drugs and alcohol, and were required to attend every meeting scheduled as part of the Program. Furthermore, experts recommended that they attend at least three Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings a week, provide documented proof of compliance, find an Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor, and build a support group of sober members (Furuya 2015).

Engage Them in Treatment Planning and Identifying Objectives

Voice therapy will be employed for dealing with a certain internal, self-loathing component that helps create a micro-suicidal state as it wishes to completely destabilize and destroy a person. Contrary to one's inner critic's intentions, which are normally 'I want what's best for him/her and I'm attempting to help him/her improve him/herself,' this negative voice states that, 'he/she is useless, repulsive, and deserves not to live' While one can persuade the former to come up with different means to meet its good intentions, the latter must be externalized as well as overcome using a self-affirming, healthy component (Ingram, 2006, p. 291).

Another exercise typically described as a struggle between the two aforementioned internal components -- of which one wishes to undergo change while the other opposes change -- is resistance (Ingram, 2006). The opposition to change comes from a fear of the risks change entails, or a preference for the benefits associated with remaining the same. Resistance can also be interpreted as: individuals have different, contradictory goals or needs; e.g., adventure versus security, independence versus dependence, or devoting time to family versus material success. If one progresses towards any one of these goals, the part representing the other (contradictory) goal starts feeling threatened. If a psychologist devotes time to exploring different inner components' perspectives prior to formulating a therapeutic contract, he/she can typically foster a more cooperative and constructive alliance, whilst successfully circumventing resistance (Ingram, 2006).

Benefits and Limitations Posited in The Reading: Madsen Chapters

The readings are replete with benefits for readers and offer a clear-cut picture of healthy development as well as how it can or must be handled and implemented, by psychotherapists in the context of therapy. Therapists need to be emphatically attuned to the client, perceive him/her as independent, acknowledge and aid them in labeling their feelings, and try not to mold them into what they aren't (Ingram, 2006). Psychology and the Wizard of Oz are linked to each other skillfully by Duncan (2010), who calls the story a delightful metaphor for peoples' quests for resolving issues, and, surprisingly, for psychotherapists' identity. The familiar story's 4 characters believe something is missing from their lives, and each feel they need a wizard's aid to find completeness (APA, 2003).

Traditionally, psychology is based on and defined by biological, Western, and Eurocentric assumptions and perspectives. These conventional bases of organizational change and psychological research, education, and practice have invariably failed to take into account the impact and influence of cultural and racial socialization (APA, 2003). Furthermore, they have also failed to consider the fact that related biases sometimes have negative impacts on public interest and clients' increasingly complex requirements (APA, 2003).

Conclusion

The discipline of psychology exists relative to other fields, organizations, and societal facets. The profession is dynamic in nature, and psychologists' education readies them for being change agents; leaders in work environments like psychology organizations, private sector organizations and governmental.....

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