
Where do problems
come from?:
 Problems are symptoms
of unresolved conflicts

Focus:
 Inner, unconscious
motivations
 Attempts to resolve
conflicts between
personal needs and
social requirements

Approach to therapy:
 Understand internal
conflicts/trauma
 Make conscious the
relationship between
overt problems and
unresolved issues
 Work through problems
to reach effective
solution

Where do problems come from?:
 Problems are the result of learned, self-defeating
behaviors

Focus:
 Observable behavior
 Conditions that sustain unhealthy behavior

Approach to therapy :
 Apply principles of
conditioning and
reinforcement and
people can learn healthy
behaviors

Where do problems
come from?:
 Problems are a result of
WHAT and HOW we
think
▪ Including distorted views
of self, faulty reasoning,
and poor problem solving

Focus:
 Thoughts and thought
processes that cause
problems

Approach to therapy:
 Reconfigure thought patterns so people can learn
healthy, realistic ways of thinking

Where do problems
come from?:
 Problems are the result
of issues in daily life
 Esp. a lack of meaningful
relationships and
significant goals

Focus:
 Unite the mind and body
(the “whole” person)
 Release potential for
greater levels of
performance and rich
experiences

Approach to therapy :
 Examine current
experiences and learn to
realize full potential

Where do problems
come from?:
 Psychological issues
stem from underlying
biological (physical)
causes
▪ Structural abnormalities of
the brain, biochemical
processes, genetics

Focus:
 Target the “hardware” of
the body
▪ Nervous System,
Endocrine System, and
Metabolism

Approach to therapy :
 Alter brain or body
functioning
 Drugs, surgery,
electroconvulsive
therapy

Where do problems come from?:
 Culture, politics, socioeconomic status affect
behavior

Focus:
 Learned cultural norms and behaviors

Approach to therapy :
 Reinforcing positive cultural beliefs, traditions,
and behaviors
 Reconciling personal cultural beliefs with overall
social norms