CURRENT COUNSELLING VIEWS AND THE MEDICAL MODEL: AN EXPLORATION OF THE TENSION

Abstract

The field of psychotherapy has been influenced by several ideologies and models. Among these, the medical model is the most influential and dominant. There is great tension between the philosophical foundation on which psychotherapy was built and how it is practiced today. Having a comprehensive understanding of this tension and its impact on students of counselling is imperative for the future of psychotherapy. I used Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to answer the research question: What impact does the tension between the medical model and the humanistic approach to counselling have on students in a Master of Counselling in a psychology program? I interviewed four participants who shared their experiences regarding this tension. Five themes emerged from the analysis and will be discussed. The themes highlighted the importance of education and training for students so that they can evolve with the growing demands of psychotherapy.