DIGEST - Volume 9, Issue 4- FULL DIGEST

16 TPC Digest Katherine E. Purswell Humanistic Learning Theory in Counselor Education W ith the philosophical shift in the mental health field from a meaning-making, holistic model of mental health toward a reductionistic, medical model, counselor preparation programs have adapted by increasing the emphasis on measuring outcomes, sometimes at the expense of focusing on aspects of counseling that are less easy to quantitatively assess. Many counseling faculty ascribe to a humanistic way of viewing people, and the increasing focus on outcomes over process may create dissonance for them. Humanistic learning theory is grounded in the philosophy of humanistic theories of counseling, including person- centered theory. Therefore, humanist educators have an unwavering trust in the individual’s growth capacity and view self-directed learning as most facilitative of growth. Humanistic educators tend to focus less on accumulation of knowledge and more on how the learner’s way of being in the world impacts the integration of skills and knowledge. Most humanistic learning theorists base their view of the educator–learner relationship on Carl Rogers’s three therapist-provided conditions for personality change: congruence, empathic understanding, and unconditional positive regard. The goal of facilitating relationships in a learning environment characterized by these person- centered attitudes is to provide learners with the opportunity for the growth and development of the whole person. When counseling faculty facilitate these types of relationships between themselves and learners, they create an environment in which counselors-in-training are free to examine their beliefs and tolerate ambiguity. One key outcome of the humanistic approach to learning is a deeper understanding of oneself, an important characteristic of a counselor. A humanistic learning environment also promotes a sense of care, acceptance, and respect toward individuals in society. Concrete knowledge and skills also are an outcome in humanistic learning theory, though they are generally considered more of a byproduct than the primary focus of learning. However, providing a warm, transparent, empathic environment does not preclude counselor educators from giving students feedback that may challenge them. When students struggle, person-centered and humanistic educators try to develop an empathic understanding of the struggling student’s view of oneself, to be accepting of that view, and to be transparently honest with the learner about their standing in the program. Counseling faculty today are tasked with helping students develop their growth potential and learn the process of becoming effective counselors and also are required to engage in assessment activities in addition to many other roles. Person-centered faculty can use a variety of strategies to facilitate self-direction rather than reliance on the teacher for all learning and assessment. This approach may not be a good fit for counselor educators who do not identify with more humanistic modes of learning. In addition, the idea of taking responsibility for their own learning may be stressful for some students. Counselor educators utilizing this theory of learning need to assess whether such stress levels are facilitative or debilitating for learners. In summary, humanistic counseling faculty hope to foster counselors-in-training’s self- understanding, caring and accepting attitudes toward people, and the acquisition of concrete knowledge and skills needed in the counseling profession. Katherine E. Purswell is an assistant professor at Texas State University. Correspondence can be addressed to Katherine Purswell, 601 University Dr., EDU 4019, San Marcos, TX 78666, kp1074@txstate.edu. |