What I did for My Summer Motivation "Every why has a wherefore."
-Shakespeare (Comedy of Errors, Act II, Scene 2)Case Study #001- R. Clark
The last six months are the most pertinent so to keep this assessment brief we will confine ourselves to them. For our purposes this sojourn begins on 20 November 1987, a Friday, when clients girlfriend of five years quits him for another man. Client is suddenly presented with lots of time and immediate lack of gratification to reflect upon his life goals. To assist his soul search client has a friend erect his astrological chart, analyze it briefly and leave it with him to study intensively. Which client then does using a dozen texts of astrological thought including Liz Greene's "Relating- A successful fusion of Astrology and Psychology...a reference work for all interested in Jungian, Transpersonal and all post-Maslovian psychological movements" (1977 Sam Weiser pub.) This process brings him to seek out others with similar interests at the Universal Life Metaphysical Center (about mid-Feb.). The influence of the staff and congregation there start him meditating again. The client begins noticing a definite change in some of the people who attend the center and participate in its programs over time. A gradual progression from nervous wrecks to self-actualizing people apparently making the most of their potential. Client is very impressed by this observed tranceformation in himself and others. This brings him to the decision that helping people to be the best that they can possibly be is a very worthwhile pursuit. So he then fills out the financial aid packets to go back to school in the Fall of 1988, two weeks later (mid-Mar.) he loses his dead-end job. Since the client's mind is made up to be a psychologist. Client then makes the decision to go to Santa Fe Community College in May instead of September as planned. At the time of registration for school, client secures a job with Mental Health Services Inc. @ Turning Point (a group home for emotionally disturbed adolescent boys). When Client goes to school he discovers not only learning he finds an instructor that is wise, simpatico, and in every respect congruent with client's goals. In this class he is required to write a 500 word paper on his motivation to give up short term social gratification in light of the long term goal of an exciting and challenging career in Psychology. This paper further demands discussion of the various schools of Psychology. This powerful need has drawn the most illustrious members and originators of these schools across space and time to achieve this end. Let us now introduce the committee: Adler, Bandura, Erickson, Freud, Hull, Kohlberg, Maslow, Rogers, Rotter, and Thorndike. Before we have them speak, the client would like to make a short statement consisting of influential quotes, belief systems, and goals.
Quotes"Self reverence, Self knowledge, Self control, these three alone lead life to sovereign power." -Tennyson
"The noblest motive is the public good." -Virgil
"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know; the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve." -Dr Albert Schweitzer
"You will pay for the eating of meat with the blood of your sons." -Vedas
"The greatest object in the universe, says a certain philosopher is a good man struggling with adversity; Yet there is a still greater, which is the good man that comes to relieve it." -Goldsmith
"We live in a world which is full of misery and ignorance, and the plain duty of each and all of us is to try to make the little corner he can influence somewhat less miserable and somewhat less ignorant than it was before he entered it." -Huxley
Belief SystemsEverything happens for a reason and a purpose, and it serves me.
No such thing as failure, only results and experience.
I am in control of my life and bear full response-ability.
GoalsBecome more self-actualized, aware, and compassionate.
To absorb as many positives into myself as possible.
To make all around me feel supported, appreciated, and understood to empower them to be the most resourceful beings they can be.
To obtain at least a Bachelors degree in Psychology to enable me to fulfill these aims. [Note: While my goal has expanded to include other medical concerns via the naturopathy model, psychology remains a vital and integral part of this discipline.]
Gentlemen, to avoid hurt feelings and argument we will hear your observations and insights alphabetically, do keep your statements brief as this paper is way over minimum and it is fast approaching maximum wordage.Adler: This man is in my opinion exercising his inferiority through the expected superior feelings of power in the counciling relationship.
Bandura: The client is obviously modeling himself after some humanitarians like Schweitzer, Brown, and many of us.
Erickson: As a young adult he is in the Intimacy vs. Isolation Stage and is according his life with the interrelatedness he feels for his fellow humans.
Freud: [I feel that this man must have seen the movie "The Jerk" as acted by Steve Martin, where the "Jerk's" penis is euphemized as his "Special Purpose"] The Client has sublimated his erotic desires into humanitarian goals.
Hull: The client has in my opinion been participating in random action until this learned motivational state or "Acquired Drive" as I like to call it has created the tension necessary to drive him back to school and keep him applied to his studies.
Kohlberg: I rate client at the Social Contract Stage (Five) as exemplified by his desire to promote society's welfare. Who knows? He could be higher.
Maslow: This fine fellow's Self-actualizing mentality appears to have carried his growth motivation far from mere deficiency through the needs hierarchy to near if not at transcendence.
Rogers: I agree wholeheartedly with comrade Maslow.
Rotter: The client obviously values the rewards he expects to receive upon completion of the rigors of schooling.
Thorndike: My Law of Effect appears to have reduced the stimuli undesirability in view of the reward potential.
New Age Physiologists: We may draw an inference from clients citing of the Vedic text indicating aggressive warlike values promoted by carnivorous habits and speculate that this vegetarian orientation may have produced a change from Thanatos influenced bodily processes to Eros influenced ones bringing the client in touch with these higher social values.
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