| Attachment Style | IWM of Self | IWM of Other | Counseling Presentation | Therapeutic Pitfall | |----------------|-------------|--------------|------------------------|----------------------| | Secure | Worthy | Trustworthy | Coherent narrative, seeks help appropriately | Underestimating distress | | Anxious-preoccupied | Unworthy | Unpredictably good | Over-disclosure, demands for contact, crisis of the week | Becoming enmeshed, boundary erosion | | Dismissing-avoidant | Worthy (defensive) | Untrustworthy | Intellectualizes, minimizes, rejects help | Pushing too hard for emotion; client flees | | Fearful-avoidant (disorganized) | Unworthy | Dangerous | Chaotic relationships, self-harm, dissociation | Getting pulled into rescue-reject cycles |
| Piagetian Stage | Clinical Feature | Counseling Error to Avoid | |----------------|----------------|---------------------------| | Preoperational (2-7) | Magical thinking, egocentrism | Assuming client understands cause-effect (e.g., “Your drinking causes marital conflict” – they may hear “I cause everything bad.”) | | Concrete operational (7-11) | Literal, rule-bound, justice-focused | Using abstract metaphors (“emotional bank account”) – client needs behavioral contracts and visual tracking | | Formal operational (12+) | Hypothetical reasoning, multiple perspectives | Over-explaining – client can generate own solutions if given Socratic questioning |
Case Example – The 45-Year-Old “Stuck” Executive: A client presents with depression and apathy. He has career success but feels his life is meaningless. He avoids his children and is having an affair. Lenses Applying Lifespan Development Theories In Counseling
Case Example – The 22-Year-Old in Identity Diffusion: A college graduate who changes majors four times, cannot commit to a job, and ends relationships abruptly.
Applying lifespan theories is not a neutral act. Most classic theories were derived from Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic (WEIRD) samples. Erikson’s stages assume individual autonomy; collectivist cultures may prioritize interdependence over identity. Levinson’s “Dream” assumes freedom of choice not available to those facing systemic oppression. | Attachment Style | IWM of Self |
The Culturally Competent Counselor must:
Case – The Anxious Graduate Student (Age 26): The client avoids public speaking despite high intelligence. She says, “I’m just not a public speaker.” Case Example – The 22-Year-Old in Identity Diffusion:
Case – The 35-Year-Old in a Toxic Workplace: The client complains of burnout and helplessness. He believes he has no agency.