The Life-Span Developmental Approach to Counseling Essay -- essays res

The life-span development approach addresses the basic nature versus nurture arguing by allowing for both(prenominal). Just as our physicals selves are determined by both genetics and lifestyle, so are our emotional selves. As a licence Professional Counselor, I plan to consider life-span development to specialize in counseling a specific type of someone with hopes of becoming well-versed, and whence more helpful, in the types of experiences that group faces.Personality rout out be damp understood if it is examined developmentally (Santrock, 2006, p. 45). Considering cognitive, biological, and socioemotional development throughout life will tolerate context, guideposts, and reasonable expectations for counselors. Life-span development theories also provide a useful appear to depress when offering emotional support as a counselor. arrangement an individuals previous stages of development and environment can bequeath a counselor and individual a common place from which to s tart counseling. Most of the developmental theorists discussed in section one of SantrockSigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Konrad Lorenz, and to an goal B. F. Skinnerfocused mostly on early or childhood development. Early development, when considered in a life-span context of development, can give an LPC insight in an individuals psycheality. Regardless of specialization, a counselor can weigh early sorts against his or her contemporary observations, giving them a pregnant context.Actual development requires more than genetic loading an environment (Santrock, 2006, p. 98). Two cognitive developmental theories support Santrocks assertion of environmental influence on early development. First, Piagets cognitive developmental theory defines how a person behaves as how a person adapts to his or her environment. An individuals behavior is an adaptive process pokingn by a biological drive to obtain balance between schemes and the environment (Huitt and Hummel, 2003). This t heory states that development is a byproduct linking and relating our experiences to each some other, starting with general environmental knowledge, until a persons cognitive ability is composed of more abstract reasoning. The jiffy cognitive theory emphasizes social and cultural environment. Vygotskys theory points to our relationships with others as the definitions of ourselves (Nicholl, 1998, par. 13). Two other theo... ...span development is a multi-faceted approach to counseling. Using these and other theories gives a licensed professional counselor a variety of tools for counseling. I expect these theories to help me determine a specialty in my future day practice, relying on the overlap and complexity of working in terms of an complete human life.References?Boeree, C. George. (1997). Erik Erikson 1902 to 1994. Shippensburg, PA Shippensburg University. Retrieved 21 June 2005 from http//www.ship.edu/cgboeree/erikson.html.Huitt, W. (1997). Socioemotional development. Educat ional Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA Valdosta evidence University. Retrieved 22 June 2005, from http//chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/affsys/erikson.html.Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2003). Piagets theory of cognitive development. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA Valdosta State University. Retrieved 21 June 2005 from http//chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/piaget.html.Nicholl, P .M. (Trish). 1998. Vygotsky. Palmerston North, NZ Massey University. Retrieved 21 June 2005 from http//www.massey.ac.nz/alock/virtual/trishvyg.htm.Santrock, washbasin H. (2006) Life-Span Development. New York, NY McGraw-Hill.