Psychocorrection is one that aims to correct the direction emotional development or pre-existing characteristics. This is one of highlights socialization of the individual, as well as adaptation of a person to change.

Specific features of psychocorrection

On the this moment time has become not only a habitual phenomenon, but also an objective necessity. It implies a targeted influence on human behavior, his worldview and other areas of life. A good psychologist can radically change the situation when it comes to developmental or behavioral deviations.

Speaking about the goal of psycho-correction, it is worth noting that it is to identify and eradicate any human defects. Here it is important to understand its fundamental difference from other common concepts. It is not equivalent to either counseling or psychotherapy. Correction is possible even in cases where a person not only does not realize his problems, but also refuses to do so. It is also possible to purposefully expand a person's worldview, his physical and mental skills.

Speaking about the main features of psycho-correction, it is important to note its discreteness. This means that a psychologist can influence the deepest internal systems that function independently of each other. It is also important to understand that psychocorrection focuses on different age categories. So, the methods that are used in working with adults will be ineffective in the case of children.

When is psychotherapy needed?

The task of psychocorrection is determined, firstly, by the age and other characteristics of the patient himself. It is also important to take into account the direction of work (correction of deviations, developmental delays, and so on). So, most often, psychocorrection is resorted to in such cases:

• irritability and excitability;
• excessive anger and intolerance towards others;
• prone to conflict;
• excessive emotionality and susceptibility to external stimuli;
• pessimistic attitude towards life;
• committing rash acts;
• apathy and indifference to what is happening around;
• excessive activity or, on the contrary, passivity of behavior;
• fixation on the same problem;
• other deviations.

It is important to understand that not every person is ready to openly tell a specialist about an existing problem due to its intimate or confidential nature. In this case, the work of such a service as a telephone for psychological assistance becomes especially relevant, with the help of which absolutely anonymous consultation can be obtained.

The emergence and development of psychocorrection

Psychological correction in its development has passed four successive periods. The first consisted exclusively in the description of already known facts and new hypotheses. It was mainly about the diagnosis and correction of the condition of children who lagged behind both in mental and physical development. Theories were developed that implied work with worldview and cognitive processes.

At the next stage, the theory took shape in a separate field of knowledge, and therefore the time has come for practical experiments. Psychologists began direct corrective work with patients. The main attention was paid to such activities as psychological diagnostics and correction of children's cognitive processes. Begins to show interest in the phenomenon of memory. Active work with children characterized by destructive behavior also begins.

The third stage was characterized by the unification of all previously existing ideas into a single concept, which determined the signs of anomalous conditions. The main directions in which psychological correction was carried out were also developed. The theory and methods of adaptation of children with anomalies in the development of hearing, speech, vision and other systems are being developed.

Modernity can also be attributed to the fourth period. It is characterized by active work of specialists. At the same time, psychological correction is no longer just a theory, but a generally accepted practice, which includes the work of teachers, doctors, as well as rehabilitation centers and other services.

Classification

A good psychologist must be familiar with a wide range of correction techniques. It is worth highlighting the following varieties:

• In accordance with the tasks:
  • normalization of family relations;
  • correction through gaming techniques;
  • neuropsychological mechanisms;
  • stimulation and correction of personal development.
• Towards:
  • short-term impact on the human psyche in order to eliminate acute negative symptoms;
  • work on identifying and neutralizing the causes of psychological deviations.
• According to the way of influence:
  • directive correction;
  • non-directive methods of influence.
• By organizational form:
  • general correction, which leads to optimization of perception and interaction with the environment;
  • private psycho-correction is the impact on certain areas of the individual's activity;
  • special means the solution of specific narrow problems.

Where is psychocorrection applied?

Despite the complexity and delicacy of the topic, psychocorrection is a fairly common practice. It has a very wide scope. Most often, this mechanism is used in the following areas:

• and adolescents (also sometimes it can be about working with adults);
• correction of intellectual activity (perception and processing of information, as well as the ability to assimilate and correctly evaluate it);
• psychological correction of adolescents who, under the influence of an unstable hormonal background, can be characterized by deviant behavior;
• correction of a person's personal development, which involves the definition of life guidelines, as well as setting and achieving goals;
• behavior correction (this may apply to children, as well as the rehabilitation of antisocial personalities);
• work on the emotional sphere.

Methods of psychocorrection

Correction can be carried out in accordance with the following methods:

• A simple sentence involves modeling certain situations in which the patient is asked to make a decision. It should be noted that it is strictly forbidden to talk about vital situations.
• The instruction-paradox lies in the fact that the patient will be asked to simulate a situation in which he continues to behave in the same way, without making any adjustments. As a result, he must independently realize the fallacy of his position.
• Fantasy is the formation of abstract reasoning about a real-life problem. The patient can think about its causes and possible consequences, as well as alternative ways out of the situation.
• The formation of a new vision of the situation provides for the expansion of the worldview. There is an opportunity to look at the problem from a new, positive side.
• Feedback is a method that involves establishing a trusting relationship between the psychologist and his client. When the goal is achieved, the doctor will have sufficient influence on the situation and the person's consciousness.
• Closed questions are used when the patient cannot (or does not want to) clearly explain his position. The psychologist begins to list alternative options himself.
• Building a logical chain provides an opportunity to structure the problem. Thus, not only causes are revealed, but also intermediate obstacles to overcome.
• The emotional summary brings the patient back to the experienced situation. At the same time, he should not describe the course of events, but precisely his feelings.

Work with children

Psychocorrection of children is carried out on the basis of the following series of principles:

• correctional work must certainly be preceded by diagnostics, the results of which determine the mechanisms of psychological influence;
• work to eliminate deviations implies the establishment of full contact and interaction (otherwise it will be ineffective);
• in working with children, it is important to focus on the immediate period of development, and not on the long term;
• correction should be carried out in the direction from higher psychological processes to their elementary manifestations;
• for each age period, reference indicators of development, behavior and worldview are determined, which the specialist should be guided by in the process of working with the child;
• it is important not only to eliminate the deviation, but to eradicate the very cause (otherwise the problem may return at any time);
• the psychologist must determine the age point at which the first signs of deviation were noticed, and then take appropriate measures;
• psychological correction should not concern normally working processes and mechanisms, but only affect deviant ones (at the same time, it is important to prevent the occurrence of deviations in the future);
• it is impossible to work with children according to a unified scenario (each session should be planned based on what successes were achieved during the previous one);
• psychological correction of the child's behavior should take into account the interests and abilities;
• sessions should carry not only practical significance, but also give children emotional and aesthetic pleasure.

Stages of working with children

Socio-psychological correction of children's behavior includes the following steps:

• diagnosis based on the results of a conversation both with the child himself and with persons in his environment (friends, parents, teachers);
• drawing up long-term forecasts for the development of the situation (options should be provided both for the results of the correction, and in case of refusal to do so);
• development correctional program with an indication of the goals and their detailing into individual tasks;
• implementation of the planned plan psychological work;
• assessment of the achieved results.

Most experts agree that the emergence of a fundamentally new view of the current situation can be considered a positive shift.

Teen Helpline

The teenage period is one of the most difficult, both in terms of development and in terms of setting up psychological work. It is important to understand that it is at this time that a person is faced with serious problems of worldview, choice and attitude to certain situations. If we consider that the situation is aggravated by hormonal instability, then often the questions are of an intimate nature. Obviously, young people are not always ready to talk about their problems openly. A way out of the situation can be a helpline for teenagers.

It is important to understand that this form of psychological assistance is one of the most effective and suitable for older children. school age. That is why it has become so widespread all over the world. At the same time, not only teenagers themselves can call, but also their parents, teachers, friends and close people. This demand is also due to the fact that telephone communication is one of the most accessible resources at the moment.

If you pay attention to the statistics, it is in adolescence that the largest number of suicide cases occurs. This is mainly due to the fact that young people do not find understanding in their usual social circle or simply do not dare to talk about their problem. If we talk about such a service as a helpline for teenagers, then it becomes possible to speak out and get help from a qualified psychologist. This option attracts young people because the conversation does not oblige them to anything and can be completed at any time.

The task of the specialist who ensures the operation of the service is to establish a trusting relationship and create an atmosphere of mutual understanding. In parallel, the psychologist must determine the severity of the problem, the emotional state of the client, as well as the period of time during which this or that assistance can be provided. Feeling the absence of criticism and complete understanding, the teenager will most likely open up to a specialist, which will allow him to remove emotional stress and proceed to the direct search for ways out of the situation.

Conclusion

Psychocorrection is the correction of a person's emotional state with the help of a specialist. The modern pace of life, as well as the saturation of its events, cannot but affect state of mind people, and therefore this phenomenon has long ceased to be something new and unusual. Timely help from a psychologist sometimes becomes a defining moment in solving a particular emotional problem. If the matter is sensitive, a psychological helpline can be used.

Psychocorrection in its development has gone through several successive stages. At first, these were exclusively theoretical works, in which hypotheses were put forward about the possibility of correcting the emotional state of a person or his attitude to the current situation. Gradually, experts began to move on to practical experiments. The greatest attention was paid to working with children and adolescents, because in their thinking and behavior the greatest number of deviations is observed. After all the ideas were combined within one concept, psychocorrection became a common practice.

Every day, psychologists face one or another that requires indispensable intervention. If we talk about correction, then it is aimed at the condition of children and adolescents, intellectual problems, as well as solving issues that relate to the personal growth of a person. Quite often, changes require the behavioral characteristics of a person who has undergone deviations due to certain circumstances. One of the most difficult areas for correction is the emotional background.

As for working with children and adolescents, here one of the decisive roles in psychological correction play the so-called helplines, which are characterized by complete anonymity. Adolescence is characterized by hormonal and emotional instability, which often leads to deviations psychological nature, as well as problems with the worldview. In some cases, teenagers simply cannot open up to a stranger (especially an adult) due to the delicacy of the problem. Communicating with a stranger via telephone, young people can give vent to emotions, as well as receive moral support and advice.

Psychological correction is understood as the activity of a psychologist to correct (correct) those features mental development, which, according to the accepted system of criteria, do not correspond to some “optimal” model. Psychotherapy is a narrower concept, originally associated with the treatment of mental and psychosomatic diseases by psychological means, but in recent years it has been extended in general to cases of mental distress (internal conflicts, depression, anxiety, fears, and communication disorders, and related experiences, etc.) , including within the medical norm.

Methods of psychological correction and psychotherapy are diverse and their choice depends on which psychological school the psychologist belongs to. With sufficient conventionality, they can be classified according to the specifics of the main approaches. a) Behavioral approach.

Within the framework of the behavioral approach, deviations are interpreted in accordance with the principles of behaviorism, and psychological correction and psychotherapy are associated with the need to form optimal behavioral skills in the person who applied for help; mental disorders various types, from the point of view of the behavioral approach, are due to non-adaptive behavior.

Methods used in behavioral correction

Conditionally classified into three main groups.

Counterconditioning Methods Assume Gap

An undesirable established connection between the conditioned stimulus and reaction (3) and (or) replacing it with a new one. Such techniques are practiced as a combination of an impact that is pleasant for the client * with a situation that is usually unpleasant for him, or, conversely, a combination of an unpleasant impact with a situation that is usually pleasurable (for example, when getting rid of bad habits). Note that in many cases, various authors who criticize some counterconditioning techniques express doubts about the ethics of inflicting suffering, even if for a good purpose (for example, electric shocks when getting rid of the habit of smoking).

Another variant of counterconditioning is a paradoxical (for the client) combination with a pleasant or unpleasant situation not of a specific impact, but of a state. So, in the example given by J. Godefroy (3), a person is taught to relax, and then he, being in this state, is presented with a situation that usually causes minimal anxiety (and therefore tension); when he ceases to feel anxiety, they move on to more stressful situations, presenting them in the order of increasing strength of negative influences.

Along with counterconditioning, operant methods are singled out, based on the principles identified by B. Skinner.

These methods are based on a system of rewards that the client receives for those actions that the therapist considers desirable, as a result, according to Skinner's ideas (we discussed them in the section on behaviorism), the likelihood of such behavior increases.

A variant of this approach is the formation of desirable behavior based on self-control and self-rewards; in this case, the client himself selects and creates favorable situations in life and avoids undesirable ones.

Finally, the third group of methods within the behavioral approach are those based on the views of sociobehaviorists; according to the latter, as you remember, a person learns through observation (on-

T In psychotherapy, the person on whom therapeutic procedures are carried out is called a "patient" or "client"; we will use the latter, including when talking about psycho-correction.

Along with other forms of learning). The therapy, accordingly, is based on the presentation of a model of optimal behavior, which the client must follow, imitating it. For example, if a child is afraid of dogs, then the therapist demonstrates to him his own fearless communication with dogs (or someone else's) - say, by approaching the dog and petting it.

B) The activity approach, which was formed mainly in the domestic psychological school (you got acquainted with its principles in the corresponding section), involves correction through the organization of special training, during which the person undergoing correction masters psychological means that allow, at a new level, to exercise control and management of internal and external activity. In many cases, the initial mastery of the action on the external plane and subsequent internalization, the transition to the internal, ideal plane, is practiced. Recall in this connection the material devoted to L. S. Vygotsky, A. R. Luria, P. Ya. Galperin. The activity approach is alternative to the behavioral one (in fact, in many respects it was formed as an opposition one), focusing not on getting rid of the symptom as such, but on building new internal systems.

C) Cognitivist approach. It is based on theories that describe personality in terms of the organization of cognitive structures. It is with them that the psychologist works in a correctional plan, and in some cases we are talking not only about violations of the cognitive sphere proper, but also about the difficulties that determine the problems of communication, internal conflicts, etc. Thus, the already mentioned American researcher J. Kelly (1905- 1966) placed at the center of his theory of "personal constructs" the idea that the main thing is what means a person has to describe the world, to predict future events. According to Kelly, a person builds an image of reality on the basis of special-and individual-conceptual scales that allow one to establish similarities and differences between events (the simplest examples: good-evil, strong-weak, etc.). These scales (they are “personal constructs”), included in complex relationships, form systems that allow one to put forward hypotheses about the world; non-confirmation of hypotheses entails the rejection of the construct or the restructuring of relations between constructs. Personal difficulties, according to Kelly, are due to the inadequacy of constructs and difficulties in their restructuring; Accordingly, this is what the correction is directed to. In psychotherapy, he proposed a method called “fixed-role therapy”, in which the client is asked, on the basis of appropriate techniques, to look at the world through the eyes of another person and behave accordingly.

D) Psychoanalytic approach.

We have already discussed various branches of psychoanalysis; with all the differences, the general focus of therapy is to help the client identify the unconscious causes of painful experiences and painful manifestations; through their development (in various forms) the possibility of control and at least partial mastery of behavior is assumed and, as a result, the possibility of radiant growth.

Specific methods of psychoanalytic work vary depending on the particular direction. So, for 3. Freud, the cathartic method was the main one;

Catharsis, i.e. "purification", he associated with the fact that the client re-experiences traumatic childhood events and can react to those feelings that were suppressed. Understanding the causes of painful manifestations and establishing their connection with the present moment by the client is possible due to the fact that the psychoanalyst, interpreting the symbols of dreams and fantasies, interpreting spontaneous statements, fixing points of "resistance", gives appropriate explanations; in acting out, a significant role is played by the transfer to the therapist of those feelings that could not be manifested in relation to their true "objects".

For K.-G. Jung, the main method was "active imagination", which suggested the possibility of meeting and interacting with the symbols of the unconscious. In the therapy of K. Horney, one of the leading methods was the method of joint analysis with the client life path(without deep elaboration of emotional problems) and setting realistic goals. G.-S. Sullivan focused on the "general emotion" that occurs in a therapeutic situation between the therapist and the client when using the "psychiatric interview" method. The examples go on; with all the differences, the general trend of the psychoanalytic approach is as outlined above. (See also the material on psychoanalysis in the corresponding section of this manual).

A widespread area of ​​psychotherapy, also based on psychoanalytic principles, is transactional analysis(in Russian translations the term "transactional analysis" is also used), the founder of which is E. Bern. According to his ideas, the child he was, the adult he is now, and parental images “live” in each person. Accordingly, in interactions with other people, we behave either as a child - free, creative, uninhibited ("natural child") or rebelling against "pressure from above", adapting, alienating ("adapted child"); then as a parent-instructor, controlling, forbidding (“custodial parent” and “controlling parent”); then as an adult, capable of a realistic assessment of events, reasonable, mature, independent. The goal of therapy is to free a person from those addictions that he acquired in childhood and direct him as a kind of prescription, forcing him to “play games”, that is, to behave in interactions with others (they are called transactions) in such a way as to extract certain psychological benefits, reinforcing the positions of "child" and "parent", resulting in the integration of "ego-states", i.e. "Child", "Parent" and "Adult" due to the orientation towards the latter.

E) Existential-humanistic approach. It includes those theories and systems of personal correction arising from them, which are based on the philosophy of existentialism, emphasizing the importance of the problems of human development and the responsibility of a person for his formation. The most important of these are discussed in the section on humanistic psychology and logotherapy, in particular, the approaches of K. Rogers and V. Frankl; we refer you to this section.

E) Gestalt therapy. We also analyzed this direction in the section devoted to Gestalt psychology and the directions associated with it.

G) Psychodrama. This direction is associated with the name of Ya. L. Moreno (1892-1974), an American psychologist, whom many authors consider the founder of group psychotherapy, that is, therapy that is carried out not in the individual work of a psychologist with one client, but in the work of a psychologist with a group, moreover, this work can be directed to one of the members of the group or to the group as a whole. Psychodrama is a method of group therapy in which group members model situations in a theatrical form, offered by one of the participants in the form of a story about the events of his life, dreams, options using literary texts or their retellings are possible. The narrator (protagonist) himself, depending on the chosen form of work, can be a participant or a spectator, to a greater or lesser extent influence the course of dramatization. Important conditions are the goodwill of the group, spontaneity of behavior, improvisation. “Living” important situations, a person realizes problems in a new way, ways of his own response, attitudes to events, values, specific people, opens up new opportunities for building relationships and self-realization. Great importance has a cathartic effect that occurs when reacting to internal conflicts that come to light in the course of psychodramatic action.

Elements of psychodrama are widely used in a variety of therapeutic areas, in addition to psychodrama itself, in psychoanalysis, behavioral therapy, gestalt therapy, etc.

3) Body-oriented approach. Singling out the body-oriented approach on a par with psychoanalytic, behavioral, etc. is not entirely correct, since it does not represent a single theoretical platform; at the same time, we considered it important to talk about it specifically, because in recent times the principle of "treatment of the soul" through the impact on the body is becoming more common.

The founder of this approach in psychology should be considered the already known to you W. Reich, who proposed the system of "vegetotherapy". In his view, any containment of energy leads to the formation of "muscle shells"; since the soul and body are one, it is possible, by “dissolving” these shells, to help a person in releasing energy and thereby alleviate mental suffering. The main techniques are associated with massage and breathing, as well as motor exercises of various types, voice exercises.

The largest successor of Reich's ideas was the creator of the direction called "bioenergetics", Alexander Lowen. The main goal of therapy, according to Lowen, is the return of a person to his "primary nature", i.e. to a state of sincere pleasure, freedom of body movements, emancipation of the body, inclusion of the body in life (8). The main problem is that in the process of socialization a person leaves his own primary needs, as if refusing them. "Return to the body" is carried out through special exercises based on the tension and relaxation of certain muscle groups, verbal ways to release a delayed emotion.

Of the other methods of body-oriented therapy (there are quite a lot of them), we note the so-called “primary therapy” by Arthur Yanov (USA), which, despite its controversy, is widely popular (for example, John Lennon underwent its procedures). At the heart of Yanov's theory is the position that as a result of dissatisfaction with basic needs (biogenic and related to relationships), a person accumulates "primary pain", embodied in tension - physical and mental. To discharge tension, Yanov believed, a person must necessarily re-live the events of the distant past in the therapeutic process, which marked the beginning of "primary pain"; It is in them that the cause of the main disorders. These events will be reacted by shouts, postures, words, bodily movements.

I) Psychosynthesis. This direction is associated with the name of its founder, Roberto Assagioli (1888-1974), who began as a psychoanalyst, becoming its pioneer in Italy. The concept of personality in psychosynthesis is different from psychoanalytic, although it partially correlates with it. Assagioli considers seven components: the lower unconscious (instinctive impulses, passions, primitive desires, etc.); the middle unconscious (thoughts, feelings that can be easily realized, an analogue of the Freudian preconscious); higher unconscious, or superconsciousness (higher feelings and abilities - intuition, inspiration); field of consciousness - analyzed thoughts, feelings, impulses;

The conscious self-"I"-point of clear awareness; the higher self is a kind of "inner god". An important role in psychosynthesis is played by the concept of subpersonalities - as if relatively independent personalities within us; for example, subpersonalities may correspond to the roles we play in life. In the process of therapy, the client learns about the various components of his personality and learns to distinguish them from himself (“mine, but not me”) with the help of special procedures, due to which it is possible to expand the field of consciousness to the entire volume of the unconscious and gradually open its unifying psychological center. Psychosynthesis means the culmination of self-discovery, self-realization and integration around a new center.

K) Transpersonal approach. We have already talked a little about transpersonal psychology, which addresses altered states of consciousness. Its leader Stanislav Grof (Czechoslovak, later American psychologist) notes the connection of his ideas with the concepts of K.-G. Jung, R. Assagioli and A. Maslow's ideas about higher motives and "peak feelings" (special experiences such as inspiration or mystical visions). In transpersonal psychology, in particular, the concepts of "collective unconscious", "superconsciousness", etc. are used, in psychotic states a spiritual crisis and a resource of self-development are seen. Home hallmark transpersonal approach Grof considers the model human soul, which recognizes "the importance of spiritual and cosmic dimensions and opportunities for the evolution of consciousness" (6, p. 148) and the willingness to follow the client into new areas of experience. Accordingly, special experiences that arise in an altered state of consciousness (for example, perinatal memories, i.e., memories of the birth process) allow the client not only to meet his own unconscious, but to live an experience that is correlated with these dimensions. As already mentioned, the method of "holotropic breathing", which we briefly described in one of the previous sections, is widely known.

general characteristics methods and techniques of psychocorrection

A variety of methods of psycho-correction were formed within the framework of existing psychological trends, the main of which are psychoanalytic, behavioral and existential-humanistic. Different methodologies of these areas, different ideas about the model of a “healthy”, “normal” person dictate differences in the means and methods of psychocorrection.

AT psychoanalytic approach psycho-correctional work is aimed at mitigating the symptoms of internal conflict interaction between the Super-I and the It through overcoming inadequate psychological defenses.

In the behavioral direction deviations from the norm, causing the need for psycho-correction, are considered as the result of "harmful" learning. Therefore, the main emphasis is on changing those forms of behavior that do not correspond to the circumstances of the client's life; Corrective work is carried out, first of all, as training in the necessary forms of behavior.

In the existential-humanistic direction psycho-corrective work is understood, first of all, as the creation of conditions for positive personal changes (personal growth, self-actualization, expansion of the spaces of being). At the same time, the task of the psychologist is not to bring the individual characteristics of the client into line with the norms of mental development, but to focus on unique opportunities, potentials, and resources of the individual.

In domestic psychology, the content of psycho-correctional work reflects the theoretical approaches of the main scientific schools. For example, within the framework of the cultural-historical approach, psycho-correction is understood as the development of higher mental functions through the mastery of sign systems, taking into account the zone of proximal development. The activity paradigm connects psycho-correction with the formation of a system of actions and a clear structuring of activities.

Methods and techniques of psychocorrection can be considered not only from the standpoint of the main theoretical areas of psychology, but also from the point of view of the goals of psychocorrection. Thus, the authors of the “Working Book of a Practical Psychologist” distinguish two areas in individual psychocorrection:

1. Methods for strengthening the regulatory functions of the psyche, development of emotional self-control and self-government; at the same time, the task of improving the mental self-regulation of the client is solved with the help of business conversations, during which specific actions, actions of the client, and existing difficulties are discussed; correction of cognitive and emotional components of self-regulation is carried out through persuasion, development controlling emotions and the formation of adequate reactions to various external influences on the part of a leader or colleague, a family member or an accidental initiator of a conflict situation;

2. Methods of normative-value correction, the objects of which are normative complexes, causing the refusal to obey the joint principles, goals, tasks, protest against regulation; a sense of unjustified deprivation of liberty often leads to bad habits, unhealthy addictions. Methods of group psychocorrection, as a rule, are aimed at developing norms of personal behavior and interpersonal interaction, developing the ability to respond flexibly to a situation, quickly reorganize in various conditions and different groups. As such methods, specially developed psychotechnics, exercises, role-playing games, group discussions, etc.

Psychocorrection of family relations - a special form of psychological influence, focused on solving problems in relationships, overcoming family conflicts, building functional relationships, which are based on a properly organized hierarchical system. Distinguish psychocorrection of marital relationsandfamily psychocorrection.

Psychocorrection of marital relations can be carried out both as an independent type of psychological assistance and as one of the stages of family psychocorrection. The most common causes of marital problems are:

1) different ideas of the spouses about the distribution of roles in this type of relationship (“Who is the boss in the house?”);

2) different ideas of the spouses about the way of expressing feelings (“Gives flowers - loves, does not give - does not love”);

3) unjustified expectations in the intimate-personal sphere (“I thought (thought), but it turned out ...”);

4) unjustified expectations at the household level (material well-being, social status, housing conditions).

All of the above reasons, at their core, as a rule, have a lack of respect for each other and acceptance of oneself as a person by each of the spouses. Lack of self-respect due to deeply hidden low self-esteem (fear of rejection) leads to insincerity in relationships with others and the substitution of true feelings for stereotypical ways of expressing them (that is, feelings are replaced by socially significant values). Generally accepted dogmas act like a distorting mirror, distorting the partner's personality. Thus, the main thing that clients need to achieve in order to normalize marital relationships in the process of correction is: 1) “see” yourself; 2) accept yourself; 3) “see” each other; 4) accept each other; 5) learn to talk to each other, expressing your thoughts and feelings to your partner in a way that is understandable to him.

AT family psychocorrection the object of psychological influence is the family, perceived as a single whole, including not only spouses and their relatives, but all significant relatives. As an independent type of psychological assistance, family psychological correction is not widespread. So, family counseling is a kind of family psychotherapy. The difference between family counseling and psychotherapy lies in the rejection of the concept of the disease and the emphasis on the analysis of the situation, methods of parental interaction, the search for personal resources and ways to solve the problem. Accordingly, family psychocorrection, from these types of assistance, will be distinguished direction of psychological impact, focused on bringing family relations to conformity with a certain norm, based on the socio-cultural characteristics of a particular family. Like family counseling and family psychotherapy, family psychocorrection can be carried out within the framework of any of the theoretical directions.

Relationship between psychodiagnostics and psychocorrection in family counseling, is that psychodiagnostics can play the role of psychocorrection in family counseling.

Psychodiagnostics can be the 2nd or 3rd stage of counseling. Psychodiagnostics - in the narrow sense, the measurement of individual psychological properties in a person based on special methods. The main diagnostic methods are testing and questioning (methods: tests and questionnaires). Tests - standardized tasks designed to be measured in comparable quantities individually- psychological properties of the individual, as well as knowledge, skills and abilities. Questionnaires- methods, the material of which consists of questions to which the client must answer, or statements with which the client must express his agreement or disagreement. Distinguish questionnaires open and closed, personal and personal. As part of psychological counseling, it is more appropriate to use closed-type questionnaires.

In the process of counseling, it is not always advisable to conduct a psychodiagnostic study. It is necessary in a number of specific situations.

1, First of all, psychodiagnostics is necessary for a more accurate diagnosis.

2. For assessment of the individual characteristics of the client(character, temperament, way of responding, dependence - dominance, rigidity - creativity).

3. When application of a new method by a specialist. In this case, counseling turns into a scientific and practical psychological experiment.

4. Testing itself has psychotherapeutic value(establishment of contact, stress relief, sense of significance).

5. Test data is useful to track the dynamics of the client's condition and evaluate the results. As a rule, the need for this arises when the client himself is not able to adequately assess the positive changes that have occurred to him.

6. For initiation self-reflection client. Regularity of diagnostic cuts: two or three times: at the beginning of the session, after its completion and, if necessary, during the control meeting.

The test material used in counseling must meet a number of criteria.

Criteria for selection of test material

1. Tests should be easy to process.

2. Tests must be understandable to the client.

Rules for presenting tests to the client

Before starting a psychodiagnostic study, the specialist must clearly understand the purpose of this study.

2. The specialist must provide the client with the goal of testing in an accessible form. That is clientmust understand the purpose and significance of testing.

3. The test must correspond to the age category of the client.

4. When presenting tests and explaining their results should be consideredcustomer intelligence.

5. Testing and interpretation of results should carried out taking into accountcultural and national characteristics client.

6. The specialist mustguarantee confidentiality. The client must be sure that the information received will remain unknown to third parties.

7. Implementation of an individual approach. The fulfillment of this rule implies, when interpreting the results of psychodiagnostics, to take into account the specifics of the personality and social situation of the client, as well as his psychosomatic state at the time of psychodiagnostics.

Taboo in psychodiagnostic research

1. You cannot use tests designed to assess the symptoms of mental illness in counseling psychodiagnostics.

2. Clinical personality tests cannot be used.

3. It is impossible to build a psychological diagnosis only on the basis of these projective methods.

4. It is impossible to present research data to the client in a peremptory form.

The actions of a psychologist in organizing any impact on a child must be agreed with the parents. The decision on the presence of parents at the psychological examination should be decided individually. During the diagnostic examination of preschoolers and younger schoolchildren, the presence of parents is desirable. This will help parents to see the characteristics of the child, and it will be easier for the psychologist to work on discussing the results of the diagnosis. In addition, the reactions of parents to what is happening provide the psychologist with additional material about the characteristics of relationships in the family.

At an older age, if the child does not object, the examination can be carried out without parents. When conducting mass sociological or socio-psychological surveys, it is necessary to inform parents about the goals and methods of their conduct, to acquaint them with their results.

In working with families, tests can be divided into two groups:

1. Child-parent relationship through the eyes of parents

When studying parent-child relationships through the eyes of a parent, one should pay attention to the following features of family education: parental attitudes and reactions; the relationship of parents to the child and life in the family; violations of the educational process in the family; reasons for deviations in family education; types of education; level of parental competence, etc.

These aspects of the relationship between parents and children are examined using the following tests:

1. Test "Child-parent relationship" (PARI);

2. Test questionnaire for the analysis of family education and prevention of violations of education (DIA);

3. Test-questionnaire of parental attitude (ORO);

4. Test "Typical family condition";

5. Questionnaire "Analysis of family anxiety" (ACT);

Questionnaire "Measure of care";

7. Questionnaire "Faces of parental love";

8. Test "Type of parent position";

9. Questionnaire "Ideas about the ideal parent";

2. Child-parent relationship through the eyes of a child

/. Rene Gilles technique;

2. Test "Fairy tale";

3. Test "Kinesthetic family pattern";

4. Questionnaire "Alone with yourself."

The most common method used in the diagnosis of children are drawing projective techniques(“House-tree-man”, “Self-portrait”, “Picture of the world”, “Free drawing”, “Non-existent animal”).

fairy tale test. Children are offered an unfinished fairy tale that needs to be completed. The child identifies with the main character and shows his emotional reactions. If a child shows anxiety, emotional tension while listening to a fairy tale, stop reading, try to test another time. Pay attention to the intonation, the pace of speech, the behavior of the child. The test is difficult to interpret. You need to know the child well, his current state, relationships with loved ones. In the conditions of individual counseling, parents can be asked to finish the fairy tale the way the child finished it from their point of view, and then compare and discuss the correspondence or discrepancies between the child and adult versions.

In order to increase the effectiveness of psychological and pedagogical influence, it is important to accurately determine the features of intra-family relations. For this, a number of the most used research methods have developed in psychological practice, namely, the motives of upbringing and parental positions, these are the “Composition” method and the “Unfinished story” method.

The writing method. The essence of this method is that parents are invited to write an essay on the following topics: “I am a parent”, “Portrait of my child”. Further, the texts of essays are analyzed and evaluated by a psychologist or a social pedagogue, using the following criteria: the general emotional background of the texts (formal, unexpressed, positive or negative); the presence of positive or negative assessments of the appearance of the child; allocation of temporary plans in communication and interaction with the child.

The Unfinished Story Method. This method uses projective modeling of a situation in which important components of the interaction between parents and a child are manifested. At the end of the story, the parents project their attitude towards the child. Parents and children are given different instructions. The procedure for carrying out the technique is as follows. First, three stories are read aloud to parents, where the child is the main character of the plot. The story describes the typical conflicts of children 7-8 years old. The hero of the story is faced with a choice. If there are children of different sexes in the family, then two versions of the story are read (“for boys” and “for girls”).

As a result, the subject of the psychologist's analysis is the following: the adequacy of the parents' prediction of the child's responses (the degree of coincidence); attitude towards the shortcomings of the child, the predominant emotional connotation in relation to the child; advice submission form; ways to resolve the conflict.

The answers and behavior of parents from harmonious and disharmonious families differ significantly from each other and can be considered as diagnostic signs for determining the type of family.

The bibliographic method is the collection and analysis of data on the life path of a person. The study of the life style and personality scenario (genogram method, analysis of childhood memories) can be used to identify the features of the formation of the child's life style. These methods carry a therapeutic and corrective load and can be used both in the conditions of individual and group counseling.

Bibliographic method- collection and analysis of data onlife path personality.

Genogram. To study the course of family history, behavior patterns passed down from generation to generation, events that occur in the family and affect the development of the individual, the family hemogram is widely used.

A genogram is a form of family pedigree that records information about family members (at least three generations). The genogram shows family information graphically, which allows you to quickly capture the complex systems of relationships in it. It can become a source of hypotheses about how relations between generations were split and how these relations are actualized in the present. Studying their family with the help of a genogram, parents are convinced that the position they occupied in their family affects their current situation and the nature of communication with the child.

The analysis of early childhood memories is aimed at identifying the current life style of the individual (A. Adler). The psychologist offers to name some of the earliest childhood memories, describe them in as much detail as possible and try to give them names, starting with the phrases: “My life is ...”, “To live means ...”. When carrying out the technique, it is important to fix attention on the details of the memory, on the emotional attitude to what is happening in childhood, to the characteristics of the people represented in the memories. Interpretation of memories by a psychologist is carried out in a psychoanalytic manner. The use of this method provides material for understanding how the life style of the parent was formed.

Psychotechnical means corrective work in the family cons. Features of correction in various directions and psychological schools

Family psychotherapy itself begins when the psychotherapist, having studied the family and established a family disorder, organizes an impact on the family and its individual members in order to achieve the desired changes in their lives. In this case, problems and tasks arise, which are conditionally divided into 3 groups ( Eidemiller, Justickis): formation of the correct attitude of the family to family therapy; general issues of therapy; finally, the methods of family psychotherapy.

It is necessary to form a positive attitude towards the process of family psychotherapy, although it is not easy for family members - its participants, due to organizational, emotional and intellectual reasons. Therefore, the psychotherapist needs to form a strong and stable motivation to participate in psychotherapy.

As a rule, the first meeting is decisive for the rest - during it, the degree of complexity of the problems faced by the psychotherapist is clarified, and the clients (family member) get the first idea about family therapy and decide whether to continue their participation in it. In general, the task of the psychotherapist during the first meeting is to help the client in short term understand that serious and long-term work is needed and that he will be required to be active and responsible for the success of psychotherapy. Therefore, a well-designed plan for the first meeting with a family member is essential. First, the psychotherapist must become familiar with the client's problems, actualize his emotional experiences related to the family, etc., let the client see the totality of frustrations that he deals with in everyday life. The further task of the psychotherapist is to create in the client the idea that family therapy will provide an opportunity to find a solution to his problems, because the latter still has a poor idea of ​​family psychotherapy. The therapist must use the client's state of mind to create motives for participation in psychotherapy, and just as importantly, work through the motives that prevent participation, see future difficulties and find ways to solve them. Another important aspect of this meeting is to form in the client an active interest in the very content of psychotherapeutic activity in order to avoid a situation in the future when the client is passively waiting for help from the psychotherapist. Instead, he sets himself up to actively seek solutions to his family problems with the help of a psychotherapist.

The method of organizing and conducting family psychotherapy should not be determined by the “scientific views” of the family psychotherapist. Ideally, the choice of how to organize family psychotherapy should depend on the characteristics of the family. Also, any family therapist should be equally prepared to use a variety of styles of psychotherapy (and their change) depending on the family, its individual members, its problems and family conditions. It is possible that an authoritarian style is preferred with one family member, and a non-directive style with another. So, the answer to all these questions facing the psychotherapist depends on the totality of conditions.

Next, the question is considered which methods of family psychotherapy are most applicable. The method of family psychotherapy is a typical set of actions by which a psychotherapist solves a specific psychotherapeutic problem. Family psychotherapy during its development has acquired a large number of different techniques that have come from the experience of newly emerging schools. I will list the main types of psychotherapeutic techniques most widely used in family psychotherapy.

Directives (or instructions) are direct, specific instructions about the need for certain actions on the part of the whole family or its individual members in order for them to achieve their goals. These may be instructions to do something; do something differently than before; not to do something that was done before. In the case of the so-called paradoxical directive, its true purpose is the opposite of its proclaimed one. The effectiveness of the application of directives depends decisively on the correctness of its application, it requires a thorough study of the family, psychotherapeutic influence on the family by the example of the psychotherapist himself, and most importantly, sufficient authority of the psychotherapist.

The method of family discussion is also widely used in the practice of family psychotherapy. During it, family members discuss a wide range of issues related to her life, and ways to solve various family issues. A discussion can serve many purposes, such as correcting misconceptions about family relationships or teaching family members how to discuss. Managing a discussion requires the psychotherapist to have the necessary skills. Among the main techniques used in family discussions are the effective use of silence, the ability to listen, learning through questions, repetition, generalization, confrontation with a particular opinion or family member, etc.

Sometimes it turns out that family members do not have enough skills and abilities necessary for successful family life; in the course of family psychotherapy, these missing skills are formed with the help of a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques, special exercises and “trainings”: the formation of versioned thinking, playing family roles, etc. Their general principle is that a certain task is set before a family member, for example, in the form of a skill or habit that he must form, and a criterion is reported by which he judges whether he (she) managed to cope with the task.

Methods of psychological correction and psychotherapy are diverse and their choice depends on what the problem is, what psychological school the psychologist belongs to, what approach he adheres.

1. behavioral approach. Within the framework of this approach, deviations are treated according to the principles of behaviorism. Psychological correction and psychotherapy are associated with the need to form optimal behavioral skills. In this case, methods are used that conditionally belong to three main groups. 1) Methods of counterconditioning involve breaking the established undesirable connection between the conditioned stimulus and the reaction or replacing this reaction with a new one. 2) Operant methods are based on the principles justified by B. Skinner. At the heart of these methods is a system of rewards that the client receives for those actions that the therapist considers desirable.

The third group includes those methods that are based on the views of sociobehaviorists, according to which a person learns through observation.

2. Active approach involves correction through the organization of special training, during which the person undergoing correction masters psychological means that allow control and management of internal and external activity at a new level.

3. cognitive approach. It is based on the theory of "personal constructs" by J. Kelly, who suggested that the main thing is what means a person has to describe the world, to predict future events. This may include various methods of a neurolinguistic approach based on changing behavior through the use of various systems for presenting information in humans. This approach claims to be the metasystem of modern psychotherapy.

4. Psychoanalytic approach. The general focus of therapy is to help the client identify the unconscious causes of painful experiences and painful manifestations. Specific methods of psychoanalytic work vary depending on the specific direction. So, for Z. Freud, the main method was the cathartic method (catharsis, i.e. "purification"), which was associated with the fact that a person re-experiences traumatic childhood events and can respond to those feelings that were suppressed. For K.-G. Jung, the main method was "active imagination". For K. Horney, the leading method was the analysis of the life path together with the client (without a deep study of emotional problems) and the definition of realistic goals. For "transactional analysis" (E. Berne), the goal of therapy is to free a person from those addictions that he acquired in childhood and direct him as a kind of prescription, forcing him to "play games" (i.e. behave in interactions with others in such a way to extract certain psychological benefits, reinforcing the positions of the "Child" and "Parent" As a result, there is an integration of "ego-states" - "Child", "Parent" and "Adult" - due to the orientation towards the latter).

5.Existential-humanistic approach. Within the framework of this approach, the importance of the problems of human development and the responsibility of a person for his development is emphasized.

6.Psychodrama (Y. Moreno). With this approach, the group members model in a theatrical form the situations offered by one of the participants in the form of a story about the events of his life or dreams. The narrator himself can be both an actor and a spectator. An important condition is the goodwill of the group, spontaneity of behavior and improvisation. "Living through important situations, a person becomes aware of problems, behavior, attitudes to events, values, specific people in a new way, opens up new opportunities for building relationships and self-realization. Of great importance is the catharsis that occurs when responding to internal conflicts that emerge during psychodrama. Elements of psychodrama widely used in other areas of psychotherapy.

7. Body-oriented approach is not a single theoretical platform. The founder of this approach is W. Reich. According to Reich, the containment of energy leads to the formation of the so-called "muscle shell". Since the soul and body are one, it is possible, by "opening the shell", to help a person in releasing energy and, thereby, alleviate the mental suffering of people. The main techniques in this case are associated with massage and breathing, as well as motor and vocal exercises of various types. The successor of the ideas of W. Reich was Alexander Lowen, according to whom the main goal of therapy is the return of a person to his "primary nature", i.e. to a state of sincere pleasure, freedom of body movements, emancipation of the body, inclusion of the body in life.

8. Psychosynthesis how the direction of psychotherapy is associated with the name of Robert Assagioli, who began his work in Italy as a psychoanalyst. The difference between psychoanalysis and psychosynthesis lies in the fact that within the framework of the conceptual constructions of psychosynthesis, seven components are distinguished in the structure of the personality: the lower unconscious (instinctive impulses, passions, primitive desires, etc.); the middle unconscious (thoughts, feelings that can be easily realized, an analogue of the Freudian preconscious); higher unconscious, or superconsciousness (higher feelings and abilities - intuition, inspiration); field of consciousness - analyzed thoughts, feelings, impulses; conscious self - I am a point of clear awareness; the higher self is a kind of "inner god". An important role in psychosynthesis is played by the concept subpersonalities- like independent personalities within us. In the process of therapy, a person learns about the various components of his personality, learns to distinguish them from himself with the help of special procedures, due to which it is possible to expand the field of consciousness to the entire volume of the unconscious and gradually open its unifying psychological center. Psychosynthesis means the culmination of self-discovery, self-realization and integration around a new center.

9. transpersonal approach. Stanislav Grof, the leading theorist of this trend, recognizes "the significance of the spiritual and cosmic dimensions and opportunities for the evolution of consciousness" and the willingness for the psychotherapist to follow the client into new areas of experience. Grof himself noted the connection of his ideas with the concepts of C.-G. Jung, R. Assagioli, A. Maslow.

10. Gestalt therapy. This direction proceeds from the idea that the cause of various mental deviations (primarily neuroses) is the incompleteness of some mental formations (gstalts). At the same time, the goal of psychotherapy is to complete the gestalts. This approach has many borrowings on methods from other directions.

Therapy methods:

1. Suggestive methods: Heterosuggestive (suggestion in reality, hypnosis, suggestion in a dream); autosuggestive (Autogenic Schulz training, yoga, Jacobson muscle relaxation, arbitrary self-hypnosis according to Coue)

2. Behavioral methods: Methods of family therapy. Methods play therapy. Psychodrama. Music therapy. Bibliotherapy. Art therapy

3. Psychodynamic methods

Methods of individual therapy A. Adler

Methods of psychoanalytic therapy by Z. Freud

Methods of psychoanalytic therapy by K. Jung

Methods of transactional analysis by E. Bern

NLP Methods

Methods of Psychosynthesis

4. Existential-humanistic methods: Methods of client-centered therapy by K. Rogers Methods of logotherapy by V. Frankl Methods of gestalt therapy

Techniques related to changing the destructive reactions and behavior of the client???

7.3. Psychological correction and personality development as a function of psychological service

Basic concepts. Practical psychologists of law enforcement agencies not only study the personality of clients (employees, offenders), but also influence them in order to provide psychological assistance. Those realities that are associated with the function of psychological impact on the client are most often denoted by the terms "psychotherapy", "psychological correction", "personal development". Let's consider them in more detail.

Psychotherapy (from Greek. psyche- soul and therapy- treatment) literally translates as "treatment of the soul." Currently, the term does not have an unambiguous interpretation. With all the variety of interpretations, two approaches can be traced: clinical and psychological 1 . In the first approach, psychotherapy is considered as a sphere of scientific knowledge about methods of treatment that affect the state and functioning of the body in the areas of mental and somatic activity. In the second approach, psychotherapy is defined as a special type of interpersonal interaction in which clients are provided with professional assistance by psychological means in solving their problems or difficulties of a psychological nature. Thus, the main goal of the second approach is not a cure for mental disorders, but assistance in the process of the formation of consciousness and personality, in which the psychotherapist appears as a companion of the client, his friend and mentor.

The conditions necessary for the successful implementation of a psychological approach to psychotherapeutic work are, first of all, a psychological, and not a medical education, the desire to put not a clinical analysis and prescribe treatment, but to accept a person as he is, show compassion and sympathy for him, sincerity and honesty, searching with him for ways to overcome life and work difficulties. The consequence of this understanding of psychotherapy is the spread of its methods in pedagogy, social work, and law enforcement agencies. However, considering that psychotherapy began to take shape in the field of medicine, that the specialty of a psychotherapist is provided primarily in various clinics, it is advisable to use the concept of "psychotherapy" in relation to the work of practical psychologists only in situations when it comes to eliminating neuroses, phobias and other psychosomatic manifestations. When there is a need to eliminate less painful deviations (for example, character accentuations), then it is appropriate to use the concept of "psychological correction".

Psychological correction - this is a directed psychological impact on a person in order to ensure its full development and functioning. 2

Term "personal development" (personal growth) means the formation of socially significant personal qualities and the elimination of psychological conditions that impede this.

Thus, the basis for distinguishing between the categories of "psychotherapy", "psychocorrection" and "personal development" is the goal of influencing the patient (client) or providing psychological assistance: treatment of mental disorders; correction of accentuations of character and functional states (i.e. change, correction of what is), development of professionally significant personal properties (potential development).

Features of the psychological impact on the inner world of a person (client) are determined by the initial theoretical position chosen by a practical psychologist. An analysis of the scientific literature shows that in

Currently, the following theoretical approaches to psychotherapeutic and psycho-correctional work are most common in Russia: psychoanalytic (based on depth psychology); behavioral (includes skills training and behavior modification programs); hypnosuggestion and self-hypnosis (auto-training); neurolinguistic programming; gestalt therapy; existential-humanistic approach and client-centered therapy.

Without analyzing the essence of theoretical approaches, we note that none of the accepted approaches has a significant advantage. The effectiveness of psycho-correctional work largely depends on the neglect of the client's psychological problem and the ability of the psychotherapist (practical psychologist) to select adequate methods of psychological influence for him.

Individual counseling as a form of psycho-correctional work. It is necessary to distinguish between individual and group forms of psycho-correctional work. The most typical form of individual psycho-correctional work of a practical psychologist is counseling. As noted in the scientific literature, psychological counseling, as a young trend in psychological practice, does not yet have strictly defined boundaries. Thus, the Licensing Commission of the Association of Employees and Managers of the United States offers the following definition: “Counseling is a set of procedures aimed at helping a person solve problems and make decisions regarding professional career, marriage, family, personal development and interpersonal relationships» 3 .

This definition is quite close to those given by domestic experts. So, G.S. Abramova notes: “The essence of psychological counseling is that the psychologist, using his special, I emphasize, special knowledge, professional, scientific, creates conditions for another person in which he experiences his new opportunities in solving his psychological problems” 4 . Many definitions emphasize that the core of counseling is the interaction between the client and the counselor (psychologist). So, Carl Rogers, one of the most prominent representatives of the humanistic concept in psychology and the founder of "client-centered" therapy (i.e., therapy in which clients are always in the spotlight), identified three main principles of this approach:

Each person is unique, has unconditional value and deserves a respectful attitude;

Each person is able to be responsible for himself and his actions;

Each person has the right to independently choose values ​​and goals, to make independent decisions. 5

Based on these principles, any suggestion, pressure on the client should be avoided, because this prevents him from taking responsibility for himself and solving his problems correctly.

Psychological counseling as a field of psycho-correctional work has a number of differences from psychotherapy: counseling is focused on a clinically healthy person, these are people who have psychological difficulties and problems in everyday life, as well as people who feel good, but set goals for further personal development (i.e. counseling is a means of personal growth);

Counseling is based on faith in a person, in his ability to change for the better;

Counseling is more often focused on the present and future of clients (in contrast to psychotherapy, which is focused on finding the causes of problems in the past);

Counseling is usually focused on short-term assistance (to 15 meetings); psychotherapeutic sessions can last for several years;

Counseling focuses on the socio-psychological problems arising from the interaction of the individual and the environment;

Counseling is aimed at changing the behavior and development of the client's personality 6 .

The goal of psychological counseling is a culturally productive personality, having a sense of perspective, acting consciously, able to develop various strategies of behavior and analyze the situation from different points of view 7 . The literature usually describes a 5-6 step model of the counseling process.

The first stage is problem solving. At this stage, the psychologist-consultant establishes contact (report) with the client and achieves mutual trust. It is no coincidence that this stage is sometimes labeled "Hello". To establish psychological contact, attention to the client (sympathy), the choice of vocabulary, its availability for perception are of great importance. For example, clients are often intimidated by the word "problem", so it is recommended to use the term "difficulty". As practice shows, the first impression of a person decides a lot (the “15 second rule”). This obliges the psychologist-consultant to take care of his appearance. Mutual psychological contact can usually be established in 4-6 minutes.

In the first conversation, encourage the client to tell them what straight led to the psychologist, what difficulties he was experiencing, to fix his feelings, non-verbal behavior. Particular attention is drawn to the need to reduce excessive anxiety, fear of the client, to identify the most important problems (difficulties) to be discussed at subsequent meetings. Each consultation usually lasts about 50 minutes.

The second stage is a two-dimensional definition of problems. This stage usually begins with collecting information about the context of the topic, highlighting the problem (although it may be refined in subsequent meetings); the potential capabilities of the client are diagnosed. This stage is usually referred to as "What's the problem."

Trying to find an answer to the question posed, the psychologist asks clarifying questions, seeks to understand the client's inner world, identify the origins of the problem, focus the client's attention on his individual characteristics, and show the logic of his behavior. At this stage, the main thing is to achieve the same understanding of the problems by the psychologist and the client.

The third stage is the realization of the ideal model of the future (desired) result. The client must answer the question: “What does he want to achieve?”. The psychologist helps the client to define his ideal, to decide what he wants to be; what will happen in his life if the problem is solved. If everything is clear to the client and the psychologist, then recommendations should be given immediately.

The fourth stage is the discussion of alternative solutions. At this stage, possible alternatives for solving the problem are clarified and openly discussed. Using open questions, the consultant encourages the client to name all the possible options that he considers suitable and real, helps to put forward additional alternatives, but does not express his decisions.

The fifth stage is planning. It involves a critical assessment of the available alternatives in terms of the reality of their implementation to achieve the desired result. Making a realistic problem solving plan should help the client understand that not all problems are solvable. Some require too much time, others do not depend on the client and require a revision of the views on the problem. In the final plan for solving problems, the means, methods, and also the time interval for the implementation of the plan should be outlined. Particular attention is drawn to the responsibility of the client for the decision and its implementation.

The sixth stage - activities to implement the plan. This can be a solution to both real life problems, and the implementation of special psychological exercises, trainings. The client must be ready to overcome possible difficulties and failures.

The seventh stage is feedback from the client and evaluation of the results of psycho-correctional activities. At this stage, the client, together with the consultant, discuss the results achieved, and, if necessary, make adjustments to the planned program.

Recognized authorities in the field of practical psychology note that the proposed model of the counseling process helps to better understand the mechanism of psychological correction, but the real process of counseling is much more complicated and does not always obey this algorithm. Despite the importance of focusing on the proposed model, the effectiveness of psychological counseling is determined primarily by the professional competence and personal qualities of the consultant.

Counseling procedures and techniques are critical to success 8 . Because law enforcement psychological counseling is carried out on the initiative of not only the client, but also the staff psychologist, then an important role in obtaining personal information is played by questions. As you know, questions are usually divided into closed and open questions. Closed questions are usually used to clarify specific information and require a one-two-word answer, affirmation or denial (“yes”, “no”), for example: “Do you often feel like this?”

Open-ended questions serve not so much to obtain information about the lives of clients as they allow you to discuss the feelings of the client. For example: "How do you feel right now?" With the help of questions, you can 9:

Bring up for discussion and activate new material with which the psychologist will work;

Determine the essence of the problem and choose appropriate methods of influence;

Encourage the client to change their attitude towards the topic that is being discussed.

Questions of the first type, as a rule, are implemented at the beginning of the conversation. At the same time, they are open in nature, for example: “How are you doing?”, “What would you like to change in your life?”

Questions of the second type may sound like this: “And how often does this happen?”, “Do you say once or twice a week?”, “Do you think it often?”, “How is this related to you?”. Questions of the second type are often closed. But the very conversation of a psychologist with a client should be in the form of a dialogue, and not an interrogation of a suspect.

Questions of the third type are the most difficult, but, as experts say, one well-posed question from this category "can change a person's life" 10 . For example, in a situation where the client insists that he might do something irrational (leave his job, get revenge on someone, etc.), questions like “What will happen if you do this?” can be effective. , "What happens if you don't do it?".

Approval and establishment especially important for creating and strengthening psychological contact. You can cheer up the client with a short phrase that means agreement and understanding. For example: “Continue” (with a pause), “I understand you”, “Good”.

An important component of client support is reassurance, which, together with approval, allows the client to believe in himself, open up more deeply in his plans for the future. As calming phrases are used: “You did the right thing”, “Don't worry about it”, “Many people experience this feeling”.

However, when using the client support technique, it is important to avoid the error when the consultant becomes a “support” for a restless client, which limits his ability to make vital decisions on his own. As you know, in existential-humanistic psychology, anxiety is not considered as something undesirable. Moreover, it acts as a significant source of stimulus for “personal growth”. Existential anxiety is considered as a constructive form of anxiety, since it acts as a fundamental factor in personality change. The readiness to take a closer look at oneself, to open oneself to changes, to take responsibility for the consequences on oneself is inevitably associated with the experience of anxiety in front of the experience of the unknown, the indefinite.

Paraphrasing and summarizing. The client must be aware that the content of the problem he is stating is understandable to the consultant. Therefore, in the course of a conversation (interview) with a client, feedback is important, especially in situations where the client is insecure, expresses his thoughts inconsistently or is very talkative, speaks not to the point, and he needs to be tactfully stopped and the conversation should be put on the right track.

Paraphrasing - a summary in your own language of the main thought of the client A well-paraphrased client's thought becomes shorter, clearer, more specific. Sometimes this helps the client to better understand what he wanted.

Unlike paraphrasing, which is carried out on a specific episode, generalization involves the presentation of the main idea and causal relationships between several episodes. Counseling literature indicates the main situations in which Generalization 11 is most often used:

When the counselor wants to structure the beginning of the conversation in order to integrate it with previous conversations;

When the client speaks very long and intricately;

When one topic of conversation has already been exhausted and a transition is planned to the next topic or to the next stage of the conversation;

In an effort to give some direction to the conversation;

At the end of the meeting, when trying to emphasize the essential points of the conversation and give a task for a period of time until the next meeting.

Reflection of feelings. Cognition and reflection of the client's feelings seems to be one of the most important counseling techniques. The therapist must reflect not only the thoughts but also the feelings of the client. For example, "I understand you, on the one hand, your son's behavior annoys you, and on the other hand, you feel guilty for what is happening." Reflection of feelings performs two main psychotherapeutic functions: the first - helps to establish contact and trust between the client and the consultant; the second - helps the client to realize his feelings, their causes, naturalness, inconsistency.

At the heart of the reflection of the client's feelings is the ability to empathize (empathy, sympathy). Empathy is a feeling that conveys such a spiritual unity of personalities, when one person is so imbued with the feelings of another that he temporarily identifies himself with the interlocutor, as if dissolving in him. “Empathy is the main tool in the work of a psychotherapist, when he and his client merge into a single mental whole. Thus, the client “shoulders” his problem on a “fresh person”, and he takes on half the burden, while the client receives tremendous support from the consultant in the fight against his difficulties, charging from him with psychological stability, courage and willpower” 12 - this is a look at the role of empathy by Rollo May - one of the recognized classics of the existential-humanistic approach to counseling.

This approach is not shared by all psychotherapists, because, as noted above, the consultant should not allow clients' problems to be "shouldered" on themselves. This can only be allowed as a tactic at the initial stage of counseling. In addition, empathy can cause psychological problems for the consultant himself.

So, one of the practical psychologists (a woman) of law enforcement agencies admitted that she carried out individual counseling and, holding briefings with fighters of the special police detachment (OMON) after their return from hostilities, where they lost several people, were in captivity, sometimes cried together with client fighters. This psychologist restored the mental health of several dozen employees of the internal affairs bodies and became for them not just a consultant, but a mentor in life, a second mother. But the psychologist showed signs of post-traumatic syndrome: nightmares in which she herself participated in hostilities, lost close friends, and experienced grief. Her condition was restored, but in general, using empathy as a powerful tool for psycho-corrective work, it is important to master psychological defense techniques in order not to become a client yourself.

Provision of information. The information that the consultant provides to the client is usually related to the problem of the former. But often, when answering a client’s questions or explaining to him who is competent to answer the question posed, it is important not to take a formal position, not to “kick off” the client, because this is fraught with a loss of confidence in the psychologist and his authority. Often behind the formal questions of the client there is an attempt to "probe" the psychologist, whether it is worth contacting him on deep issues.

Pauses of silence. When a conversation breaks off, many feel awkward. Novice consultants tend to quickly fill the pauses of silence, as they believe that in this case the psychological contact with the client is broken. However, pauses of silence are also deeply meaningful. The ability to remain silent and use silence for therapeutic purposes is one of the most important psychotechnical techniques of a consultant. The semantic meaning of pauses is as follows: 13:

Pauses of silence, especially at the beginning of the conversation, can express the client's anxiety, poor health, self-doubt and the correctness of the decision to contact the consultant;

Silence does not always mean the absence of real activity. During pauses, the client can pick up the right words to continue his story, to weigh the consequences of any decisions, etc.;

Silence may mean that both the client and the consultant are hoping for a continuation of the conversation from each other;

A pause of silence, especially if it is subjectively unpleasant for both the client and the consultant, may mean that both participants in the conversation are at an impasse and a way out of the situation is being sought;

Silence can express the client's resistance to the counseling process, especially if the client is invited at the initiative of the psychologist. The client, as it were, starts the game: “I can sit like a stone and see how you (the consultant) manage to talk to me”;

Silence sometimes implies deep communication without words, it is then more meaningful and eloquent than words.

Interpretation. The technique of interpreting the story, the actions of the client, his facial expressions and gestures is considered one of the most difficult moments in the counseling methodology. Even with ordinary communication, according to the well-known domestic psychologist S.L. Rubinshtein, it is important to understand not only what a person says, but also how he says, what is the subtext of what was said. Interpretation by the consultant of the client's narrative, of his individual actions helps to reveal the psychological mechanisms of the problem, the origins of the client's experiences. Interpretation helps the client to see himself and his difficulties in life in a new light, it confirms the expectations (fears) of the client or causes him to react in protest.

The essence of the interpretation depends to a large extent on the theoretical position of the consultant. In humanistic, client-centered therapy, it is customary to evade interpretation without relieving the client of responsibility for the counseling process. Representatives of the psychological school adhere to a completely opposite view of interpretation. As you know, interpretations occupy a central place here. Almost everything is interpreted - dreams, client resistance, free associations, postures, gestures, etc. In Gestaltherapy, the client himself is encouraged to interpret his behavior.

Interpretation is carried out taking into account the stage of the consultative process. It is effective at the stage when the essence of the problem is discussed and a trusting relationship is established between the client and the consultant. Interpretation should not be scientific and too deep. The client must understand the meaning of the interpretation.

It is important to understand the client's reaction to the interpretation. Emotional indifference should make the consultant pay more attention to its validity. A hostile reaction more often indicates that the interpretation has touched on the essence of the problem.

Confrontation. The essence of this technique is to identify contradictions in the behavior, statements, feelings of the client and demonstrate these contradictions to him 14 . Confrontation can exacerbate the relationship between the client and the consultant, lead to conflict (on an intellectual level). But this conflict is constructive. It helps the client become aware of the defense mechanisms that he uses to adjust to life, but which limit his development. Confrontation is successfully used in situations where the client declares that he is interested in personal growth, in correcting certain personal qualities, but during the consultation he remains silent, avoids discussing existing problems. Confrontation should not be used to punish a client for inappropriate behavior. It is not a means of expressing hostility towards the client. Confrontation with the client should not be aggressive and categorical. A specific form of confrontation is to interrupt the client's narrative if they deviate from given topic, departs from the question.

Confrontation cannot be used to satisfy the counselor's power needs and as a way of self-expression.

Confrontation as a technique of psychological correction is especially effective if between the client and practical psychologist trusting relationships have been established.

The manifestation of the feelings of the consultant and self-disclosure. This technique is applied in different ways, depending on the concept in line with which concept the consultant works. In the psychoanalytic approach, the consultant has the image of an omniscient person, the supreme judge, a person who is “buttoned up”, i.e. his emotions are stingy, he is closed to the client.

In a humanistic approach, the therapist is just as human as the client. He has the right to express his feelings, to self-disclosure. This is an indicator of the sincerity of the attitude towards the client, an object lesson of openness, emancipation. This style of behavior of the consultant is not an end in itself, but a stimulus that encourages openness and the manifestation of their feelings by the client. For example, when listening to a client describe feelings of grief over the death of her mother, a counselor who has been in a similar situation might remark: “I understand your feelings (reflexion of feelings) because I also buried my mother six months ago and I still feel guilty that he did not do everything for her.

Along with the general characteristics of counseling procedures and techniques, there are special problems of psychological counseling: anxious clients; hostile and aggressive personalities; clients with psychosomatic disorders; antisocial personalities; clients with depression and suicidal intent; with sexual problems. In recent years, they have been fairly well covered in the specialized literature, so we will not dwell on this issue.

Thus, individual counseling is a fairly well-formed direction of psycho-correctional work within the framework of a psychological service.

Group psycho-correctional work at first it was carried out for economic reasons (the desire to reach as many people as possible in need of psychotherapy), but later it was found that interaction in a group often gives a much greater psychological effect than the client's communication alone with a psychotherapist. The well-known social psychologist Kurt Lewin has authoritatively stated that "it is usually easier to change individuals gathered in a group than to change each of them individually" 15 . Carl Rogers also eventually became a supporter of group psychocorrectional work and wrote that in a psychotherapeutic group “a person knows himself and others more deeply than in ordinary life circumstances. He comprehends the essence of the environment and his inner "I", which, as a rule, is hidden behind the outer shell. Finally, he is in better contact with people both in a group and then in everyday life” 16 .

In the scientific literature, the following advantages of the group form of psycho-correctional work are distinguished in comparison with the individual:

1) a psycho-correctional group is able to recreate, simulate many social and psychological phenomena (group pressure, people interaction, leadership, conflict, etc.) that arise in real groups, and thereby provide its participants with the opportunity to observe these phenomena and learn to resolve interpersonal problems;

2) the group provides an opportunity to receive feedback and support from other members of the group, to see their reaction to the peculiarities of their behavior; experiment with different styles of relationships among equal partners;

3) the group makes it possible to facilitate the process of self-exploration, to make adjustments to ideas about oneself (one’s “I-concept”);

5) work in a group allows you to develop communicative and other social qualities that are not able to form outside the social community.

Psychocorrectional groups differ in various parameters. According to the direction of psycho-corrective goals, there are: psychotherapeutic groups (the goal is a change in mental states and personal qualities that have a deviation from the mental norm), personal growth groups (the goal is the development of self-actualization and socially important qualities), organizational development groups (the goal is the formation of a progressive organizational climate in particular department).

By the nature (content) of the tasks to be solved, there can be groups of sensitivity (development of psychological sensitivity), development of self-confidence, development of organizational skills, groups of anonymous alcoholics, etc.

Depending on the theoretical concept in line with which group psycho-correctional work is carried out, the following groups are most often encountered: transaxual analysis, auto-training, skills training, gestalt groups, meeting groups, neurolinguistic programming.

Theoretical concept and methodology for conducting psycho-correctional work in groups, according to specialists in humanistic psychology, is based on the belief that the client himself is able to realize his problems and discuss them together with the group 17 . Outwardly, the work of Rogerian groups resembles the work of a discussion club, and it is no coincidence that they are called meeting groups (“encounter groups”).

The dynamics of the development of Rogerian encounter groups is very specific: alertness (confusion, closeness) at the initial stage; description of previously experienced situations; only later - self-disclosure, presentation of personally significant material, expression of spontaneous feelings between group members; collision; finally, mutual assistance, expression of positive feelings and intimacy 18 . Groups of meetings began to be actively held not only with law-abiding citizens, but also with offenders both abroad and in our country.

One of the forms of group psycho-correctional work, focused primarily on the development of the personality or its individual components (for example, communicative qualities, social behavioral skills), is called socio-psychological training (CUT). According to L.A. Petrovskaya, this term refers to "the practice of psychological influence based on active methods of group work." 19 If when using the terms "group psychotherapy", "group psychocorrection" we can talk about the clinical and psychological orientation of the impact on clients, then the term "social-psychological training" is used only as a psychological phenomenon.

In the course of socio-psychological training, a number of methods are used: group discussion (biographical, thematic, interpersonal) 20 , analysis of specific situations 21 ; role play 22 ; psychodrama 23; psychotechnical exercises 24 .

With all the variety of theoretical and methodological approaches to conducting socio-psychological trainings, they are based on relatively general principles (rules) of the behavior of participants (clients and a psychologist).

The principles of conducting socio-psychological trainings are the leading theoretical and methodological provisions that underlie the interaction of group members. The principles of SPT reveal the psychological mechanisms that contribute to the development and correction of the leader's personality, as well as the rules of conduct for the participants in the training and the leader (psychologist, psychotherapist).

The principle of personal responsibility. Each participant of the training should be aware that the results of training and personal growth depend primarily on himself. Everyone is responsible for their behavior in the group and in real life. During the training, there should be no expressions: “We believe”, “We think ...”, etc., “I believe ...”, “I think ...” - this is an expression of personal responsibility for one's position. The team leader (psychologist) should take responsibility for the results of staff training.

The principle of self-disclosure. Revealing your "I" inner peace) other members of the group have a sign of a strong and healthy personality. By trying to hide ourselves from other people, we thereby make an active effort to build a false outer self. As K. Rudestam emphasizes, "the opportunity to open one's soul to a sympathetic listener has a psychotherapeutic effect." Therefore, during the SPT, it is necessary to encourage participants to reveal themselves to others and thus establish close, trusting relationships. Under the conditions of socio-psychological training, the group performs the same functions as a priest, a psychotherapist, a psychologist-consultant, when patients turn to them for help.

Principle of "Here and Now". Research shows that actual experience (what is happening now) produces optimal learning outcomes. Therefore, during the socio-psychological training, participants are constantly asked questions: “What is happening here?” (referring to the developing relationship between the members of the group), "How do you feel about the fact that your monologue was stopped?" etc. The principle of "Here and Now" makes us analyze not what happened before, but those events that are personally significant for a person now. This is one of the central principles of group psychotherapy, it promotes liberation from tormenting experiences, develops psychological sensitivity, increases self-awareness. The principle of "feedback". Feedback is an element of the communication system and is carried out when some members of the group report their reactions to the behavior (treatment) of others in order to help them correct the “course” towards achieving goals.

Such a connection in an atmosphere of mutual care and trust allows individuals to control and direct inappropriate behavior, makes it possible to know oneself more deeply. For example, the activity of some participants in solving group problems may be perceived by themselves as a desire to help others, and by the rest of the group as an attempt to dominate the group or a desire to show off. Effective feedback requires participants to inform each other about the impact of their behavior, helping participants to more accurately receive and understand the information received.

Feedback is more effective if it does not carry direct value judgments, but describes human behavior. Example: value judgment: "You are an unrestrained person..."; non-judgmental: "You interrupted me three times ...".

Useful feedback should be an expression of emotional reactions to the participant's behavior rather than criticism and evaluation of his behavior. Example: "When you threw a line at me, I got angry." In other words, feedback reveals more of the participants' own emotional experiences (eg, anger) than a desire to accuse the other of being malicious or aggressive.

The principle of a humanistic attitude to the individual It is expressed in a respectful attitude towards each other, in accepting people as they are. The psychologist and the group member should not seek to remake the person. Everyone has the right to talk about how he perceives the other, what feelings he has in connection with the behavior and statements of partners. The decision on the need for correction and development of their qualities should be made by everyone independently. The group and the leader only help in understanding the level of their psychological development.

Participation in the training and the implementation of certain procedures is voluntary. You can't force others to do what they can't decide to do. That member of the group who does not want to answer any question, to participate in any game, can always say “stop” (rule “stop”). No one has the right to force another. But it should be remembered: when a participant in the training often uses this rule, he impoverishes himself.

The principle of humanity implies the psychological security of the individual, the confidence that confidential information will not become the subject of discussion outside the group, will not be used against the individual (the rule of confidentiality).

1 Psychotherapeutic encyclopedia / Ed. B.D. Karvasarsky. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 1998. - S. 447; Brief psychological dictionary. - M., 1985. - S. 287.

2 Psychotherapeutic encyclopedia / Ed. B.D. Karvasarsky. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 1998. - S. 447; Brief psychological dictionary. - M., 1985. - S. 412.

3 See: Kociunas R. Fundamentals of psychological counseling. - M., 1999. - S. 7.

4 Abramova G.S. Introduction to practical psychology. - M., 1996. - S. 119.

5 Rogers K. A look at psychotherapy, the formation of a person. - M., 1994. - S. 120.

6 See: Kociunas R. Decree. op. - S. 13.

7 Abramova G.S. Decree. op. - S. 119.

8 See: Abramova G.S. Workshop on psychological counseling. - Yekaterinburg, 1995; Kociunas R. Decree, op.; Menshikov V.Yu. Introduction to psychological counseling. - M., 1998; May R. The art of psychological counseling. - M., 1994; Papush M. Practical psychotechnics. - St. Petersburg, 1997; Fat F. transformative dialogues. - Kyiv, 1997.

9 Fat F. Decree. op. - S. 159.

10 Ibid. -FROM. 160.

11 Kociunas R. Decree. op. - S. 109. 12 May R. The art of psychological counseling. - M., 1994. - S. 51.

13 May R. Decree. op. - S. 56.

14 Psychotherapeutic encyclopedia. - S. 216.

15 Cit. on: Rudestam K. Group psychotherapy. - M., 1993. - S. 19.

16 Rogers K. About group psychotherapy. - M., 1993. - S. 15.

17 Rogers K. A look at psychotherapy. The formation of man. - M., 1994. - S. 120. 18 Rogers K. About group psychotherapy. - S. 20-50.

19 Petrovskaya L.V. Competence in communication. - M., 1989. - S. 7.

20 Life Line and other new methods of life path psychology. / Ed. A.A. Kronin. - M., 1993. - S. 140-151.

21 Burlachuk A.F., Korzhova E.Yu. Psychology of life situations. - M., 1998. - S. 262.

22 Kipper D. Clinical role playing and psychodrama. - M., 1993. - S. 222; Games - education, training, leisure. / Ed. Petrusensky. - M., 1994. - S. 364.

23 Leitz G. Psychodrama: theory and practice. - M., 1994. - S. 352; Psychodrama: inspiration and technology. / Ed. P. Holmes. - M., 1997. - S. 275.

24 Tseng N.V., Pakhomov Yu.V. Psychotechnical games in sports. - M., 1985.