Welcome to this presentation from Divine Mercy University on the implications of a Catholic Christian meta model of the person for counseling and psychotherapy.
To begin, please notice that this is not the Catholic Christian meta model of the person.
This is a particular meta model developed at the Divine Mercy University that integrates Catholic Christian philosophy and theology with the human sciences, such as the social, behavioral, psychological, and counseling sciences.
This meta model has a specific focus looking at the practice of counseling and psychological services, all based on a very broad understanding rooted in sacred scripture and the tradition and teaching of the church on the person.
For this presentation, we will use the terms counseling and psychotherapy interchangeably with a focus on their foundational meaning of a healing relationship between a health care provider and client.
What do we mean by the term meta model?
Is this Catholic Christian meta model of a person another personality theory or counseling model?
Will this meta model tell me exactly how to work with someone in counseling or when providing psychological services?
Let us begin with the very simple question of what is a model?
We have all seen different physical models of a real object.
Here we have a drawing or diagram of a V six engine and a picture of a real V six engine.
As you look at the diagram, you'll notice that it provides details of certain parts of the V six engine and the connection or relationship between different parts.
Models can help us to better understand what makes an engine work and are often used to teach aspects of an engine that is hard to comprehend through words or just looking at the outside of an engine.
In addition, a model can even help us to develop or transform an engine into a more powerful engine, a smaller engine with the same amount of power or an engine that produces less pollution.
Models help us in the same way with various aspects of reality, including understanding and helping people.
We must always remember that models are just models, not the reality they describe.
Models are outside of the reality they describe and are never a perfect one to one correspondence with reality.
However, the better the model, the more it corresponds to the reality it is describing.
Here's a drawing and engineering design of the Golden Gate Bridge with a proposed second level for traffic, which has never happened.
The truthfulness of a model is how well it accurately describes or is consistent with reality.
The helpfulness, heuristic value of a model is how well it enables one to transform reality.
When you looked at the drawing and engineering design of the Golden Gate Bridge, it was not very truthful.
This isn't how the Golden Gate Bridge looks, period.
However, it could be quite helpful if it was ever decided to build a second level for the bridge.
To better understand this concept of a model being both truthful and helpful, we will look at two different personality assessments.
Both are based on the lexical approach or model of taxonomical research that states that key or important personality characteristics will become a part of human language and coalesce into single words.
For example, the personality trait and virtue of self control as a characteristic of human functioning, which is clearly evident in the literature and as a word has a richness that describes a multifaceted component of humans.
The sixteen fifth edition is based on the work of Raymond Cattell and others using a statistical technique called factor analysis to determine the major traits of human personality.
Thus the name 16 or personality factor.
The NEO Personality Inventory, Revised, is based on a five factor model of neuroticism, extraversion, openness, and thus the NEO, and then agreeableness and conscientiousness.
The 16 is a bottom up model with a focus on the 16 personality factors, while the NEO is a top down model based on the five domains that can be divided to 30 different facet scales.
You will notice the overlap with the 16 and the NEO with their top level domains, but they are not exactly the same.
They each emphasize different aspects of human functioning.
Can you see the difference between those two just looking at those top five descriptions of their models about human personality?
Which one is the best tool to use?
Which one is based on the best model?
Which model really does best describe human personality?
Which one has the most truthfulness and how well it corresponds with the reality of human personality?
Which model best helps us to understand and help an individual with personal problems and personality disorders?
This debate continues in the field.
It is a debate about models of human personality, statistical research, and lexical taxonomical research.
What are your models?
All of us have models of how we think people function and what they need to do to change.
How do you know whether your model is true and helpful for your client?
You will learn more about models and developing a habit of evidential reasoning throughout the program.