A psychotherapist - Puerto Rican from NYC, MSW from Fordham School of Social Services, postgraduate training at Menninger Clinic, former Director of Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic, forty years in Drexel's Couple and Family Therapy Program, now therapist, supervisor Phone: 215-640-0773 Address: 1420 Walnut Street, Suite 920, Philadelphia, PA 19102
The quality of the therapeutic relationship has been presented in the literature as a pivotal fac... more The quality of the therapeutic relationship has been presented in the literature as a pivotal factor linked to better therapeutic outcomes (Grencravage & Norcross, 1990; Sprenkle, Davis, & Lebow, 2009). This chapter draws from the Person-of-the-Therapist Training model (POTT; Aponte & Winter, 2000) and demonstrates the use of an instrument with the goal of increasing clinicians’ awareness and acceptance of their personal issues as a way of facilitating deeper connections with their clients. The richer the relationship is with the client, the greater the clinician’s capacity is to effectively assess and intervene. This chapter is the first of two and introduces the reader to the concept of the signature theme. In the subsequent chapter, the application of signature themes to clinical work is discussed (see “Exploring the Person-of-the-Therapist for Better Joining, Assessment, and Intervention” in this volume).
This pilot study utilized phenomenological methodology to explore relational systems for ten moth... more This pilot study utilized phenomenological methodology to explore relational systems for ten mothers enrolled in family-centered substance use treatment. Participants described their experiences during motherhood and addiction. Analysis revealed themes that captured the interpersonal relationships of maternal substance use: (1) parent-child relationships in the context of maternal substance use disorders (SUDs), (2) interaction between romantic relationships and maternal substance use, and (3) intergenerational relationships among mothers and grandmothers. Mothers discussed these complicated and simultaneous roles and relationships that impacted their substance use and recovery within the context of family. Using ecostructural family therapy, we offer clinical recommendations with the aim of creating organizational change for families in recovery.
Objetivos: Avaliar o perfil dos usuarios de lente de contato em uma populacao da area de saude. M... more Objetivos: Avaliar o perfil dos usuarios de lente de contato em uma populacao da area de saude. Material e Metodos: Foi realizado um 'survey' exploratorio entre 80 usuarios de lente de contato selecionados aleatoriamente, e ligados a area de saude do Hospital das Clinicas da FMUSP (medicos, residentes, academicos de medicina, enfermeiras, farmaceuticos). Esses usuarios foram classificados segundo: idade, sexo, raca e tipo de lente de contato (hidrofilicas de uso prolongado, hidrofilicas de uso diario, descartaveis, rigidas siliconadas e rigidas fluorcarbonadas). O criterio de inclusao dos sujeitos na amostra foi a disponibilidade para responderem ao questionario. Um questionario nao-estruturado foi aplicado por quatro entrevistadores e foram obtidos dados sobre: motivos de uso, tempo de permanencia com a lente, conhecimento do usuario sobre as rotinas de manutencao (limpeza e desinfeccao das lentes, limpeza e troca de estojos), motivos da sua nao realizacao correta, complica...
European Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies, 2014
Socially disadvantaged families present special challenges to therapists. Within the families the... more Socially disadvantaged families present special challenges to therapists. Within the families themselves the family relationships are often underorganized, that is lacking in firm structure and functional coherence. They also live in social circumstances that are not only unsupportive, but also actively destructive. The families struggle to cope with life's challenges, and may be guarded and untrusting of professionals who, while wanting to help, may appear to the families as intrusive and insensitive to a family's plight. This article identifies six basic therapeutic tasks that the authors believe essential to work with socially disadvantaged families. It also introduces a particular approach, The Person-of-the- Therapist Model, to therapists' use of themselves in the work with these families. It emphasizes therapists relating and working through their own life experiences, especially their personal vulnerabilities, as a medium through their own life experiences, especially their personal vulnerabilities, as a medium through to relate to the pain and brokenness of these emotionally and socially vulnerable families.
The “Person-of the-Therapist” model is an approach to training and supervising therapists. The co... more The “Person-of the-Therapist” model is an approach to training and supervising therapists. The concept of a therapist as a wounded healer appears to be key in interpreting the therapeutic process and its healing power. This article aims at presenting this model’s philosophical foundations, which promote a creative use of the therapists’ personal potential independently of the different psychotherapeutic schools that they represent.
This narrative is about a journey of two people in a therapy relationship who come from distinctl... more This narrative is about a journey of two people in a therapy relationship who come from distinctly different social locations – on the surface, unlike one another from a social context, yet not so unlike at a deeper personal level. One person, the client, is African American, 30 years of age, poor, unmarried mother of two children. The other person, the family therapist, is a 49-year-old Caucasian male, middles class, married, of Italian/Ukrainian ancestry. At first glance, we see little in common between these two individuals who are supposed to work together in the intimate context of a therapeutic relationship. How the therapist, with his supervisor, meets these challenges from the perspective of the Person of the Therapist (POTT) framework (Aponte et al., 2009; Aponte & Kissil, 2016) about a therapist’s use of self is the subject of this article. The premise of the article is that the therapist will need to reach within himself to be able to empathically connect with her in the ...
This paper is based on the premises that the conscious, active and purposeful use of self by th... more This paper is based on the premises that the conscious, active and purposeful use of self by the therapist in the therapeutic process is an essential aptitude in establishing an effective therapeutic relationship, and that this therapeutically purposeful use of self can and should be incorporated in the training of all therapists in a explicitly systematic manner. The paper will attempt to identify the contributions of the "what and how" the use of self by therapists contributes to the therapeutic process. First of all, therapists' use of self is meant to be viewed as a Common Factor as defined by Sprenkle, Davis & Lebow (2009), which is a perspective about the effectiveness of therapy that "asserts that the qualities and capabilities of the person offering the treatment are more important than the treatment itself" (p. 4). Secondly, the use of self by therapists emphasizes developing the skill set of the therapist in the conscious, active and purposeful use of self as is in the moment of the therapeutic engagement with clients, and does so without denying the importance of therapists working to resolve personal issues of theirs that may interfere with the therapist's professional effectiveness. Therapists' use of self gives particular emphasis to the purposeful use of self as is in therapy's relationship, assessment and interventions whatever the therapy model (Aponte & Kissil, 2016.. Thirdly, the use of self represents an aptitude that can be developed and refined through well elaborated structures for schooling therapists in the therapeutic use of all they bring of their personal selves to the therapy relationship including through the use of their human vulnerabilities as they exist at the moment of empathic engagement with clients.
This paper discusses how the spirituality of therapists, wittingly or not, colours their work, an... more This paper discusses how the spirituality of therapists, wittingly or not, colours their work, and how they need to use it mindfully whatever their school of therapy. How a therapist translates a spiritual perspective into a clinical approach is illustrated through the transcript of a clinical session in which family members discuss dealing with the hurts, angers and conflicts they experience with each other. If they are to forgive grievances sufficiently to attempt resolution and closeness, what principle about living should underlie their efforts? The therapist in the session floats the notion, springing from his own beliefs, that unconditional love will open up all doors to conciliation. If family members accept his position, it becomes the underlying spiritual premise for the work on their relationships.
Structural Family Therapy needs a training model that integrates the existential, human mutuality... more Structural Family Therapy needs a training model that integrates the existential, human mutuality of the therapeutic relationship with its technical elements. This paper offers a theoretical foundation for training structural family therapists in the use of self, discusses a model for training, and gives a case example illustrating personal training in a clinical context.
... This is an especially delicate multidynamics factor when the therapists practice in the same ... more ... This is an especially delicate multidynamics factor when the therapists practice in the same commu-nity, where reputation matters. On the professional level, clinician-clients may or may not share the same professional discipline or adhere to the same school of therapy. ...
... Login to save citations to My List. Citation. Database: PsycINFO. [Book; Authored Book]. Brea... more ... Login to save citations to My List. Citation. Database: PsycINFO. [Book; Authored Book]. Bread & spirit: Therapy with the new poor: Diversity of race, culture, and values. Aponte, Harry J. New York, NY, US: WW Norton & Co. (1994). x, 257 pp. Abstract. ...
This paper is based on the premises that the conscious, active and purposeful use of self by the ... more This paper is based on the premises that the conscious, active and purposeful use of self by the therapist in the therapeutic process is an essential aptitude in establishing an effective therapeutic relationship, and that this therapeutically purposeful use of self can and should be incorporated in the training of all therapists in a explicitly systematic manner. The paper will attempt to identify the contributions of the “what and how” the use of self by therapists contributes to the therapeutic process. First of all, therapists’ use of self is meant to be viewed as a Common Factor as defined by Sprenkle, Davis & Lebow (2009), which is a perspective about the effectiveness of therapy that “asserts that the qualities and capabilities of the person offering the treatment are more important than the treatment itself” (p. 4). Secondly, the use of self by therapists emphasizes developing the skill set of the therapist in the conscious, active and purposeful use of self as is in the mom...
The quality of the therapeutic relationship has been presented in the literature as a pivotal fac... more The quality of the therapeutic relationship has been presented in the literature as a pivotal factor linked to better therapeutic outcomes (Grencravage & Norcross, 1990; Sprenkle, Davis, & Lebow, 2009). This chapter draws from the Person-of-the-Therapist Training model (POTT; Aponte & Winter, 2000) and demonstrates the use of an instrument with the goal of increasing clinicians’ awareness and acceptance of their personal issues as a way of facilitating deeper connections with their clients. The richer the relationship is with the client, the greater the clinician’s capacity is to effectively assess and intervene. This chapter is the first of two and introduces the reader to the concept of the signature theme. In the subsequent chapter, the application of signature themes to clinical work is discussed (see “Exploring the Person-of-the-Therapist for Better Joining, Assessment, and Intervention” in this volume).
This pilot study utilized phenomenological methodology to explore relational systems for ten moth... more This pilot study utilized phenomenological methodology to explore relational systems for ten mothers enrolled in family-centered substance use treatment. Participants described their experiences during motherhood and addiction. Analysis revealed themes that captured the interpersonal relationships of maternal substance use: (1) parent-child relationships in the context of maternal substance use disorders (SUDs), (2) interaction between romantic relationships and maternal substance use, and (3) intergenerational relationships among mothers and grandmothers. Mothers discussed these complicated and simultaneous roles and relationships that impacted their substance use and recovery within the context of family. Using ecostructural family therapy, we offer clinical recommendations with the aim of creating organizational change for families in recovery.
Objetivos: Avaliar o perfil dos usuarios de lente de contato em uma populacao da area de saude. M... more Objetivos: Avaliar o perfil dos usuarios de lente de contato em uma populacao da area de saude. Material e Metodos: Foi realizado um 'survey' exploratorio entre 80 usuarios de lente de contato selecionados aleatoriamente, e ligados a area de saude do Hospital das Clinicas da FMUSP (medicos, residentes, academicos de medicina, enfermeiras, farmaceuticos). Esses usuarios foram classificados segundo: idade, sexo, raca e tipo de lente de contato (hidrofilicas de uso prolongado, hidrofilicas de uso diario, descartaveis, rigidas siliconadas e rigidas fluorcarbonadas). O criterio de inclusao dos sujeitos na amostra foi a disponibilidade para responderem ao questionario. Um questionario nao-estruturado foi aplicado por quatro entrevistadores e foram obtidos dados sobre: motivos de uso, tempo de permanencia com a lente, conhecimento do usuario sobre as rotinas de manutencao (limpeza e desinfeccao das lentes, limpeza e troca de estojos), motivos da sua nao realizacao correta, complica...
European Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies, 2014
Socially disadvantaged families present special challenges to therapists. Within the families the... more Socially disadvantaged families present special challenges to therapists. Within the families themselves the family relationships are often underorganized, that is lacking in firm structure and functional coherence. They also live in social circumstances that are not only unsupportive, but also actively destructive. The families struggle to cope with life's challenges, and may be guarded and untrusting of professionals who, while wanting to help, may appear to the families as intrusive and insensitive to a family's plight. This article identifies six basic therapeutic tasks that the authors believe essential to work with socially disadvantaged families. It also introduces a particular approach, The Person-of-the- Therapist Model, to therapists' use of themselves in the work with these families. It emphasizes therapists relating and working through their own life experiences, especially their personal vulnerabilities, as a medium through their own life experiences, especially their personal vulnerabilities, as a medium through to relate to the pain and brokenness of these emotionally and socially vulnerable families.
The “Person-of the-Therapist” model is an approach to training and supervising therapists. The co... more The “Person-of the-Therapist” model is an approach to training and supervising therapists. The concept of a therapist as a wounded healer appears to be key in interpreting the therapeutic process and its healing power. This article aims at presenting this model’s philosophical foundations, which promote a creative use of the therapists’ personal potential independently of the different psychotherapeutic schools that they represent.
This narrative is about a journey of two people in a therapy relationship who come from distinctl... more This narrative is about a journey of two people in a therapy relationship who come from distinctly different social locations – on the surface, unlike one another from a social context, yet not so unlike at a deeper personal level. One person, the client, is African American, 30 years of age, poor, unmarried mother of two children. The other person, the family therapist, is a 49-year-old Caucasian male, middles class, married, of Italian/Ukrainian ancestry. At first glance, we see little in common between these two individuals who are supposed to work together in the intimate context of a therapeutic relationship. How the therapist, with his supervisor, meets these challenges from the perspective of the Person of the Therapist (POTT) framework (Aponte et al., 2009; Aponte & Kissil, 2016) about a therapist’s use of self is the subject of this article. The premise of the article is that the therapist will need to reach within himself to be able to empathically connect with her in the ...
This paper is based on the premises that the conscious, active and purposeful use of self by th... more This paper is based on the premises that the conscious, active and purposeful use of self by the therapist in the therapeutic process is an essential aptitude in establishing an effective therapeutic relationship, and that this therapeutically purposeful use of self can and should be incorporated in the training of all therapists in a explicitly systematic manner. The paper will attempt to identify the contributions of the "what and how" the use of self by therapists contributes to the therapeutic process. First of all, therapists' use of self is meant to be viewed as a Common Factor as defined by Sprenkle, Davis & Lebow (2009), which is a perspective about the effectiveness of therapy that "asserts that the qualities and capabilities of the person offering the treatment are more important than the treatment itself" (p. 4). Secondly, the use of self by therapists emphasizes developing the skill set of the therapist in the conscious, active and purposeful use of self as is in the moment of the therapeutic engagement with clients, and does so without denying the importance of therapists working to resolve personal issues of theirs that may interfere with the therapist's professional effectiveness. Therapists' use of self gives particular emphasis to the purposeful use of self as is in therapy's relationship, assessment and interventions whatever the therapy model (Aponte & Kissil, 2016.. Thirdly, the use of self represents an aptitude that can be developed and refined through well elaborated structures for schooling therapists in the therapeutic use of all they bring of their personal selves to the therapy relationship including through the use of their human vulnerabilities as they exist at the moment of empathic engagement with clients.
This paper discusses how the spirituality of therapists, wittingly or not, colours their work, an... more This paper discusses how the spirituality of therapists, wittingly or not, colours their work, and how they need to use it mindfully whatever their school of therapy. How a therapist translates a spiritual perspective into a clinical approach is illustrated through the transcript of a clinical session in which family members discuss dealing with the hurts, angers and conflicts they experience with each other. If they are to forgive grievances sufficiently to attempt resolution and closeness, what principle about living should underlie their efforts? The therapist in the session floats the notion, springing from his own beliefs, that unconditional love will open up all doors to conciliation. If family members accept his position, it becomes the underlying spiritual premise for the work on their relationships.
Structural Family Therapy needs a training model that integrates the existential, human mutuality... more Structural Family Therapy needs a training model that integrates the existential, human mutuality of the therapeutic relationship with its technical elements. This paper offers a theoretical foundation for training structural family therapists in the use of self, discusses a model for training, and gives a case example illustrating personal training in a clinical context.
... This is an especially delicate multidynamics factor when the therapists practice in the same ... more ... This is an especially delicate multidynamics factor when the therapists practice in the same commu-nity, where reputation matters. On the professional level, clinician-clients may or may not share the same professional discipline or adhere to the same school of therapy. ...
... Login to save citations to My List. Citation. Database: PsycINFO. [Book; Authored Book]. Brea... more ... Login to save citations to My List. Citation. Database: PsycINFO. [Book; Authored Book]. Bread & spirit: Therapy with the new poor: Diversity of race, culture, and values. Aponte, Harry J. New York, NY, US: WW Norton & Co. (1994). x, 257 pp. Abstract. ...
This paper is based on the premises that the conscious, active and purposeful use of self by the ... more This paper is based on the premises that the conscious, active and purposeful use of self by the therapist in the therapeutic process is an essential aptitude in establishing an effective therapeutic relationship, and that this therapeutically purposeful use of self can and should be incorporated in the training of all therapists in a explicitly systematic manner. The paper will attempt to identify the contributions of the “what and how” the use of self by therapists contributes to the therapeutic process. First of all, therapists’ use of self is meant to be viewed as a Common Factor as defined by Sprenkle, Davis & Lebow (2009), which is a perspective about the effectiveness of therapy that “asserts that the qualities and capabilities of the person offering the treatment are more important than the treatment itself” (p. 4). Secondly, the use of self by therapists emphasizes developing the skill set of the therapist in the conscious, active and purposeful use of self as is in the mom...
The Person of the Therapist Training Model: Mastering the Use of Self, 2016
The Person of the Therapist Training Model presents a model that prepares therapists to make acti... more The Person of the Therapist Training Model presents a model that prepares therapists to make active and purposeful use of who they are, personally and professionally, in all aspects of the therapeutic process - relationship, assessment and intervention.
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Papers by Harry J. Aponte