Liberty Theological Seminary Essay

Since church planting is a work that is mandated by the Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament to His first disciples, Christian workers or those who do the work of church planting nowadays must follow the same directives that the Lord has given which, in turn, His apostles had passed on to their disciples. Where can one find these directives and pattern for starting a local church but in the Gospels (biographical account of Jesus’ missionary work), book of Acts (a record of Jesus’ first disciples missionary endeavors), and Epistles of the apostles? Although there are many non-biblical books available on church planting in the bookstores, all of them are just â€Å"expansions† or personal applications of the authors of those books of the Biblical strategies. Because many things have changed in the passing of time in these two millennia – like means of transportation, advances in knowledge, high-technology gadgets, etc. – Christian workers/missionaries of today are being pressured by these â€Å"changes,† and as a result, instead of simply adapting to the times, many are tempted to â€Å"bend† or adjust even the essential biblical truths and strategies. A quick comparison of two New Testament passages might help the modern-day Bible student to see and understand how to preserve essential biblical strategies in the midst of the fast-changing times. From the time of Jesus’ ascension to the writing of Paul’s first letter to Timothy, a span of roughly more than 30 years have lapsed. But looking at the inspired record of the Scriptures, one will find that as Apostle Paul was giving His last and final instructions to Timothy on how to spread the gospel message and multiply disciples, there was no bending of the â€Å"essentials. † Before Jesus ascended to heaven, the commission He gave to His disciples was, â€Å"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age† . More than thirty years after the Ascension, Paul’s words to Timothy were, â€Å"And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also† . The gist of the Great Commission was preserved in Paul’s instruction to Timothy. There still had to be a â€Å"making of disciples† and the â€Å"commissioning act. † The biblical substance of church planting is maintained. Today, as Christians and missionaries continue to uphold this church’s mandate to multiply disciples, it is of great importance that as Christians adapt to the times and employ modern-day gadgets and methods in spreading the gospel, the biblicality or the nature of the churches being formed is preserved. There has to be no compromise or slight adjustments of the biblical truths, or else, the vital character of the church will be altered in the process of time and lose its distinctives as church. Church planters must bear in mind while doing their work that the looming danger is always the losing of the church’s true identity as secular influences are ever-present. For one thing, too much adoption of secular methods will eventually get the church assimilated into the current culture rendering it ineffective while trying to be effective. It is indeed a great challenge to be relevant and biblical at the same time. This paper deals mainly with the Biblical principles of church planting. Questions dealing with the definition and nature of the church will be discussed, and also biblical principles that are still applicable until today. Discussion It’s important in dealing with anything about the church to start with its definition. The strategies and their application which is the actual work will become a lot easier when understanding of the church’s make-up is achieved. DEFINITION Although the idea of church is latent in the Old Testament, it is nevertheless there. It is even way way back before time began. â€Å"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love† . In short, the church is God’s idea. It’s not something that was originally concocted by human mind, nor was it an apostolic modification. Because the nation of Israel was called out of Egypt, and therefore an â€Å"assembly† of God’s â€Å"called out† people, in this sense, they are called â€Å"the church in the wilderness† . In the New Testament, the idea of the church is clearly made known. One Greek word which has become very common is EKKLESIA, a compound of two Greek words (ek and kaleo) meaning â€Å"to call out from† . It is used several times in the New Testament, and at times, in a secular sense as in Acts 19:39, which imply an ordinary gathering or meeting of people as they discuss things. When applied to the gathering of believers in Christ , the idea shifts from ordinary to a special gathering/assembly of people; a people â€Å"called out† by God to be separated for Him . Another Greek word which is equally important and expands the idea of the saints’ being â€Å"called out† is KURIAKON; it means, â€Å"That which belongs to the Lord† . There are certain things in the Bible which are expressed as being of the Lord like â€Å"the Lord’s supper† , and â€Å"the Lord’s day† . In other passages, the picture given is â€Å"that over which the Lord has dominion and authority† as in Luke 22:25 and Romans 14:8-9. To state it succinctly, therefore, the church comprises people who believe in the Lord Jesus as their Redeemer who took them out of the life of darkness into God’s marvellous light, and who are now under the rule and authority of Jesus Christ. NATURE OF THE CHURCH As suggested at the introduction of this paper, it is imperative of those working as church planters that they fully grasp the nature of the thing which they endeavour to form and establish. Since church is very much unlike any earthly organizations, the tendency to pattern it to the way successful worldly institutions are run is wrong. Here is where most of church strategies being advocated today are terribly amiss, and this is enough reason that when church planting is discussed a clear distinction is drawn, so that at the very outset of the work (church planting), the very character of the church that the worker is trying to form would be in his full view – thus securing in its foundational stage, its true nature. What then is the nature of the true church? Considering its definition, and putting it in most simple terms, we can think of the church in two ways: 1. ) the church universal, and 2. ) the church local. The church universal is composed of people who are saved by virtue of Christ’s atoning death and physical resurrection, both alive and deceased. This universal nature of the church encompasses every believer in Christ since the New Testament times until He comes again at the Second Coming. The local church, however, is a body of believers/Christians (saved people) located in a specific area who do the work of God in that particular locality and worship together as one congregation in the same place. Contrary to the universal church which includes already dead believers and those who will be saved in time yet future, a local church is composed only of believers who are still alive physically . What church planting is trying to achieve is the establishment of a local congregation in an identifiable geographical position. The church is described in many meaningful ways in the Bible. It is called the â€Å"body of Christ,† â€Å"household of God,† â€Å"the temple of God,† â€Å"the kingdom of Christ,† and â€Å"the bride of Christ. † BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF CHURCH PLANTING The best and sure way to start a church is to follow the methods laid down in the Scriptures. There are certain principles that must guide every church planting effort. Since the very nature of the work is primarily spiritual and addresses the most fundamental need of man, the procedure must be done bearing in mind first and foremost this need. 1. ) Preach the pure Gospel. When Jesus gave the Great Commission to His disciples, He said â€Å"Go and preach the gospel. † If there is someone who knew perfectly man’s deepest need, it was Jesus. He was God in the flesh who practiced what He believed to be true. But more than this, He did not just live His life trying very hard to obey the Father in certain occasions while struggling with some feelings of uncertainty regarding what might be the best tool in securing the salvation of people. He perfectly knew everyone. Apostle John said, â€Å"He had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. † The point is, if missionaries and Christian workers are to become effective and fruitful in reaching souls for the kingdom of God, there’s no better way than to follow Christ’s instruction to the Apostles. Twenty centuries have already passed, and yet the most effective tool in saving the lost is still the pure gospel which tells about God’s salvation in Christ. The gospel must not be changed as it was first delivered in Jesus’ time and as He outlined and modeled it to be in the first generation of disciples and believers. Just as it was, so it must be for the current and the succeeding generations, even when the pressures around seem so overwhelming that compromises as to the â€Å"tools† of evangelism are becoming widespread in the church. Despite modern breakthroughs, the pace of life in the fast lane, the complexities of life that make it more confusing, the barrage of stimuli all around the individuals’ physical senses, as well as the latest inventions that inundate people’s relationships, work and hobbies, all these have not changed the nature of man and the bible’s clear declaration of who he is and what he is like apart from the saving grace and dominion of God in his life. As elaborated by David Fisher in his seminal book The 21st Century Pastor, for as long as the church exists in its earthly setting, there will always be the pull between the â€Å"human and the spiritual. † It is in this context that the pastor and/or worker must bore through his soul, so that the very struggle that he recognizes as the negative pull that tries very hard to make him compromise or bend/adjust a little certain truths to mitigate too much pressure, might be confronted and dealt with every time it resurfaces. This had become the major problem of the Christians in Galatia. Some of them have already given in to the pressures exerted by the Judaizers of their day. And so Paul had to remind them of the necessity of sustaining the purity of the gospel even under extreme and relentless attacks. Today, probably the forms and methods of assault may have been modified, yet the aim is still the same for the church – for it to dilute and water down the gospel message. 2. ) Send the right people for the job. Another biblical principle in church planting which is uncompromisingly true today is the need for the â€Å"right man. † Along with the increasing speed nowadays in terms of doing things is the impatient attitude that it is leaving behind in everybody’s sub-consciousness. This is one of the causes in some of the major blunders in church planting. Existing problems in many established churches could actually be traced back to its beginning days. Pastors and elders are coping with much difficulty with problems which, if only dealt with early, i. e. in the church’s formation stage, would not be present in the otherwise flourishing church. If the wrong person is sent to the mission field and tasked to start a church, without the necessary knowledge on Ecclesiology and the possession of spiritual maturity, the ramifications which could have been underestimated at the time would be devastating to the church’s future. For example, one problem could be the appointment of local spiritual leaders who are actually not yet converted or have not fully grasped yet their stature and specific call in Christ and therefore not fit for the particular job of leadership. Another possible negative consequence is the employment of unbiblical methods. Because discernment comes only to people who have spent considerable time in applying fundamental truths in their lives, a newly converted missionary (which is an oxymoron in the Christian church), for lack of discernment could easily give in to the lures and temptations of adopting worldly methods – methods that are deemed effective by a worldly or secular mind. 3. ) The sending Church must be prepared for the task. While there are exceptions to this, the assumption is church planters are sent by a church who understands its mission. There are many who have proven themselves through time and by the kind of fruit that their work has yielded that they were called to church planting work. Inspite of the fact that there was no sending church or no group who sent them, these people appear to have a very keen and accurate sense that they were called to the task. And indeed, as they have gone to the respective places where they felt God had called to go, supernatural provisions were made available, thus enabling them to continue until an indigenous church is established and able to run on its own. This third principle is made clear in certain passages of the New Testament. One example is the church of Antioch who sent Barnabas and Paul for a missionary work to Seleucia, the Island of Cyprus, and around Asia Minor. Missionary work is not a cheap â€Å"enterprise. † It needs adequate financial support; no successful missionary work has ever succeeded with the support of its sending church. Crucial and prerequisite to church planting is a group of believers who believe in the urgency of the task of reaching the lost. When there is no sense of confidence that a church planter is exuding because he is sent by a group who believes in him in the first place, and regards his work to be that important to the extent that they invest financially for the cause that he is pursuing, it would become difficult for that missionary to convince anybody else. Although the endeavor of anybody who preaches the gospel for the sole sake of saving souls will definitely yield positive spiritual result, the would-be church planter who tries to do the work alone on his own will, in all likelihood, come to a halt along the way. Those whom he has reached will eventually find a more capable and stable church to fellowship in for spiritual growth. 4. ) Aim for biblical goals. As people get converted, their hunger for spiritual food increases as a consequent result. This stage is crucial as it creates more momentum on the work. The work of discipleship has to be immediately put in place teaching the newly converted ones the ABC’s of the faith, making them in turn workers in that area that will effectively reinforce the work which the missionary has started. If the worker lingers and waits instead for a more favorable time, the work’s spiritual momentum subsides, and when the awaited occasion comes for the worker, it will be too late as the time when these converts were ripe, when they had that spiritual hunger to absorb spiritual teachings had lapsed; the appropriate time for them to be discipled has expired already. Unfortunately, rudimentary work has to be done all over again. They had to be taught and preached at once again with evangelistic messages as though it is the first time they will be hearing those kind of messages. It’s not, in any way, suggested that the basics of Christianity such as teachings that deal with redemption of humankind, salvation by grace alone through faith alone, and all the foundational lessons of Christianity, are not beneficial at all to mature Christians. The point that is being emphasized, is that, all the times that were spent by the supposed church planter in laying the foundational work of salvation for the people in the mission field, were almost wasted so to speak, if the church planter would not proceed to implementation of the biblical goals to which the worker had been trained and equipped for. So, in the work of establishing the church, there has to be no room for loitering, nor hesitation. In church planting, the complete work of the Great Commission must be implemented if the work must succeed. After laying the foundational teachings of salvation clearly to the new believers, the missionary must proceed quickly to the work of discipleship. 5. ) Sustain the work with dynamic prayer and fellowship. One of the most beautiful aspects of the early church’s life is the way they are portrayed in the New Testament. The record says, â€Å"They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. † Actually, these are the features which the modern-day church has difficulty imitating. While many of the churches today have the appearance of possessing those qualities, they are yet to be realized, at least, in the dynamic sense that they were practiced by believers in the early days of the church. Some churches these days refer to fellowship as Shared Life. The rising trend on mentoring is the outcome of this missing dynamic in relationship between pastors and their parishioners. Mentoring’s emphasis is on the relationship aspect of discipleship. Because, they said, the pastoral work does not start and end in teaching and preaching alone, it is therefore expected that an open relationship be established between the mentor (pastor) and his mentee (disciple/pupil) where they not only learn from the Scriptures through Bible Study, but pray together and take time out together on a regular basis. Though, the gist of mentoring can be found in some aspects of Jesus’ style of training His twelve disciples, today’s mentoring and its origin (the word â€Å"mentor†) is unashamedly claimed by leaders who advocate it to have come from Greek mythology. Ulysses entrusted his son Telemachus to the care of a man whose name was Mentor, before he set himself on a long journey which is recorded for us in Homer’s classic story â€Å"Odyssey. † According to the story, Mentor was such a wise and trusted counselor and a tutor to Telemachus. † Being a true teacher to his newly harvested spiritual fruits, is definitely one of the emphases of church planting. â€Å"Make disciples† and â€Å"teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you† are exact words derived from the Great Commission. Conclusion In conclusion, I would admit that to truly emphasize the Biblical Principles of church planting these days (i. e. the actual methods that Jesus and the Apostles utilized and taught), is a kind of setting one’s self in for a lot of complaints and murmuring from the very people who want to be â€Å"Biblical. † If the pastor’s or the church planter’s approach or method in reaching lost souls is primarily to present them the pure gospel which according to Apostle Paul is â€Å"the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,† many from within the ranks of those who call themselves believers will not agree that the means being used is enough to secure a large harvest of souls. The reason for this disagreement is the mind set of many Christians that believe â€Å"numbers† are what truly count in the Kingdom of God. This is a misconception of true conversion. In the eyes of God, to whom everything that we do must be measured, number is not of value. Scripture say that â€Å"wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it† and â€Å"narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. † Number is actually deceptive. That’s why, in the first part of this paper, emphasis is given to understanding the nature of the church. Unless one understands clearly what kind of people are those who comprise the church, that person is not ready for church planting. The reason why effective church planters are fruitful in the work of planting churches is mainly because they what kind of people they are dealing with. The Bible says that the people to be reached with the gospel in the mission field are to be rescued â€Å"from darkness to light. † They are not naturally inclined to spiritual things nor are easily attracted to the Word of God. Given these Biblical profiles of non-believers, the knowledgeable worker of the church is prepared for any rejection coming from these potential converts. He knows full well that the odds in church planting are that greater number of people will be resistant to the presentation of the gospel message. Nevertheless, trust in the power of God to touch those lives is what continually grips his heart. It keeps him praying and praying till his preaching of the gospel yield the fruit of genuinely converted souls. His mind is not absorbed in numbers, for quantity is misleading; instead, he is after the birth of Christ in the hearts of those whom he is seeking to win. The provision of God is with those who have answered the call to form His church in whatever geographical location, may it be in a bustling city, or the remotest region elsewhere. The most important thing in church planting is the employment of Biblical principles as revealed and preserved for us in the Scriptures. It is a sure sign that the missionary believes the prescribed weaponry and methods that our Lord has spoken two thousand years ago. Bibliography Arrington, French L. Full Life Bible Commentary to the New Testament. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Acts 13:1-3). pp. 597-599. (1999). Fisher, David. The 21st Century Pastor. Zondervan Publishing House. Grand Rapids, Michigan. Pp. 177-179. (1996) Evans, Williams. Great Doctrines of the Bible. The Moody Bible Institute, Chicago. p. 141. 1974) Nickols, Fred. Mentor, Mentors and Mentoring. 2002. Accessed June 22, 2007 < http://home. att. net/~nickols/mentor. htm> Spurgeon, Charles. The Soul Winner. Whitaker House: New Kensington, PA. pp. 11. (1995). The New King James Bible. PC Bible CD 2002.

Reflective essay -Counselling session Essay

In this reflective essay I will provide an analysis of the counselling session I conducted and recorded. This will include a summary of the session. I will also describe the micro and advanced counselling skills utalised, as well as a critical evaluation of their effectiveness. A discussion of my application of these skills, as well as areas of possible improvement will supported by reference to relevant literature. Summary of the session. Leesa is a 37-year-old woman who I have seen around four months previously. At the previous session Leesa spoke of her frustrations at work and of her hopes of securing a promotion. Leesa’s presentation was one of lethargy consistent with someone who was suffering feelings of depression. I began the session by welcoming the client and reminding her of the confidentiality agreement. Leesa had previously worked in the hospitality industry but explained that had decided to terminate her employment after being overlooked for a promotion. She also explained that she had felt a lack of fairness and respect from her employer and fellow employees. Since leaving her position in hospitality Leesa had sought employment through an agency that provides office work opportunities. Leesa explained that she had had four different jobs in the past three months and that she was experiencing a similar feeling of being disrespected. Leesa spoke of experiencing a lack of self-confidence at the moment and a feeling of being stuck as well as frustration and uncertainty around her future direction. However the client was able to identify that she would like to be more financially secure, feel respected at work and to achieve a greater sense of confidence. Leesa spoke of a time when she enjoyed her work and private life more, and was able to relate some of the key differences that contributed to her feeling more respected and confident in general. The client identified that she would like to seek alternative employment that allowed her to take on grater responsibility and that involved less travel. Leesa believed that her employment agency may be able to assist her, but admitted that she had not been discerning about the kinds of roles that she took recently due to her  financial situation. She also disclosed that she had been isolating due to her current state of mind. Accepting a homework challenge Leesa agreed to approach some friends to see if she could catch up with them at the next weekend. She also agreed to compile a list of the sorts of jobs that she felt she was qualified for and believed that she could achieve a greater feeling of responsibility and respect. Leesa said that she would approach her employment agency to see if they could help, and that she would bring her list to the next counseling session. Counselling skills application. Reflecting upon the counseling session it is clear that I utalised a range of conversational micro skills. Attending Behaivour Hackney & Cormier (2009) & McLeod (2007), explain that a counsellor leads by following the client, which is done by encouraging the client to tell their story using verbal and non-verbal encouragers. Another way to explain what attending is that it allows the client to continue talking with minimal interruption (Armstrong, 2006). When watching the recorded session I could observe numerous occasions where examples of attending behaivour are present. For example my posture was relaxed and I leant forward. My tone of voice was moderate and consistent, and I maintained eye contact. I constantly nodded my head and aid â€Å"mm hmm or, oh really†. This combination of skills conveyed that I was interested and empathetic to what the client was saying. Similarly Egan (2010) describes an effective guideline for turning into clients as represented by an acronym: SOLER, which is important in the beginning of any counselling session. This means; S – face the client squarely O – maintain open posture L – lean towards the other E – good eye contact R – relaxed and natural in these behaviours Minimal responses. Throughout the session I used a range of minimal responses that let the client know that I was interested and engaged in what she had to say. It also conveyed that I was empathetic towards her situation. Geldard and Geldard (2009) explain that minimal responses not only convey that the counselor is listening, they can also be used to convey a message, such as surprise, agreement or even to challenge what has been said. The meaning of these minimal responses is also influenced greatly upon the delivery of them. Tone of voice, facial expression, posture and eye movement all help to determine the way in which these messages are received. An example of a minimal response I made that conveyed empathy would have been; when the client was describing her feelings of not being respected in her workplace and I responded by saying: â€Å"sounds horrible†. This short response did not interrupt the flow of conversation, and encouraged the client to continue. My tone of voice and facial exp ressions were also congruent with someone who empathized and was interested in what was being said. Reflective Listening. Summarising, paraphrasing and reflection of feelings are all examples of counselling micro-skills that let the client know that the counselor is listening and understanding them correctly. Although it is important to try to respond accurately it is not essential as an incorrect response can encourage the client to re-think what they have said and then clarify it, possibly resulting in a better understanding for both parties. Geldard and Geldard (2009) explain that these reflections also serve as deepening the therapeutic relationship. And that the most important to be: â€Å" genuinely yourself and aim to create a real, trusting, caring empathetic relationship with the person seeking help.† Examples of when I utalised reflective listening techniques would include: When the client had explained the reasons why she had left her previous employment, I reflected back by saying: â€Å" So you’ve left there you weren’t happy with that job, you felt like you were unfai rly treated, is that..?† Another example would have been after the client had explained that she had experienced a number of negative employment situations within a short period of time. I reflected back: â€Å" Would I be right to suggest that perhaps you are feeling a bit stuck, you’re not really sure what you are doing? †. Questioning Techniques and Advanced Counselling Skills. During the session I used a range of open and closed questions. I opened the session by referring back to the subject of her difficulties at work covered in the previous session and then asked: â€Å" How has that been going?† Later I asked the client: â€Å"Can you tell me a little more about the situation, what was going on for you?† Overall I was happy with the mix of open and closed questions. It felt like I was getting the information I needed, without interrupting the client. The counseling modality I used was solution focused. I tried to structure the session with Egan’s ‘Three Stage Model’ in mind. Egan (2010) provides a structured and solution focused approach that can be broken into 3 major sections. The initial part of the session saw me ask a range of questions designed to ascertain ‘what was going on?’ For the next section: ‘What do I want instead?’ I used a range of questioning techniques. For example: ‘s caling questions’. At a point in the session it had been identified that the client had become stuck and was unsure of what direction to take due to a series of negative experiences at work. The client had agreed that a pattern had emerged she felt disrespected at work. At this point I also felt a little stuck. It felt as if I should explore this as a theme and try to help the client to identify her blind spots. However I also felt like it might be counterproductive to challenge the client at that stage, as she appeared to have a low self-image. At the time, although uncertain it felt a little dangerous to examine her role in the situation. In order to firstly establish that the clients self esteem was low, and to then help her to identify what would have to change for her to feel better I asked her to rate her level of self-esteem, or confidence on a scale of one-to-ten. Her response was a three. This strategy was useful in establishing that the client was unhappy and felt stuck in her situation, and therefore provided a platform to work with. However it was not successful in helping the client to identify ‘what she wants instead’ (Egan 2010). I was unsure at this point as to weather the client was genuinely uncertain of what she would like to change or if she was reluctant to say. It was this feeling that led me to self-disclose. This gave me the opportunity to express empathy indirectly and to help the client feel like the relationship was equal. Geldard and Geldard (2009). It was also useful  in clarifying that she felt frustration and not the anxiety that was present in my disclosure. In an effort to move to Egan’s second stage I chose to ask a variation of the ‘miracle question’. De Jong and Berg (2008), propose that the miracle question allows the client an opportunity to step out of their current situation for a moment and consider the possibility of something better (as cited in Corey 2013). Although the client’s response was not immediate she could identify that she wanted â€Å"to be more financially stable, to have more confidence, and to be respected.† I then asked the client â€Å" Has there ever been a time in your working like, that you can remember where you felt respected and happy at work?† This question had an almost immediate positive reaction, as evidenced by the clients change in posture and facial expression. This coincided with what might have ordinarily been the negative situation of a refrigerator making a loud noise. However this situation added a useful element of humor that would probably not been possible. â€Å"Both clients and counselors can enrich a relationship through humor† (Corey 2013 p.31). Having identified that there was a time when things were different, coupled with the comfortableness achieved through humor, it felt like I had permission to ask what was different in her personal life at that time. The responses gave me the information I needed to begin to help the client look at Egan’s (2010) third stage of ‘how do I get to what I want?’ This also gave me the opportun ity to work with the immediacy that was evident in the change of mood when the client reflected upon a time when her life was going well. This person-centered approach added a real sense of genuiness to the relationship and allowed the client to identify emotionally connect with the difference in her life at that time (Corey 2013). During a summary of what was different, when the client’s life was going well new information was disclosed that the client had not been discerning about the jobs that she took due to her financial situation. I made the comment that; â€Å"that was understandable, we all have to pay our bills†, thus normalizing the clients experience, Normalising a clients experience can help them to look at their situation more positively Geldard and Geldard (2009). This was useful as the session moved into the third stage of the framework provided by Egan (2010). During this stage we brainstormed ways in which the client could access alternative employment, and also how to achieve greater life balance through recreational activities. The client agreed to continue to develop this list and to approach some employment agencies. She also agreed to contact some friends socially the following weekend as a homework tasks. Tompkins (2006) suggests that there are clear advantages to the counselor and client working in a collaborative manor in negotiating mutually agreeable homework tasks. (as cited in Corey 2013). I felt that overall the session went well. At times I think I could have injected more energy into my responses. It is strange, as I felt more enthusiastic inside than what was conveyed. I was happy that I could work to a framework and I found that I enjoy the positivity of the solution-focused modality. It did seem a little too perfect at times, which is difficult to avoid in a role-play situation. References. Armstrong, P. (2006). The practice of counselling. Melbourne: Thomson Higher Education Corey, G (2012). Theory and Practice of Counselling and Psychotherapy. 9th.Ed. Melbourne. Canage Learning. Egan, G. (2010). The Skilled Helper 9th Ed. Belmont, USA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning. Geldard, G & Geldard, K (2012) 7th Ed. Basic Personal Counselling: A Training manual for counsellors. N.S.W Australia. Pearson.

Current trading relationship Between the United States and China Essay

Introductions International trade refers to the exchange of raw materials and manufactured goods (and services) across national borders. This situation happen since every country has specific products or services that are better in terms of quality, price, or any other measurable factors than one form other countries. This idea refers to competitive advantage. This situation drives countries to exchange their products and services to benefit from the countries that can produce goods more effective and efficient. Within the past few decades, the increase of international trade has driven the integration of the world economy. Furthermore, there are interesting facts that between 1980 and 2002, the volume of world trade has increased significantly relative to world output. This is because, for instances, traded goods have become cheaper over time relative to those goods that are not traded. In addition, we witness there are three factors characterize the increase in trade: The decrease in costs of trade. In transportation, communication and search, currency exchange and tariffs are all factors that influence when trading goods internationally. Within the past 20 years, these costs are falling; suggesting that there would be an increase in the volume of trade. Second factor is the fact that tradable goods sector experience improved productivity growth. According to studies, it is found that productivity growth tends to be higher in the tradable goods sector than in the non-tradable goods sector. This situation will in turn increase the ratio of trade to output. The third factor is the increase of income per head. The increasing income will likely drive consumers to shift their spending away from basic food and clothing products and into manufacturing goods, which offer more differentiation, diversification and international Due to the needs to trade with other countries, a country is driven to find and develop their competitive advantages, which in turn sustain their trade relationship with other countries in the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Concerning the international trade, this paper will discuss about current trade relationship between U.S. and China including the current status of this trading relationship, impact of devaluing of the U.S. Dollar affect this trading relationship, sources of Chinese domestic inflation, American recession affects the Chinese economy, and the future of trading relationship between U.S. and China. Current Status of U.S – China Trading Relationship The trade relationship between U.S. and China represents a significant issue for both countries. This is because, each country regards the trade between the other party is important. For the U.S., for example, the trade with China is ranked number 3 with US$29.9 billions of dollars. The first trading partner for the U.S. is Canada (US$48.9 billions of dollars) and Mexico (US$29.9 billions of dollars). This condition highlights that the trading between the two countries will be managed suitably although the two countries often involved in political tension regarding military force, Tibet issue, and trade secret.   Table 1 shows the U.S. trade relationship with China in the first two months in 2008. Table 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Trade Relationship between U.S. and China NOTE: All figures are in millions of U.S. dollars. Month Exports Imports Balance January 2008 5,854.9 26,167.7 -20,312.8 February 2008 5,773.9   24,128.6 -18,354.7 TOTAL 11,628.8 50,296.3 -38,667.4 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Above figure represents the stable trends in which a year later in 2007, the trade value is undulating as shown in the following table (Table 2). The top value of trade between U.S. and China occurred in October 2007 where it reached US$31.6 billions of dollars (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). Table 2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Trade Relationship between U.S. and China in 2007 NOTE: All figures are in millions of U.S. dollars. Month Exports Imports Balance January 2007 4,364.2 25,635.0 -21,270.9 February 2007 4,630.7 23,064.5 -18,433.8 March 2007 5,479.4 22,725.4 -17,246.1 April 2007 4,849.4 24,222.9 -19,373.5 May 2007 5,322.7 25,338.4 -20,015.7 June 2007 5,900.1 27,061.1 -21,161.0 July 2007 4,779.2 28,583.4 -23,804.2 August 2007 5,904.6 28,431.4 -22,526.8 September 2007 5,610.5 29,375.3 -23,764.8 October 2007 5,683.1 31,611.2 -25,928.1 November 2007 5,816.3 29,768.8 -23,952.6 December 2007 6,898.2 25,690.2 -18,792.0 TOTAL 65,238.3 321,507.8 -256,269.5 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2008   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many reasons why U.S. has strong trade relationship with China. The country is home for more than 1.3 billion people, becomes one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Within the past decade, the country recorded an average of 8.2% of GDP growth. The figure put China to be the world’s 7th largest economy and 4th largest trader to date (Jintao 2003). The main reason of the country’s successful rapid growth comes from its decision to conduct comprehensive economic reforms, including its 2001 WTO accession (â€Å"People’s Republic†, 2005).   The impact of such reformation is China becomes famous for its dramatic shift from a relatively closed economy prior to 1970 to the world’s largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment to date. The year 1978 was the time when the country conducted a massive makeover of its foreign trade policy (Coughlin, 1999). As the first policy of allowing limited amount of foreign investment has seemed to work superbly, the Chinese government figured out that it was a good idea to let ‘a little more’ money coming in. Once the decision to get â€Å"a little more money’ set up, immediately afterwards, the foreign investment into China grows significantly, putting the country to be one of the main pillars of Chinese economic reformation while playing a key role in Chinese economic integration initiatives. Concerning the situation, analysts believe that FDI into China continues playing a major part in the development of China (Coughlin, 1999). Thus, we can say that to some degree, China’s economic development can be observed through the activity of FDI inside the country. Recent development shows that FDI inflow patterns into China form an obvious trend. The technology-intensive industry has attracted more investors to put their plants in China while increasing the number of FDI in-flows into the country. Along with condition, FDI inflows to traditional industries like footwear, travel goods, toys, bicycles and electrical appliances have been declining. Experts believe that the trend will reasonably continue in the future (‘China’, 2002). Devaluing of the U.S. Dollar affect this trading relationship Multinational companies having subsidiaries all around the world or a country that conducts trade with other countries generally has at least one issue to constantly think about, which is foreign currency exposure. Companies or countries cannot operate using the same currency within different countries and markets. However, their national reporting standards generally require these companies to report all their incomes and expenses within a single currency. Hence, the problem of managing foreign currency exchange risk becomes significant. Multinationals who failed to manage their currency risk accordingly could end up losing millions of dollars annually due to currency exposure (Abo & Simkins, 2004). Investorwords.com defines exchange rate risk as the risk that a business’ operations or an investment’s value will be affected by changes in exchange rates (Investorswords, 2008). Under such circumstances, for example, â€Å"if money must be converted into a different currency to make a certain investment, changes in the value of the currency relative to the American dollar will affect the total loss or gain on the investment when the money is converted back (Investorswords, 2008). Since companies that deal with foreign currency will encounter the risk of undulating exchange rate, they had better to have risk management and tools to reduce and alleviate the negative impact of such undulating rate to maintain their companies’ profit. In trade relationship point of view, the devaluation of U.S. dollar would put the trade deficit much deeper. In Table 1 and Table 2, we find that U.S. trade with China always experiences a deficit. This condition could get worse if U.S. dollars experience devaluation since it means China companies will pay less to the U.S. counterparts when they conduct trade in U.S. dollar currency. Figure 1 shows the U.S. trade deficit. Figure 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   U.S. Trade Deficit with China (Mankiw, 2003) Sources of Chinese domestic inflation In general, inflation is influenced by a number of factors, including the degree to which the productive capacity in the economy is being utilized; one-time shifts in product prices resulting from shocks to important supply and demand curves; changes in productivity growth; and inflation expectations. Kohn in his speech further reveals that there are four determinants of inflation: Economics slack. history reveals that economic slack indicates that when capital and labor are not fully employed, competition for market share and for jobs tends to bring down the inflation rate and vice versa Price shocks. Supply and demand influence the increase in a few prices for the specific products. This situation in turn contributes to the broad pickup in inflation although Kohn believes that price shocks are not going to be a source of continuing upward pressure on prices. Productivity. The combination of rapid productivity growth and weak aggregate demand has resulted in the slack in resource utilization, which contributed to the decrease in inflation. In addition, productivity growth also influences inflation through its effects on labor compensation and profit margins. Inflation expectations. This determinant plays a key role in price determination. In addition to other effects, a rise in inflation expectations tends to become self-fulfilling as people seek to protect themselves in the process of setting wages and prices. (Federal Reserve, 2004) Concerning China domestic inflation, we find that the country’s government policy becomes one major issue that influences the inflation. In 1989, for example, the government enacted policies which were intended to prevent the overheating economy. The policy was taken because in 1988, there was an aborted effort at the wholesale price reform. The incident resulted panic buying and wildly increased inflation. This explains the sudden raise of GDP growth. However, the government managed to create price stability by canceling large investment projects and decreasing domestic demands of products and services. The following economic turmoil was caused by the Beijing Massacre 1989. AS displayed within the table, the incident causes slowdown of national businesses, especially those involved with foreign investments. In 1991, the economy started to rise again, however, still with limping steps due to the worsened national image. In 1992, Deng Xiaoping decided to perform a tour through the Southern region of the country and attempt to revive international trust to the national economy. The tour achieved a significant portion of its intentions. Immediately, international interest in the rapidly growing economy was revived and FDI inflow to the coastal regions of the country was significantly boosted. Particularly in Shanghai, the new economic tendency brought significant governmental investment into the region, to build further infrastructure for international investment. The governmental initiatives brought increasing trade activities within the region, which encourage growth and also inflation (People’ Daily Online, 2006) Bilateral trading relationship heading in the near future The first analysis in conducting a trade with other country is about analyzing the country risk. This is important factor that U.S companies should be taken into account since trading with other countries involve any factors such as law enforcement for traded goods etc. in software industry, for example, many times, U.S. software developer complain about high rate of software piracy in China.   In short, country risk analysis is performance assessment regarding the uncertainty of a particular country in order to know about business environment in that country. In addition to using several macro and micro factors of country risk rating such as checklist approach, Delphi technique, and inspection Visits (Madura 485), U.S. – China trading trends is because China still holds the highest FDI Index that encourage U.S. companies to continue conducting trade with China in the future as shown in following figure. Figure 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Top 25 Countries in term of FDI Confidence Index Source: A.T. Kearney References    Aabo, Tom. Simkins, Betty J. (2004). Interaction between real Options and Financial Hedging: Fact or Fiction in Managerial Decision Making. Adler, M. B Dumas. (1984). Exposure to Currency Risk: Definition and Measurement. Financial Management 13, pp 41-50. China. (2005). Retrieved May 7, 2008 from http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/fs/chin.pdf#search=’China%20Fact%20Sheet%20pdf’ Coughlin, Cletus C. Segev, Eran. (1999). Foreign Direct Investment in China: A Spatial Econometric Study. Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis. Retrieved May 7, 2008 from http://research.stlouisfed.org/wp/1999/1999-001.pdf Federal Reserve. (2004). Remarks by Governor Donald L. Kohn. Retrieved May 7, 2008 from http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/speeches/2004/20040604/default.htm Foreign Direct Investment. (2003). Retrieved May 7, 2008 from http://ucatlas.ucsc.edu/fdi/fdi.html Jintao, Hu. Australia-China free Trade Agreement Joint Feasibility Studies. Retrieved May 5, 2008 from http://www.dfat.gov.au/search International Trade Theory. Retrieved May 5, 2008 from http://www.radford.edu/~aorlov/econ340/Ch04.pdf Investorswords. (2008). Exchange Rate Risk. (2004). Retrieved May 5, 2008 from http://www.investorwords.com/1808/exchange_rate_risk.html Krugman, Paul R., and Maurice Obstfeld. (1997). International Economics: Theory and Policy. Addison-Wesley Mankiw, N. Gregory. (2003). China’s Trade and U. S. Manufacturing Jobs. Retrieved May 7, 2008 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/mankiw_testimony_house_ways_and_means_oct_30.html Mclain, Charles. (1995). China’s Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment Law. Retrieved May 5, 2008 from http://www.1990institute.org/publications/pubs/ISUPAP11.html People’ Daily Online. (2006). Poverty Reduction Remains Tough Job for Asia-Pacific Countries. Retrieved May 6, 2008 from http://english.people.com.cn/200609/19/eng20060919_303966.html U.S. Census Bureau. (2008). Trade in Goods (Imports, Exports and Trade Balance) with China. Retrieved May 7, 2008 from http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html

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Autism in schools, crisis or challenge

Autism in schools, crisis or challenge The following report was prepared by the National Autistic Society (England) in 2002 surveying teachers and school administrators from seven local education authorities across England, Wales and Scotland about present state of autistic children in schools. This report is a follow up to a 2000 report titled Inclusion and Autism: is it working? which was taken from the perspective of parents. The surveys completed totaled 373, which makes up 30% a response rate. This represents a total pupil population of 132,646. Teachers surveyed said that 1 in every 86 children they teach have special educational needs that are related to an autism spectrum disorder. The schools also reported that 1 in every 152 children in their schools had a formal diagnosis of an autism disorder. From the survey, it was discovered that there are three times more autistic children in primary school than in secondary school. Statement School-based Total #/10,000 Ratio stages Primary 250 712 962 125 1 in 80 Secondary 75 124 199 37 1 in 268 Whether or not the underlying rate is increasing, there are more children with autism spectrum disorders in English and Welsh schools than ever previously reported. Continuing to place children with Autism in mainstream classrooms without adequate support places unfair pressure on teachers. For the child in question, it will lead to integration with social inclusion or educational progress at best, and destructive behavior and exclusion from school in the worst cases. Educating children with autism spectrum disorder is a huge challenge requiring high levels of skills, expertise and support. While all pupils with autism have individual needs and requirements, certain key issues must be addressed for successful education provision across the spectrum. The key areas include: gaining attention and motivating pupils; promoting social communication and social interaction; structured teaching and behavior management. This places a burden of responsibility on all teachers of pupils with autism, whether in a mainstream or special school setting. Current teaching methods employed for the majority of pupils may be entirely inappropriate for children with autism. Similarly, successful education of autistic children all almost invariably require input from a variety of specialist professionals, including educational psychologists, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. For the vast majority of children with autism, exclusion represents a failure on the part of the educational setting to provide appropriate support and training to manage their behavior effectively. Frustration can easily be engaged in children with autism by a lack of awareness and understanding on the part of teaching and support staff. In addition, the challenge is magnified many times over in a mainstream environment, where teachers and pupils who may have no experience or understanding of autism need training and support to make inclusion work. So, the question is: Is inclusion working? 65% of the teachers surveyed felt that inclusion is working. There is strong support for the policy of inclusion but the need for training is a major concern in making it work in practice. Inclusion describes an entitlement to education and support for children and adults with disabilities within the mainstream of provision. However, for children with autism, it is vital that inclusion is not viewed as an issue solely for mainstream schools. Despite the governments welcome policy direction towards facilitating mainstream inclusion where this meets the needs of a child, there will undoubtedly always be some children with autism whose individual circumstances require special provision. All children with autism need to be included within the curriculum and the life of the classroom, regardless of their type of educational provision. It remains the case that whatever type of educational provision is deemed to be appropriate for a child, this provision will need to adapt itself to the childs needs to ensure genuine inclusion occurs. This distinguishes inclusion from integration, which best describes the situation when a child with autism or asperger syndrome is placed in a school with no support and is expected to adapt to the curriculum and classroom environment. The teachers were also asked to rank seven measures for meeting the needs of children with autism by relative importance. 1. Promoting social interactions 70% rate high 2. Building strengths/self-esteem 62% 3. Dealing with behavioral problems 57% 4. Speech and language help 49% 5. Structuring the day 47% 6. Preventing bullying and teasing 39% 7. Helping child find the right classroom 20% Children with autism and aspergers have particular problems in communication and social interaction such that, if they are to be successfully included in all aspects of classroom life, they need additional support. Learning support assistants can play a vital role in facilitating peer relationships for children with autism, as well as helping with learning-based functions such as differentiating the curriculum. The following is a quote from a teacher Much faster diagnosis and then adequate, trained support, plus training for the teaching staff. None of this happens in any systematic way. Were all working in the dark! The findings show a majority of teachers who have received training in autism have only received between one and hour hours training. In such a short time, they are unlikely to have received sufficient training to understand crucial areas such as how children with autism learn and how to manage challenging behavior associated with autism. The results of our survey suggest that training teachers and support staff in autism awareness and educational approaches is the most urgent policy priority in the education of children with autism spectrum disorder.

The Rorschach Ink Blot

The Rorschach Ink Blot Rorschach Ink Blot The Rorschach Ink Blot In 1921, Herman Rorschach published Psychodiagnostik. The Rorschach test was included as a monograph. Herman Rorschach received his inspiration for the ink blot test by J. Kerner. Kerner believed that responses to interpretation of ink blots could reveal important individual meanings. Rorschach applied this theory to diagnose psychological disorders. David Levy brought the Rorschach test to the United States. The test originally was received with skepticism and criticism from the European and American psychological community. The community found it useless due to the lack of scientific evidence. The cost, according to Psychological Assessment Resources, is around a hundred dollars. There are also many supplemental workbooks to aid in the administration and scoring. These workbooks run from around sixty to a hundred dollars. Herman Rorschach designed the ink blot test to measure individual’s responses and identify psychological disorders. The Rorschach has 10 separate cards. Five of the cards are black and gray. Two of the cards are black, gray, and red. Three of the cards are a mixture of pastel colors. Rorschach can be used for many ages. Only Professionals can administer the test due to the intense administration and scoring. Rorschach is most often used in clinical settings. The administration for the Rorschach is an extensive process. The examiner must make sure that the test is administered as ambiguously as possible. Subjects may ask many questions to get a basic structure. The examiner must only give away basic instructions, such as â€Å"what might this be?† Examiners must not respond to the subjects responses verbally or nonverbally. This might led to the subjects attempting to please the examiner’s expectations. Also Exner recommended that the examiner sat next to the subject instead of the traditional position of face-to-face. This was to reduce the non-verbal cues from the examiner. There are two parts of the test. The first part is the free-association phase. The examiner may ask the subject what he/she might see in the first card. Each card is administered individually. The subject then tells what he/she sees on the inkblot card. If his/her answer is insufficient the examiner makes a remark for the subject to attempt to look for more on the card. It is important that the examiner write down everything the subject says and every noise the subject makes. Also the examiner must record the subject’s reaction time. The position that the card is in while the subject is examining it must be recording precisely. For example, the examiner would have to report that for card 3 the subject’s reaction time was 2 minutes and the card was sideways. The second part of the test is the inquiry phase. The cards are shown again individually to the respondent. There are five dimensions on which the subject’s response is scored on. The dimensions are location, form quality, content, and frequency of occurrence. The first dimension, location, is where on the inkblot the subject saw his/her perception. The scores for location are W, D, Dd, or DW. A score of W means the subject saw his/her perception using the whole blot. A score of D means the subject saw his/her perception using a common detail. A score of Dd means the subject saw his/her perception using an unusual detail. A score of DW means that the subject gave a confabulatory or over generalized response. For a normal subject there is usually a balance between W, D, and Dd responses. By calculating frequencies of these responses, quantitative data is available to work with. Location alone is not enough to determine a specific mental problem. The second dimension is determinant, which is what determined response. There are four properties that can make up a response, form or shape, perceived movement, color, and shading. The score is determined off of which property the subject utilizes to develop a response. For example if the subject’s response was just based of the perceived form it would be a pure form response. There are also subdivisions within the properties. Perceived movement can be further divided into human (M), animal (FM), or inanimate (m) movements. The determinant is the most difficult to score because administration instructions are so vague. Also a major part of scoring determinant is the examiner’s interpretation of the inkblot. It would be best if the examiner had intense experience, but this is not very likely. Determinant scoring stirs up controversy. Many experts believe that scoring perceived movement does not measure psychological issues. Perceived movement may measure motor activity and impulses in the brain. It was believed that subjects that gave two cooperative movement responses were easy to interact with. Research studies illustrates that this theory wrong. The third property, form quality, is the measure of how well the subject’s response equates with the stimulus properties of the inkblot. If the examiner is able to see the subject’s perception then there is adequate form quality. If the examiner is unable to see the subject’s perception then there is poor form quality. This is not a reliable measure due to the dependence on the state of the examiner. Exner designed a comprehensive system to increase reliability of scoring. The fourth property, content, is what the perception was. This is simple to score. The perception must fall into three categories: human (H), animal (A), or nature (N). The final property, frequency of occurrence, is how popular the response is. This is a quantitative measure, therefore easy to score. Despite the fact that the Rorschach test is widely used, it has never been adequately normed. Exner attempted to norm the Rorschach in 1986. It was based off of the average adult American. Exner then used his findings to apply to the scoring of each variable. This proved to be helpful to the examiners of the Rorschach. Exner had to renorm the Rorschach due to faulty norm samples in his first attempt. With his new sample, it was found that his original system overpathologized subjects. The consequences from overpathologizing are immense. If the Rorschach is utilized to diagnose one with a psychological disorder, there is a good chance it over-diagnosed the subject. The Rorschach has been known to be used in forensics. If someone wishes to use the insanity plea, the Rorschach could benefit the perpetrator. The Rorschach’s reliability is even controversial. There are many studies arguing for and against its reliability. A meta-analysis was conducted of all past research done on Rorschach’s reliability. Exner argued that the test-retest coefficients are in the .70’s and that is acceptable. The odd-even technique results were in that range. Exner’s Comprehensive system produced adequate reliability, .61 to .74. The environment in which the test is administered profoundly affects the reliability. It can be found that the reliability in forensic and clinical settings is .80 to .90. Rorschach main component is relating to psychological disorders. Although when studies were conducted to prove Rorschach as a sufficient diagnostic tool, the results were not in favor of Rorschach. Even with the revised Comprehensive System by Exner, the test fails to relate to diagnoses. Major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, dissociative disorder and antisocial disorders are just a few disorders that do not link to Rorschach’s test. The incremental validity of Rorschach with MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) have been proved and disproved by studies. This is another example of the controversy surrounding the Rorschach impact on the psychological community. LA Times writer, Rosie Mestel reveals interesting background information about how Rorschach developed this theory. As a boy, Rorschach enjoyed a game in which players made ink blots then described what they say. Then as a psychiatrist he noticed that schizophrenic patients saw unusual things in ink blots. He then studied the responses of ordinary people and his schizophrenic patients. He then published his book with less than an enthusiastic response from the Swiss psychological community. Less than a year later the original publishing company went bankrupt and Rorschach died from a ruptured appendix. It wasn’t until the test reached the United States that it became famous. With all the controversy surrounding the test, it almost died out in the United States. John Exner saved the Rorschach from dying out. Yet, even today Exner’s version is under heat for unreliability and invalidity. Studies have been done to identify if the Rorschach could aid in differentiating psychological disorders from each other. A study was done in 2001 to determine the Rorschach’s ability to distinguish boys with Asperger’s Disorder from other psychological disorders. According to the results those boys who â€Å"underreport[ed] human content (H) or human movement (M), and cooperative movement (COP) in humans or animals† were more likely to have Asperger’s Disorder (Holaday, Moak, Shipley, 2001). Although the Rorschach doesn’t coincide with DSM-IV criteria, it provides psychologists to differentiate those boys with Asperger’s Disorder. A major disorder that the Rorschach has evidence to identify is Narcissism. It is reiterated that the Rorschach was not derived from DSM-IV criteria, but it relates well in the area of narcissism. Those who are more apt to narcissism relate ink blots on a personal level (Hilsenroth, M. J., Fowler, J.C., Padawer, J.R., Handler, L., 1997). The two variables in the Rorschach that predicted narcissism are reflection and idealization (Hilsenroth et al.). These studies illustrate that Rorschach might not be perfect in diagnosing and identifying psychological disorders, but it is still helpful. The Rorschach can be used as a supplemental tool to further discriminate a subject from multiple disorders. Regardless of the Rorschach’s reliability or unreliability, it is a widely used test in the world of psychology. When people think of psychological testing, a vision of inkblots comes to mind. The media has hyped the Rorschach to be a magnificent tool to diagnose â€Å"crazy† people. This accounts for the common view of the Rorschach being an accurate measure of psychological health. According to the studies done on the Rorschach’s reliability, it is not a safe measure. The United State’s Law system utilizes the test as a measure of criminal’s sanity. This is not safe for the general public. There is too much evidence to disclaim the test’s ability. The test also leaves too much room for error on the part of the examiner. If the examiner had malicious intentions, he/she could detrimental effect the subject. This is why the Rorschach should only be used as a supplemental tool. The Rorschach can be extremely beneficial to clinicians. Only so much information can be obtained from a personal interview and questionnaire. The Rorschach could reveal interesting parts of a person’s psyche. The information obtained from the test could be used in counseling that works on unresolved issues buried in one’s psyche. These issues could have been buried until many years of counseling forced them out. Under these circumstances the Rorschach is beneficial to both the subject and to the participating clinician. Time, money, and work could be saved by utilizing the Rorschach as a supplemental tool. It is also very important that only professionals administer the Rorschach. Many psychological programs spend a few weeks teaching the Rorschach, but if one wishes to administer the Rorschach regularly it must be mastered. As stated before there is an enormous amount of room open for error on the examiner’s part. Scoring and administration must be practiced numerous before results are taken seriously. This is for the benefit of the clinician and to the subject. Slightly biased results are just detrimental as incorrect results. In conclusion, the Rorschach remains a ground-breaking, controversial, and fascinating psychological test. One should not trust the results completely. Like any test there is always room for error, either on the examiner or subject’s part. It is extremely difficult to administer, score, and even take it. The Rorschach test should be respected for its ability to differentiate disorders and use as a supplemental tool in therapy. Unfortunately, the Rorschach’s reliability and validity prevent it from use as a sufficient diagnostic tool in the psychological community. References Hilsenroth, M.J., Fowler, J.C., Padawer, J.R. (1997). Narcissism in the Rorschach revisited: Some reflections on empirical data. Psychological Assessment, 9, 113-121. Holaday, M.E., Moak, J., Shipley, M.A. (2001). Rorschach protocols from children and adolescents with Asperger’s disorder. Journal of Personal Assessment, 76, 482-495. Mestel, R. (2003). Rorschach lore and the test’s legacy. LA Times, f5. Kaplan, R. M. Saccuzzo, D. P. (2005). Psychological Testing: Principles, Applications, and Issues. United States: Thomson Wadsworth.

The Marxist and Functionalist Perspectives on the Family Essay

The Marxist and Functionalist Perspectives on the Family For the purpose of this essay question I will discuss the Marxist and the Functionalist perspectives on the Family. I will compare and contrast them and give a critical analysis of each and place them in historical context as well as modern day. In Britain today there are many different types of families. A social unit living together defines what a family is. The family resembles the core feature of society. Both Marxist and Functionalist perspectives believe the family is what holds society together and helps socialise the future generations. There are three types of family existing in today’s society. The nuclear family resembles a family unit made up of no more than two generations, stereotyped as a mother, father and 2.4 children. The extended family refers to a family unit made of many three generations or more who live with each other or near by. This type is typical of pre-industrial or ‘primitive’ societies. The third type of family is the reconstituted. This type has become more apparent in modern day society. It refers to adults who have married before and have brought their children from the first marriage to the second, creating a new family unit. It is important to note that not every household includes a family – for example student flats. The functionalist perspective believe society is like a machine in that all its institutions sustain continuity and consensus and keep society running smoothly. Functionalists believe the family contributes to society’s basic needs and helps maintain social order. Functionalists have been criticised for placing too much ... ...e into existence with the invention of private property. Both Murdock and Parsons paint a very ‘rosy’ picture of family life. They fail to take in account the darker side of society and family issues such as domestic abuse etc. Parsons views on men and women in relationships are often out dated. A lot of women these days are the breadwinners in the family and therefore the husband and wife roles have been reversed. Functionalist do not recognise that women suffer from the sexual division of labour while Marxists highlight this is their theory. Marxists also come under scrutiny for exaggerating the importance of the family life as being a refuge from the capitalist society. Marxists also underestimate darker issues such as violence within the home etc. Zaretsky overemphasises the fact that family and work are separated.

Do People Have the Right to Die? Essay -- Euthanasia, Physician Assist

Living life at age twenty-eight is an amazing adventure. People are at their prime – being active and living life to the fullest. However, for Nancy Cruzan, a terrible car accident took that all away. One night, driving on a quiet road in Missouri, Nancy’s car rolled off the road and into a ditch. For twenty minutes she lay there alone and lifeless. Then, a paramedic car drove by and saw the car in distress. They pulled Nancy out, and miraculously revived her back to life. However, she had damaged her cerebral cortex, the vital end of the brain that gives humans all motor functions, senses, and communication. Nancy was left in what is called a persistent vegetative state (PVS), which â€Å"is a legal term defined in 765.101 (12) Florida statutes as: ‘a permanent and irreversible condition of unconsciousness in which there is – a) the absence of voluntary action or cognitive behavior of any kind; and b) an inability to communicate or interact purpos efully with the environment.† (Snow 3). Many people refer to this state as being a â€Å"vegetable.† After contemplating the situation for a long while, Nancy’s family decided that it would be best to remove the feeding tube that was forcibly keeping her alive. However, Nancy had no living will or health care power of attorney which was needed by law to remove the tube. Does her family have the right to make the decision to end her life, when she cannot make that decision herself? Who does have that right? Do people have the right to die? This incident started many people thinking about what they believe about the issue of the right to die and physician assisted suicide. The story of Nancy Cruzan is only single scenario out of many that people have to decide where they... ...ec. 24 November 1998. Video. Right to Die. Public Broadcasting System, Oregon. Newman, Ed. â€Å"Part Five: Making The Final Choice: Should Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legalized.† The Truth Seeker 121.5 (1992). 15 October 2005 http://www.cp.duluth.mn.us/~ennyman/DAS-5.html> Newman, Ed. â€Å"Part Three: Local Perspectives on the Right to Die Debate.† Detroit Free Press FREEP 15 October 2002 http://www.cp.duluth.mn.us/~ennyman/DAS-3.html> Paris, John. â€Å"Hugh Finn’s Right to Die.† America (1998). 15 October 2005 http://www.americapress.org/articles/ParisFinn.htm> Snow, Constance. â€Å"The Right to Die?† Tampa Bay New Times May/June (2000). 23 October 2005 http://www.altnewtimes.com/e03csn.html> â€Å"The Perspectives in Brief.† Public Agenda Online (2002). 13 October 2002 http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/debate_brief.CFM?issue_type=right2die>

Philippine Writers Before the Coming of Spaniards

1. Communication =the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium television is an effective means of communication =means of sending or receiving information, such as telephone lines or computers:satellite communications =means of travelling or of transporting goods, such as roads or railways:a city providing excellent road and rail communications 2. Listening a. There are three modes of listening: competitive, passive and active. Active listening is considered the most effective because the listener is not only listening with interest, but actively acknowledging listening by brief responses.Most individuals are not as skilled at listening as they think. Depending on the study, listeners likely remember 25 to 50 percent of what they hear, according to Mindtools. Giving the speaker your undivided attention and not focusing on what you are going to say in response while he is talking is a good way to ensure you hear more of what is being sai d. Speaking b. Speaking can be an intimidating experience, even in your native tongue, let alone when learning a new language. The best way to learn how to speak, though, is by practicing, so put your inhibitions aside and strike up a conversation whenever you are given an opportunity to do so.When speaking, be aware of your pace, try not to mumble and use expression, both so that you don't sound monotonous and to keep your listener interested. Reading c. Children learn to read by first learning their ABCs and sounding out the letters to discover what sound they make. The phonetic approach to reading—using sound units to figure out the words—is arguably the best approach because theoretically, if you know the sounds, you can read any word, regardless of the difficulty level. This is also the case when learning a new language.Reading has many benefits, including improving memory (it's exercise for the brain), increasing vocabulary and exposing you to new ideas. Writing d. Writing is perhaps the most complex of the communication skills and takes the most time to master. As with any other skill, it is improved through practice and a willingness to improve on past attempts. Moving beyond the basics, there are many types of writing and many levels. Writing can be a basic means of conveying information—such as in newspapers—or it can be a tool to create elaborate new worlds, much like those found in fiction novels such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy. . Poor Encoding – This occurs when the message source fails to create the right sensory stimuli to meet the objectives of the message. For instance, in person-to-person communication, verbally phrasing words poorly so the intended communication is not what is actually meant, is the result of poor encoding. Poor encoding is also seen in advertisements that are difficult for the intended audience to understand, such as words or symbols that lack meaning or, worse, have totally differen t meaning within a certain cultural groups.This often occurs when marketers use the same advertising message across many different countries. †¢Poor Decoding – This refers to a message receiver’s error in processing the message so that the meaning given to the received message is not what the source intended. This differs from poor encoding when it is clear, through comparative analysis with other receivers, that a particular receiver perceived a message differently from others and from what the message source intended. Clearly, as we noted above, if the receiver’s frame of reference is different (e. . , meaning of words are different) then decoding problems can occur. †¢Medium Failure – Sometimes communication channels break down and end up sending out weak or faltering signals. Other times the wrong medium is used to communicate the message. For instance, trying to educate doctors about a new treatment for heart disease using television commer cials that quickly flash highly detailed information is not going to be as effective as presenting this information in a print ad where doctors can take their time evaluating the information. Communication Noise – Noise in communication occurs when an outside force in someway affects delivery of the message. The most obvious example is when loud sounds block the receiver’s ability to hear a message. Nearly any distraction to the sender or the receiver can lead to communication noise. In advertising, many customers are overwhelmed (i. e. , distracted) by the large number of advertisements they encountered each day. Such advertising clutter (i. e. , noise) makes it difficult for advertisers to get their message through to desired customers.