SEMINAR OUTLINE FOR THE PSYCHOLOGY INTERNS
CAROL KAUFFMAN, PH.D.
Performance Enhancement and Positive Psychology.
The seminar will examine how to harness insights from clinical psychology when consulting on: peak performance for executives, athletes and performers; and management of professional-client relationships with lawyers, financial advisors etc.
The theoretical basis for the seminar is integrative and information is culled from many psychological theories.
As an introduction to the field I describe the different focus one has as a clinician versus a consultant in a non-clinical setting. For example, assessment of cognitive styles and strengths is very different than identifying cognitive distortions.
In the part one of the seminar I present Seven Systems of Assessment. This pulls on perspectives from: behavioral medicine, biological psychiatry, behavior therapy, CBT, DBT, EFT (Emotion-Focused Therapy), Relational-Cultural therapy, Psychoanalytic therapy and Organizational Psychology.
In part two I examine issues regarding the process of change. Information is drawn from Behavioral Decision Theory, current research and theory on change and cases. Much of the material on change is based on metaphors and principles of physics e.g. working with inertia, momentum, hitting critical mass etcetera. The practical application of this material is helping clients manage the balance between movement forward and resistance to change.
PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT AND POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY SEMINAR
Carol Kauffman, Ph.D.
PART ONE: HELPING CLIENTS WITH SELF ASSESSMENT
System One: Physical. In this section I teach the importance of the consultant first examining what physical issues might be interfering with peak performance. Focus on the basics of: physical work up, optimal medication, sleep, nutrition, exercise, addictions and other physical factors that can be misidentified as psychological issues or be overlooked by the client.
System Two: Environmental. This section focuses on macro and micro environmental management. Helping the client focus on how to optimally utilize potential environmental resources, and structure. While the interns will have experience using this in clinical settings, I'll explore this level of analysis with higher-level populations including: managing your boss, athlete - coach issues and professional client challenges, when your client is the professional.
System Three: Cognitive. Performance enhancement perspective on cognitive level focus on client's cognitive style. Information will be presented on Myers-Briggs and other positive psychology cognitive style assessments. Will also examine application of clinical based concepts of core-beliefs, distortions etcetera to peak performance and consultation work.
System Four: Emotion. Examine emotional profiles. As individuals have basic cognitive styles, they have basic emotional styles; will explore these in light of performance and consultation issues. Will present current material on "emotional intelligence" and its management and performance applications. Will examine performance enhancement potential of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Emotion Management Techniques Emotion Focused Therapy (recent articles in Journal of Clinical Psych). Then explore how to integrate Cognitive and emotional interventions.
System Five: Relationships. Intro to Relational-Cultural Theory and its applications to health and level of function. Look at how to assess and address the client's relational profile and examine if it's an asset or a liability and why. I'll also present interpersonal effectiveness, communication style and leadership enhancement.
System Six: Psychodynamic Theory and performance. Overview and reminder of psychodynamic principles, early social learning and how the world views are cognitively and emotionally impacted by early experiences.
System Seven: Spiritual/Meditation. Examination of DBT mindfulness work, Mediation interventions, Moral development and how this level is often necessary ballast during times of stress. Present Signalman's latest work on Values In Action and signature strengths.
PART TWO: THE PROCESS OF CHANGE
First I use the concept of aerodynamics as a metaphor for the dynamics of change. Describe how thrust (motivation, planning etc.) must overcome resistance (old habits and styles, secondary gain of not changing etc.) Apply this preliminary information on how to help client set appropriate goals in the light of their style of negotiating change.
Examine the concept of "psychological set points" and how to appreciate that what works at one point will not work at another and how to know how to make intervention shifts when that happens. Explore issues of resistance to change, decision paralysis and how to manage the "counterforces" to change.
Describe appropriate maps and models of change and examine how some change is linear, some is curvilinear, some is cyclical etcetera.
Application of the material to help consultants match the process of change with appropriate goals for the particular client.
