(http://www3.niu.edu/acad/fcns280/THEORY/sld008.htm) VI. Benefits of Counseling and Development Theories

The benefits of counseling related to theories of human development include assisting individuals in understanding how they got to where they are today and assist them in understanding how they can personally make changes or adjustments in their own life to achieve their personal life goals. It is reported that "According to develop mentalists, relationships among cognitions, emotions, and behaviors are interdependent and rooted in transactions with the environment (Blocher, 1980); therefore, while all humans possess inherent natures and abilities to mature, certain conditions must be present to facilitate the meeting of developmental needs and the mastering of developmental tasks. Tasks and concerns encountered at specific stages are understood to be hindered, blocked, or resolved depending upon the presence or absence of environmental conditions and responses." (Muro, 2007, p. 7)

Develop mentalist hold that "relationships among cognitions, emotions, and behaviors are interdependent and rooted in transactions with the environment; therefore, while all humans possess inherent natures and abilities to mature, certain conditions must be present to facilitate the meeting of developmental needs and the mastering of developmental tasks. Tasks and concerns encountered at specific stages are understood to be hindered, blocked, or resolved depending upon the presence or absence of environmental conditions and responses." (Muro, 2007, p. 8)

It is additionally reported that when Blocher (1988) "credited constructivist, cognitive-structural scholarship as the most influential to elaborating understandings of human development and change. Cognitive-structural studies affirmed the individual's information-processing tendency, reflecting intrinsic motivations to establish order, predictability and control in one's environment as well as to construct personal meaning. Cognitive dissonance was explained as part of this progression." (Muro, 2007, p. 8) Cognitive dissonance is reported to result in a "state of tension, discomfort, and imbalance. This motivates the individual to seek resolution, consistency, or cognitive consonance in an effort to construct meaning and order reality." (Muro, 2007, pl. 8)

Achieving goals of meaning and goals or order requires...

This struggle is reported to support the transition or what is referred to as assimilation. The process of assimilation is reported to involve change that is quantitative as information is added to the already existing structures of cognition. Muro (2007) reports that the process of accommodation is reflective of "a qualitative change as one modifies existing schemata and develops new cognitive structures in order to assimilate new information. The transition is an important one that can take time, especially when the development of new cognitive structures is involved." (p. 9) As the person transitions into "more complex, advanced differentiated and integrated cognitive organization" it is reported that resulting is a "paradi9gm shift and development." (Muro, 2007, p. 10)
Summary and Conclusion

It is clear that the application of the theories of human development are such that when utilized by professional counselors works to benefit the individual in overcoming their own personal problems and to set and achieve goals through making the necessary adjustments and changes that are needed in their life.

Bibliography

Muro, L. (2007) The Effects of Human Developmental counseling Application Curriculum on Content Integration, Application, and Cognitive Complexity for Counselor Trainees. Retrieved from: http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5138/m2/1/high_res_d/dissertation.pdf

Counseling Psychology (2014) Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Educational Counseling. Retrieved from: http://graduate.lclark.edu/departments/counseling_psychology/mental_health/about/

Psychosocial Theory (Erik Erikson) (2014) Retrieved from: http://www3.niu.edu/acad/fcns280/THEORY/sld008.htm

Learning Theory (2014) Princeton University. Retrieved from: https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Learning_theory_(education).html

Social Role Theory (2014) Psychopedia. Retrieved from: http://www.psych-it.com.au/Psychlopedia/article.asp?id=77

McLeod, S. (2008) Erik Erikson. Simply Psychology. Retrieved from: http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

McLeod, S. (2009) Jean Piaget. Simply Psychology. Retrieved from: http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html