Introduction
TLC considers education to be the central focus of personal growth and change. Whether in the context of therapy, counseling, support, training, etc. the central focus is on the individual
learning new understandings, perspectives, knowledge, and patterns of both thinking and behaving. Core to this learning is the internal process of change; the letting go of existing beliefs,
values and practices and the formulation of new beliefs, values, and practices.
We begin from the foundation that all of us are on a life journey and are continuously engaged in the process of personal growth and change. Thus, the individuals & families we work with are
no different then ourselves. We are simple the leading partners in assisting them to understand the process of change and engage them in the process of personal growth. As such, we are all
educators. The distinction between Transformational Counseling and Transformation Education is therefore deliberately reductionistic and academic to be used for the purposes of obtaining a
greater understanding of the counseling process as education.
The context of counseling within Transformational Education
Transformational Counseling is part of The Lincoln Center’s (TLC) development of Transformational Education (TE). Both the teaching and counseling components of TE focus
on "teaching children, adults and their families the values, processes and life skills essential to successful life journey – one filled with caring, contribution and
commitment." (This is the mission statement of TLC.)
The demarcation between teaching and counseling lies more in the process than the goal. Teaching usually works with a curriculum focusing on a specific body of knowledge and directs this
knowledge toward the need of the individual or group. For example, academic topics such as math, science, social studies, reading, etc. are presented to develop specific knowledge skills at the
level of competence of the learners. In TE, addressing multiple types of intelligence and using multi-sensory environments are important components of the teaching process.
Instead of beginning with the body of knowledge and integrating it with the needs of the individual or group, TLC Transformational Counseling (TC) begins with the needs of the individual
or group and directs the individual’s or group’s energy toward the development of knowledge of oneself or understanding of one’s relationship within groups or the larger
society. The life skills learned are not so much "academic" as relational to oneself and others. Just as with TE, TC addresses multiple types of intelligence and works with
psychodynamic learnings through multi-sensory processes.
Is it therapy or is it counseling?
From a process view, the argument could be made for both of these definitions. From a clinical view, TC is not therapy because there is not a "disorder" or
"mental illness" defined (using the DSM manual) that needs treatment.
While the process difference may be controversial, it is important to recognize that the basis of TC is totally different than the basis for psychotherapy. The focus of TC is developing
the awareness of the individual to understand skills that promote competence in one’s world and recognize skills that inhibit one’s ability to live within the context of the values
of TE. The basis of psychotherapy is to "cure" an illness or correct a "disorder".
Perspectives that transform people
With the description of Transformational Counseling there is the implication of counseling extending beyond one’s self and beyond one’s thinking of oneself. As will be discussed
later, the values of caring, contribution, and commitment involve more than how we get cope with ourselves. These values involve how we get along with our world.
From a practical perspective for TLC this has a variety of meanings. For TLC Drug & Alcohol Prevention Counselors it includes the relationship of students to their studies or
responsibilities to their families. For TLC Academy Values and Live Skills Counselors it includes the relationship of students to other students or to responsibilities of community projects.
For TLC Family Resource Center Counselors it includes the relationship of mothers to the cleanliness of their house and the nutrition of their children. For older adult counselors it includes
the relationship to social contacts and ability to give to others. For victim counselors it includes the relationship to positive friendships. In brief, we are not just ourselves, but rather we
are elements of a larger society.
There are three perspectives that can be helpful for transformational counselors. Each of these has its own value, but all three need to be addressed in order for a person to fully
understand caring, contribution, and commitment.
First of all there is the "person system". This is also the "I" system. It includes how we think about ourselves – our self image, personal worth,
personal competency, personal needs, and so forth. Many people don’t get far beyond this perspective. A statement such as "I did a good deed by helping a child to learn how to
spell" is still a personal system statement. The worth and expected reward are oriented toward oneself. It is saying "I am worthwhile because I was able to make that child a better
person by my standards."
Beyond the person system is the "subgroup system". This may be the classroom, a group, the family, or any other collection of people who share some similarities. The idea
of "similarities" is important. A subgroup comes together on similarities and splits on differences. Thus, if a counselor is trying to strengthen a family, she or he must help
the individuals recognize their ties/similarities with the family and its needs. Thus, the SCOH mother may not clean for her benefit but rather for the benefit of the family.
Without such a perspective an individual remains focused on himself or herself. Life skills learned only for the benefit of oneself do not lead to an understanding of caring for
others, contribution to others, or commitment to more than selfish needs. Look for the "we" statements for subgroup identification. For example "Look what we
accomplished" rather than "My effort resulted in a better group".
The larger system is the "whole group" system. This comprises the larger entity of one’s relationship. It may be one’s grade, school, extended family, community, or
the natural environment surrounding a person. It is at this level where one learns how to integrate differences. It is at this level where one learns that "taking it personally" only
works to demoralize oneself rather than accepting that you can be different and be worthwhile. It is at this level where one doesn’t have to be concerned with self: selfless-ness
doesn’t mean loss, rather it means conjunction. At this level not even the "we" is needed. There is a sense of being that incorporates so much that a specific group identity is
not needed. For example, "What a great experience that was for all involved" rather than "we did it!".
The TLC Transformational Counselor helps people to understand all of these perspectives. The goal isn’t to live in only one perspective but rather to develop the ability to live in
any one of these perspectives according to the need of the situation. Obviously, however, the challenge is to move toward the selfless-ness perspective simply because we are usually trapped in
the personal system that breeds disappointment, disability, and depression.
The values of caring, contribution and commitment
TE includes many principles, but all of them relate to caring, contribution, and commitment.
Caring from a TLC perspective means working with people through the transformations they must make to grow and change. Such transformations include many different types of turbulences as
one sits on the edge of change. Transformational Counseling assists the person or group in dealing with the fears, anxieties, pain, challenge and joy of such changing.
Caring involves understanding that change involves discomfort or even suffering. Sometimes counselors must draw back from trying to make the other person "feel good" which can
lead to avoiding the pain that promotes change. Often the counselor must show "tough love" rather than "tender love". Caring is not to prevent struggle or pain but to assist
in guiding children and others to understand such experiences and draw meaning from them.
Grenier and Ross, who have developed the principles of Transformational Education write:
"To be supportive is not to fight the problem for someone. Not to remove them from the battle. Not even to bind their wounds. Caring is to affirm the okayness of the struggle and themselves
and the principles for which they struggle. Caring for someone is to challenge them and offer alternative interpretations to life. If the person is avoiding struggle the challenge is to engage
them. In either case challenging the child and adult to new stages of growth is what caring is about. Caring calls upon us to endure suffering."
Contribution is the demonstration of caring. We must view caring not just as a counseling job but also as an organizational behavior. In an organizational context this means that everyone
is expected to demonstrate caring in every action. Grenier and Ross state "As an organization you may agree with our beliefs and understanding of caring but without putting it in action
it remains an intellectualism."
Commitment is contribution over time. It is dedication to growth of ourselves, our students and clients, and the organization to which we belong. It is the integration of caring and
contribution into our daily worklife.
Through the assimilation of these principles we recognize that what we have defined as Transformational Counseling are really behaviors that apply to all staff at TLC. And so we come back to
the beginning point – do we need a separate definition? Maybe not, but until we as counselors recognize the overreaching implications of Transformational Education to all work at TLC, it
is important to clarify those implications.
TLC organization as a whole identifies itself as a growing organization constantly learning how to care for itself in order to continue its caring, contribution and commitment to the people
we serve.
