Unconscious Communication and Defence Mechanisms

Unconscious Communication and Defence Mechanisms According to Frayne[1] unconscious communication is one of the three types of communication, the other two being conscious and preconscious. To the clinician, it is critical to understand the full nature of unconscious communication, defence mechanisms and the manner in which these interact in the therapeutic environment[2]. The therapeutic environment is often prey to issues of transference, countertransference and a multitude of defence mechanisms. As a result, it is essential that the clinician understand how issues of transactional analysis impact both the patient and therapist. The therapeutic setting is one based on a close relationship, that of patient and clinician. Both parties bring their own beliefs and perceptions, personality, stages of development and behaviours to the therapeutic experience. As a result, both parties are prey to their own types of unconscious communication and use of various defence mechanisms. Frayne[3] states â€Å"Contemporary psychoanalytic interventions (require that) the analyst be able to work in that transitional field that joins the unconscious of the patient and the analyst.† This paper will highlight the many concepts involved in the roles of unconscious communication, defence mechanisms, transactional analysis and the transference and countertransference experience. In order to highlight these issues and how they can manifest themselves, this paper will present the case of B.A., a 13-year-old child who has been in the therapeutic setting for 5 months. Following the case presentation, topics will be explored in a reflective manner. Case Presentation B.A. is a 13-year-old Caucasian male who presented to the therapeutic setting as a result of maladaptive behaviour displayed at home and in the school setting. B.A. is one of four children born to working class parents, both of whom work a traditional 8:30 – 6:00 work day. B. A. is second oldest and the only male child. His other sisters are 15, 10 and 7 years of age, respectively. B.A. has had history of excellent grades, mostly As and a few Bs for the majority of his public education and has been cited as a good citizen by his teachers. Five months ago, B.A.s grades significantly dropped to near failing, his attitude was oppositional, he was frequently truant and B.A. became involved with numerous fights with other children. When school counsellors brought the issues to B.A.s parents, his parents acknowledged that B. A. changed at home as well, being oppositional and defiant. Both his teachers and parents cited increased frequency of lying and his parents stated â€Å"It is getting impossible to tell the difference between when he is telling us the truth or a lie. We wonder if he even knows the difference anymore, whether he believes his lies really are the truth.† Upon closer familial examination, B. A.s parents admitted they had been having marital problems, including issues of betrayal and infidelity such that there have been â€Å"regular loud shouting matches† and arguments in the house. During those times B.A. would stay in his room and turn the volume on his stereo up, causing more stress within the household. The infidelity was first uncovered six months ago at which time B.A.s parents discussed divorce options, which B. A. overheard. A precipitating incident involving night time vandalism four months ago at his school led to court involvement and mandated psychological counselling for a period of one year. The reflective nature of this paper is based on two months of bi-weekly therapeutic sessions. Unconscious Communication Frayn[4] tells us that unconscious communication can only be inferred, as it cannot be tangibly seen, but only sensed in the therapeutic setting, primarily during those times of silence. There were many times that B.A. maintained his silence, primarily during those times when he was challenged to explain his behaviour, justify his actions or explain his thought processes. Although his overt actions during these silent periods could be interpreted as insolent behaviour, there was no way to truly know what unconscious mechanisms were engaged, but a series of defence mechanisms were evident in his therapy and were inferred as greatly influenced by the unconscious process[5]. Defence Mechanisms Frayn[6] believes that unconscious processes are often a form of â€Å"acting out† in the therapeutic environment, in particular those under age seven, where children find it easier to act instead of talk[7]. This is particularly evident in the transactional analysis approach when dealing with dysfunctional or challenged adolescents, like B.A. who respond with childlike reactions when stressed. In particular, Araujo, Feldman and Steiner[8] state that defence mechanisms are a function of age, sex and status of mental health. In particular, those unconscious actions and reactions are involuntary but serve to reduce a perceived threat as reality-distorting mechanisms postulated to form themselves in the unconscious[9]. Araujo et al. [10] state that youths with psychological issues have a tendency to display less mature defence mechanism such as â€Å"denial, projection, regression, passive aggression and displacement† even though they are considered ineffective coping stra tegies for an adolescent. More mature defence mechanisms are considered â€Å"sublimation, anticipation, affiliation, suppression and humour.† This concept is particularly important to the therapeutic environment as the defence mechanisms among mentally healthy early adolescents differ from the mentally healthy mid-adolescent. The older the individual on the child to mid-adolescent continuum, the less the patient should be employing immature defence mechanisms[11]. Similarly, the higher the level of emotional intelligence, the less one relies on maladaptive defence mechanisms that often prove inconsistent and illogical[12]. B.A.s impulsive and acting out behaviour coupled with his lies made therapy particularly difficult. Elaad[13] tells us that lying is a method of deceptive communication that provides an advantage to the deceiver, stating that those with poor social skills use methods of deception more frequently than others with lesser levels of guilt over their deception. From a transactional analysis standpoint, Elaad[14] states that the bad-child indulges in defence mechanisms that feel natural, as the ego state attem pts to rid itself of parental pressure. Clinicians need to be aware of developmental stages and influences, such as emotional intelligence in order to effectively intervene for the patient, especially if significant unconscious communication mechanisms are in place[15]. Given B.A.s familial discord, it was not difficult to see that when B.A. acted out or displayed other defence mechanisms, including his frequent lying, issues of transference were part of the therapeutic process. Transference The defence maturity model postulated by Vaillant[16] believes that defence projection is the result of unacceptable feelings or relations with another that are displaced and redirected away from one person and directed at a less-cared-for-person, often a therapist. For those patients experiencing unconscious emotions, many times patients will shift their unconscious feelings towards another person instead of dealing with them personally[17]. B.A. appears to be transferring and projecting his own unresolved parental/authoritarian conflicts on his therapist and although he displays occasional glimmers of wanting to please and receive the favour of his therapist and gain a feeling of security, the security he used to feel with his parents before the familial discord. Countertransference Haarhoff[18] tells us that for the therapist, an awareness of countertransference, whereby the therapist unconsciously projects their own unresolved conflicts on the patient can have negative repercussions and consequences if the therapist ignores â€Å"or fails to understand his or her own emotional reactions† including the inability to set limits with a patient, feel inhibited to discuss various topics and other manifestations of avoidant behaviour. As a therapist, issues of countertransference are also paramount in B.A.s therapy, as feeling of anger at being lied to or suspecting that B.A. is lying during therapy sessions creates feelings of wasted time when time in for sessions is limited and B.A. avoids various topics and time management is one of the personal stressors this writer experiences. Awareness of countertransference creates boundary issues with a therapist[19]. In particular with B.A., it appears that a more demanding and controlling nature seems to overshadow the therapeutic process. Conclusion The use of defence mechanisms in the therapeutic environment is important to identify, as, according to Reisner[20] different types of neuroses are associated with different types of defence mechanisms. For example, those who are high in hysterical identifiers are more likely to employ repression as a defence mechanism where those who are obsessive compulsive, considered sensitizers, are hypervigilant to any kind of threatening stimuli[21]. Feldman and Steiner[22] believe that the more a therapist knows about defence mechanisms, particularly those who deal with children and adolescents, that knowledge can be used to predict levels of pathology among their patients. Aalto-Setala et al. [23] tell us that unconscious behaviours, such as communication and defence mechanisms are associated with an effort by the patient to manage their conflict. In particular, researchers found that the greater levels of immature defence mechanism use by adolescents â€Å"is associated with the onset of mood disorders in adults[24].† Successful therapeutic intervention must assess both conscious and unconscious communication in the patient and therapist. Bibliography Aalto-Setala, Terhi, Lonnqvist, Jouko, Poikolainen, Kari and Tuulio-Henriksson, Annamari. Psychological Defence Styles in Late Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Follow-up Study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1997. Araujo, Katy B., Feldman, S. Shirley and Steiner, Hans. Defense Mechanisms in Adolescents as a Function of Age, Sex, and Mental Health Status. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1996. Cashwell, Craig S., Schweiger, Wendi K. and Watts, Randolph H., Jr. Fostering Intrinsic motivation in Children: A Humanistic Counseling Process. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development. 2004. Clark, Arthur J. Scapegoating: Dynamics and Interventions in Group Counseling. Journal of Counseling and Development. 2002. Elaad, Eitan. Detection of Deception: A Transactional Analysis Perspective. The Journal of Psychology. 1993. Feldman, S. Shirley and Steiner, Hans. Two Approaches to the Measurement of Adaptive Style: Comparison of Normal, Psychosomatically Ill, and Delinquent Adolescents. Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1995. Frayn, Douglas H. Unconscious Communication and its Relational Manifestations in the Analytic Process. Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis. 1998. Haarhoff, Beverly A. The Importance of Identifying and Understanding Therapist Schema in Cognitive Therapy Training and Supervision. New Zealand Journal of Psychology. 2006. Jones, Alun C. Transference and Countertransference. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care. 2004. Murray, Robert J. The Therapeutic Use of Forgiveness in Healing Intergenerational Pain. Counseling and Values. 2002. OReilly-Knapp, Marye and Erskine Richard G. Core Concepts of an Integrative Transactional Analysis. Transactional Analysis Journal. 2003. Pellitteri, John. The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Ego Defense Mechanisms. The Journal of Psychology. 2002. Pires dos Santos, Manuel J. Countertransference in Psychotherapy and Psychiatry Today. Presented at the XXII Brazilian Congress of Psychiatry, Salvador B. A., Brazil. October 2004. Reisner, Andrew D. Repressed Memories: True and False. The Psychological Record. 1996. Footnotes [1]D. Frayn, Unconscious Communication and Its Relational Manifestations in the Analytic Process, Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis, 1998) 207. [2]Frayn 208. [3]Frayn 207. [4]Frayn 208. [5]Frayn 210. [6]Frayn 211. [7]Frayn 211. [8]K. B. Araujo, S. S. Feldman and H. Steiner, Defense Mechanisms in Adolescents as a Function of Age, Sex and Mental Health Status, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1996. [9]A. Freud 1966 as cited by Araujo et al. [10]K. B. Araujo et al. 1996. [11]K. B. Araujo et al. 1996. [12]J. Pellitteri, The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Ego Defense Mechanisms, The Journal of Psychology, 2002. [13]E. Elaad, Detection of Deception: A Transactional Analysis Perspective, The Journal of Psychology, 1993. [14]Elaad 1996. [15]Pellitteri 2002. [16]Vaillant, 1986 as cited by S. S. Feldman and H. Steiner, Two approaches to the Measurement of Adaptive Style: Comparison of Normal, Psychosomatically Ill and Delinquent Adolescents, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1995. [17]Pellitteri, 2002. [18]B. A. Haarhoff, The Importance of Identifying and Understanding Therapist Schema in Cognitive Therapy Training and Supervision, New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 2006. [19]Haarhoff 2006. [20]A. D. Reisner, Repressed Memories: True and False. The Psychological Record, 1996. [21]Reisner 1996. [22]Feldman and Steiner 1995. [23]Aalto-Setala et al. 1997. [24]Feldman and Steiner 1995; T. Aalto-Setala, J. Lonnqvist, K. Poikolainen and A. Tuulio-Henriksson, Psychological Defense Styles in Late Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Follow-up Study, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1997.

Abington Hill Toys

ABINGTON-HILL TOYS, INC. 1. INTRODUCTION Abington-Hill Toys’ new president, Vernon Albright, hires a new company comptroller, David Hartly. Hartly’s first task was to complete an analysis of the firm’s condition and generate financial planning for the company. 2. METHODOLOGY A. Current ratio B. Acid-test ratio C. Inventory Turnover Ratio D. Debt-Equity ratio E. Gross Margin F. Net Profit Margin G. Z Score 3. SOLUTION A. 280,000/290,000=. 97 B. 130,000/290,000=. 45 C. 900,000/150,000=6 D. 490,000/710,000=. 69 E. 300,000/1,200,000=. 25 F. 60,480/1,200,000=. 05 G. 1. (-10,000/1,200,000)+1. 4(60,480/1,200,000)+3. 3(126,000/1,200,000)+ 1. 05(1,200,000/1,200,000)=1. 46 4. CONCLUSION The current ratio of . 97 means for every $. 97 of current assets, Abington Hill Toys has $1 of current liabilities. Since the current ratio is less than the standard of 3. 5, Abington Hill Toys implies a high risk and a probable incapability to generate sufficient working capital to meet i ts short-term needs. The acid-test ratio of . 45 is less than half of its current ratio which means Abington Hill Toys’ inventory comprises of more than half of its current assets.The inventory turnover ratio of 6 is higher than 5 which is the standard for companies in this industry. Since this ratio is higher than average, Abington Hill Toys is showing strong sales. The higher than standard inventory ratio could also mean ineffective buying of inventory. The debt-equity ratio of . 69 means Abington Hill Toys has $. 69 of debt to every dollar of equity. This would put them in at a lower risk to enhance financial leverage. The gross margin is at 25%. This means Abington Hill Toys is only profiting 25% above their direct costs. This is equivalent to the standard of other companies in this industry.The net profit margin of 5% is less than the standard of 8%. Abington Hill Toys’ net profit margin means equity holders will only receive 5% from every dollar after all expense s, interest, and taxes are paid. The low Z score of 1. 46 would sway me to not lend the money. By Altman’s scale, Abington Hill Toys has a 95% chance of going into bankruptcy in 12 months. Along with the high probability of going into bankruptcy within 12 months, the net profit margin of 5% doesn’t seem worthwhile. I would rather invest in something safer for that low of a return.

Development of Greek Architecture

Same for Doric Style Visual Comparison -List the differences, similarities -Were the circumstances vastly different during the time periods of each (war, peace, etc. )? Conclusion Development of Greek Architecture: The Doric and Ionic Orders Undoubtedly, most eople have had the experience of driving around neighborhoods to look at Christmas lights with their family. We have all seen those humongous, beautiful houses or churches with the winding driveway, tall windows, or columns framing the face of the house.However, very few people may stop to actually examine the homes and wonder about why they were made the way that they were. People may not know of the architectural structures from hundreds of thousands of years ago that are influencing those modern buildings. Columns, for example, are remnants of an era that changed the way that many cultures build structures; the height of Ancient Greece. The Doric and Ionic orders arose during that time and remain a staple in structural design . I will explain the two orders as well as compare them using two different, specific temples.I will also give background information on the architects of each temple, on new ideas that sprung up during this time, and on events that could have influenced the development of structure in Greece and surrounding areas. During the Orientalizing Period in the seventh century, the Greeks built a temple at Prinias that resembled the Mycenaean megaron which travelers may have seen uring a Journey for trade. However, in sixth century BCE, known as the Archaic Period, Greek architects began to look to Egyptian structures such as the columnar halls in Karnak.With these in mind, they began to build the stone columnar temples that have become the iconic Greek style and have influenced architecture throughout the Western world. The basic Greek peristyle temple was put under the intense study of architects and philosophers who were trying the find a way to construct the ‘perfect temple'. Vitr uvius, a Greek writer, documented that both doric and ionic types eveloped while architects were trying to translate the styles of temples that were made of wood, mud bricks, and other less durable materials into stone and marble temples.These would undoubtedly last longer and if they could discover the optimal proportions, they could potentially build their ideal or ‘perfect' temple. People started searching for a mathematical formula that could be used to calculate the correct balance for all parts of the temple, which reflected the thinking of philosopher Pythagoras of Samos. He believed that that beauty resided in the harmony of ratios, so a Greek architect named Iktinos came up with a set roportional scheme that resulted in a formula for the best balanced temple.Within the bounds of this formulaic approach, there developed two systems, or orders of designing the three parts of ‘elevation' in a Greek temple. The three parts are the platform (stylobate), the colonnade , and the superstructure (entablature). The Doric order and the Ionic order differ in the detail and proportions of these parts. Their names are derived from the cultures and areas from which they supposedly originated (Dorians in central and southern Greece and Ionians in Athens and ‘Ionia', the west coast and Asia Minor).Both systems had the basic elements of a Greek temple (elevation from a platform, columns with a fluted shaft and a capital, entablatures with a frieze, a pediment, so on and so forth). The striking differences occurred in the designs ot these elements The Doric order was the tirst to develop during the 6th century. It had a much sturdier, squat look than the later ionic styles. The columns were thick, immense stone cuts that sat atop the stylobate. The fluted shafts were topped with a pancake-looking, simple capital that had a rectangular slab (abacus) between it and the bottom of the entablature.Resting on the columns is the entablature which includes an a rchitrave (closest to the columns), a frieze, a cornice, a pediment, and a raking cornice. (All of these describe the order of the temple from bottom to top). A distinctive feature of the doric order is that the frieze is broken up vertically by triglyphs and metopes. The plain, flat capital also marks a difference between the doric system and other styles. An example of a classic Doric order temple would be the Temple of Hera I which is located in Paestum, Italy (see Image #1).It was constructed around 550 BCE and is 80 feet tall and 170 feet wide. Also referred to as the ‘Basilica', its thick columns (nine across the front and back and eighteen down both sides) are closely spaced and resemble the shape of a cigar because they taper in slightly at the top. They are topped with the flat, circular capitals. Although almost the entire collection of columns remains, the majority of the entablature is no longer there. The Ionic order developed a little after the Doric Order, in th e a different area.The system began with the same basic structure of temple, including a platform or stylobate, columns (which occasionally had a base hat stood out from the shaft), a capital, and an entablature with an architrave, frieze, cornice, and pediment. However, the columns are slightly farther apart from each other and they are also more slender than the doric style. A good way to imagine an ionic temple is of it having ‘lost weight'. They are not significantly taller, but may appear so because thinner columns and spacing. The capital is made of two volutes and resembles the curling ends of a scroll.Some other distinct aspects of the Ionic system are that the frieze is left open and undivided, and also that the architrave is generally subdivided into three bands. As I previously mentioned, ionic temples also had columns with a base that was distinguishable from the fluted shaft. The Temple of Athena Sounias, located at Cape Sounia, still stands with a full entablatur e (see Image #3). You can see the volutes on the capitals of the slender columns. However, the frieze is divided up by triglyphs and metopes, and you can also see the smooth architrave.Both of these reflect the elements of the original doric craftsmanship, so this piece of architecture cannot be considered exclusively ionic, as it has some doric influence. This temple was built in the middle of the 5th century, which would xplain the dualism in the style of attributes on the temple. A more modern, but basically accurate example of the Ionic style would be the University of Oslo in Norway (see image #4). The frontal steps lead up to a colonnaded porch, with columns reaching from their bases to their scroll-like capitals. The architrave is banded, but the frieze is completely smooth and open.The pediment is also filled with figures all positioned so that they fit into triangle shape but still maintain proper proportions, which was used in previous eras. The temples themselves had vari ous internal structures which varied depending n the architect, the region, or the purpose of the building. Some temples had columns that only went across the front (prostyle) while some had them across the front and back (amphiprostyle). Temples like the Temple of Athena Sounias and the Temple ot Hera I are reterred to as ‘peristyle' because they nave columns all the way around the cella (inner sacred room) and the porch area.However, all of the distinctive qualities of both the Doric order and Ionic order are mainly centered in features at the front of the temples, as well as their columns. The Greek architects' insistence on proportional harmony was the driving force ehind many styles between the sixth and fourth centuries. The closest that they ever came to achieving a ‘perfect temple' was the Parthenon, built on the Acropolis of Athens in the mid-flfth century BCE (see Image #5).

The Biggest Sharks in the World

The whale shark holds the title of the worlds biggest shark species. Growing to a length of about 65 feet (the length of about 1 1/2 school buses!) and weighing about 75,000 pounds, this streamlined fish is really a gentle giant.   Some areas frequented by these sharks, such as Ningaloo Reef  in Australia, have become popular tourist destinations because of their swim-with-sharks programs. Whale sharks live  in tropical and warmer temperate waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. In addition to their size, these sharks can be easily recognized by their gorgeous coloration, which is formed from lighter spots and stripes over a gray, blue or brown skin. They also have very wide mouths, which they use to eat tiny prey -- primarily plankton, crustaceans, and small fish, which are filtered from the water as the shark swims. The second-biggest shark species is the basking shark, which grows to about 40 feet long. These animals are also plankton feeders. They live primarily in temperate ocean waters throughout the world. The Biggest Shark Filmed In summer 2015, a video swept the news, touting it was the biggest shark ever filmed. What many of the news reports failed to mention is the species. There are more than 400 shark species, and they range in size from the 60-foot whale shark to pygmy sharks and lantern sharks that are less than a foot long when fully grown. The biggest shark filmed was actually a white shark, also known as a great white shark. At average lengths of 10 to 15 feet, white sharks are generally much smaller than a whale shark or basking shark.   So, while the 20-foot white shark nicknamed Deep Blue may (or may not) be the largest white shark ever filmed, its by far not the largest shark ever filmed as there is plenty of video footage of much larger whale sharks and their slightly smaller relatives, the basking shark.   The Biggest Shark Ever Caught According to the International Game Fish Association, the largest shark ever caught was a white shark nabbed in  Ceduna, Australia. This shark weighed 2,664 pounds.   Another one of the largest white sharks caught is thought to be a 20-foot shark caught by a trawler about 12 miles off the coast of Prince Edward Island, Canada. The significance of the sharks size was underestimated at the time, and the shark was initially buried. Eventually, a scientist dug it up to investigate it and realized the enormity of the find. The shark was later estimated to have been about 20 years old, meaning it may still have had some growing to do Sources Bateman, D. 2015. Canadian Who Caught Real-Life Jaws Wishes He Hadnt. Toronto Star Newspapers. CBS News. 2015. Giant Great White Shark Caught OFF P.E.I. Was a Teenager. Grenoble, R. 2015. This Is Deep Blue, Probably the Biggest Shark Youve Ever Seen. The Huffington Post.Martins, Carol, and Craig Knickle. 2009.  Whale Shark.  Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Department.