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A Taoist Paradigm of EAP Consultation
Author(s) -
Gerstein Lawrence H.,
Sturmer Paul
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of counseling and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.805
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1556-6676
pISSN - 0748-9633
DOI - 10.1002/j.1556-6676.1993.tb00918.x
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , paradigm shift , strengths and weaknesses , process (computing) , organizational structure , assimilation (phonology) , psychology , engineering ethics , management science , knowledge management , process management , computer science , social psychology , engineering , epistemology , management , economics , philosophy , psychiatry , operating system , linguistics
Recently, professionals of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have offered consultation services to a diverse clientele, thus necessitating an understanding of the complexity of problems and structures of various organizational systems and subsystems. In this article the authors describe a new Taoist paradigm as an alternative approach to conceptualizing the consultation process and to formulating successful, isomorphic interventions constructed to facilitate four change processes. The paradigm presented stresses the following: the importance of interrelationships between individuals and groups; integrating repulsion and assimilation forces; balancing human and economic factors: cooperation; reinforcing strengths rather than weaknesses; encouraging solutions instead of problems; and respecting the consultee's structure and behavior.