Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development help counselors understand how a client processes information.
A therapist might use this lens to understand why a young adult is struggling with commitment, linking it to the stage of Intimacy vs. Isolation . For an older adult, the lens of Integrity vs. Despair helps process feelings of regret or accomplishment during the final years. 2. Cognitive Lens (Jean Piaget)
In the field of counseling, the serves as a transformative framework that moves beyond simply treating symptoms to understanding a person's entire journey. By viewing a client through various developmental theories, counselors can contextualize present struggles as part of a larger, evolving narrative. Lenses Applying Lifespan Development Theories In Counseling
Traditional counseling models often focused heavily on childhood or specific crises. In contrast, a recognizes that development is:
When working with children, a counselor knows that a child in the Preoperational stage (ages 2–7) may not yet grasp abstract concepts or others' perspectives. They might use Play Therapy to allow the child to express feelings they cannot yet put into complex words. 3. Attachment Lens (John Bowlby & Mary Ainsworth) For an older adult, the lens of Integrity vs
Individuals maintain the capacity for change and resilience at any age.
It involves biological, cognitive, social, and spiritual changes that all interact. Cognitive Lens (Jean Piaget) In the field of
Every person is shaped by their unique culture, history, and environment.
Lenses: Applying Lifespan Development Theories in Counseling