Please be sure to ask questions and comment on your Anna and Monique responses, and respond to their questions and comments regarding your own response  Anna Cox What are your basic assumptions about human nature? My basic assumption about human nature is that even though none of us are perfect, we all strive for our own idea of perfection. By working too much towards how we think we should be it can cause stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues and often these are the root cause of them. Humans are beautifully imperfect and while, yes, oftentimes we all have behaviors to be altered, we need to embrace ourselves with love and kindness. It is easy to give someone else our love, patience and kindness, but if we turn that inward we can be the best version of ourselves, perfect or not.  Which approach to therapy is closest to your beliefs about human nature? The therapy that is closest to my beliefs about human nature is existential therapy. "Existential therapy focuses on exploring themes such as mortality, meaning, freedom, responsibility, anxiety, and aloneness as these relate to a person’s current struggle." (Corey, 2013). Existential therapy looks at the bigger picture of humanity and encourages celebration and appreciation of our successes rather than focusing on downfalls. In what ways do you believe that your basic assumptions might determine the procedures that you would use when working with clients? My basic assumptions will help me to focus on the good in my clients and not the negative that they themselves may focus on. It will give me a better understanding of why people feel their own shortcomings and how to show them that there is good and valuable qualities in everyone.   Monique post When you look into the mirror, you are checking how you appear, and how you feel and whether it matches. Human nature is the sum of our whole species looking in the mirror. Human nature includes 3 core characteristics shared by all individuals; feelings, behaviors, and psychology. Our experiences with humans are different. Some view humans as good or bad or capable of great kindness. These views can be clouded by what our culture tells us and by people's influences in our lives. In western cultures, our discussions usually begin with classical Greece; Aristotle and Plato (Claudia, 2021). My basic assumptions about human nature is that we can survive from our past and that humans are generally kind creatures and extremely resilient. I believe that humans construct their reality. They do not have to be destined to a certain life based solely on their past circumstances. We have the ability to overcome mountains of challenges with proper thinking and behaviors. We are responsible creatures for our choices and can therefore change and become something. I am proof of these assumptions. My teenage years were so bad that I lost my identity and lacked the proper social developments that most teens have. According to Corey, (2013.

1. Please be sure to ask questions and comment on your Anna and
Monique responses, and respond to their questions and
comments regarding your own response
Anna Cox
What are your basic assumptions about human nature?
My basic assumption about human nature is that even though
none of us are perfect, we all strive for our own idea of
perfection. By working too much towards how we think we
should be it can cause stress, anxiety, depression and other
mental health issues and often these are the root cause of them.
Humans are beautifully imperfect and while, yes, oftentimes we
all have behaviors to be altered, we need to embrace ourselves
with love and kindness. It is easy to give someone else our love,
patience and kindness, but if we turn that inward we can be the
best version of ourselves, perfect or not.
Which approach to therapy is closest to your beliefs about
human nature?
The therapy that is closest to my beliefs about human nature is
existential therapy. "Existential therapy focuses on exploring
themes such as mortality, meaning, freedom, responsibility,
anxiety, and aloneness as these relate to a person’s current
struggle." (Corey, 2013). Existential therapy looks at the bigger
picture of humanity and encourages celebration and
appreciation of our successes rather than focusing on downfalls.
In what ways do you believe that your basic assumptions might
determine the procedures that you would use when working with
clients?
My basic assumptions will help me to focus on the good in my

2. clients and not the negative that they themselves may focus on.
It will give me a better understanding of why people feel their
own shortcomings and how to show them that there is good and
valuable qualities in everyone.
Monique post
When you look into the mirror, you are checking how you
appear, and how you feel and whether it matches. Human nature
is the sum of our whole species looking in the mirror. Human
nature includes 3 core characteristics shared by all individuals;
feelings, behaviors, and psychology. Our experiences with
humans are different. Some view humans as good or bad or
capable of great kindness. These views can be clouded by what
our culture tells us and by people's influences in our lives. In
western cultures, our discussions usually begin with classical
Greece; Aristotle and Plato (Claudia, 2021).
My basic assumptions about human nature is that we can
survive from our past and that humans are generally kind
creatures and extremely resilient. I believe that humans
construct their reality. They do not have to be destined to a
certain life based solely on their past circumstances. We have
the ability to overcome mountains of challenges with proper
thinking and behaviors. We are responsible creatures for our
choices and can therefore change and become something. I am
proof of these assumptions. My teenage years were so bad that I
lost my identity and lacked the proper social developments that
most teens have. According to Corey, (2013), Adler believes
that humans are motivated primarily by social relatedness and
want to belong. Although I still carry subtle wounds, I have
never let them determine who I am and who I would become. I
am always working on social anxiety though but in my beliefs it
does not determine or label me. I was happily married for 20
years, have a beautiful daughter and a warm social circle.
Unfortunately, after being divorced a few years back, awful

3. things kept happening to me before I could catch my breath
from the last episode. Experiencing depression, I rarely said "I
am depressed". I would say that I am experiencing depression
right now. I was
not
depression. After 6 months of these episodes I sought mental
health services and we would work with CBT. Looking at the
reality of my life saddened me. Experiencing depression, single,
and not doing anything meaningful, I pulled myself up and
enrolled at SNHU still seek therapy, and at 56 I will become a
therapist. It's never too late to become!
I resonate with the Adlerian way of thought. He stressed a
positive view of human nature and believed individuals can
control their fate. It can be done by understanding and
analyzing their lifestyles. He emphasized that where we are
striving to go is more important than where we have come from.
Adler was a big believer also that people move toward self
goals. "The life of a human soul is not 'being' but 'becoming.'"
Understanding the causes of behavior is not as important as
understanding the goal to which a person is directed (Corey,
2013).
The following approaches are ways I believe that my basic
assumptions might determine the procedure I would use when
working with clients. If I had a client labeling themselves based
on past experiences, I would have them use mindful techniques
to change their thought pattern and separate themselves from
their problem. They are
not
their problem but just experiencing one/some. Goal setting
would be a priority depending on their issues and offering the
thought that humans can control their fate for the most part with
their decisions and behaviors. I would keep the mood positive
and be a very assertive listener to help build the client's
confidence. Creating a collaborative environment, together the

4. client and I would create homework assignments for realistic
goals to accomplish between sessions. Adler promotes the idea
that the therapist and the client are equal partners in a mutually
respectful therapeutic alliance (Corey, 2013).
Respond to Kiley and Jacob. Work to expand the discussion by
contributing unique, relevant content (personal/professional
experiences or examples) or by expanding and adding depth to
the thoughts and ideas shared by your peers (presenting
different strategies in the book, or new ideas and thoughts, or
similar personal/professional experiences to connect with).
Kiley post
In week 1 I wrote about bringing my best self to the classroom
by planning, preparing, asking for help and setting aside the
appropriate time needed to succeed. After these last few I still
agree with what I wrote but I have so much to add to it now.
Using effective time management has been a huge help in my
daily life. Using the calendars, weekly schedules and daily to-
do lists help me to be organized and not forget important
appointments or much needed time for self-care. I am not a very
good writer and often times I get stuck. Remembering the tools
I have been taught in this class in going to greatly help in my
success. Taking breaks, making list of alternate possibilities,
free writing, and all the note taking suggestions will all be
implemented in future work. I can see how this course will help
me with future classes. I will be a better note taker, a better
reader and better overall because I know I have the grit to get
through anything.
At first I was extremely intimidated by this course, but getting
through it with such a high grade has given me such high self-
esteem. I struggled around week with the final project but I was

5. able to show my true self by digging in and putting in some
extra work, showing my grit, and was able to turn it around.
Next time I am in a similar situation I will know not to beat
myself up like I did during this class but instead just get right
into turning it around.
Greg Fowler said “When I look back over the day, have I
treated people the way I want to be treated?” Every night I look
back over my day and look to see if there is any part I could
have done better. Could I have been nicer to someone? Could I
have been more patient, more loving, and more generous? I try
every day to be a little bit better of a person than the person I
was the day before. I believe as long as I strive for that daily
then I am always headed in the right direction. I know I will
never be perfect, nor do I want to be, but I think if everyone
was a little nicer everyday what a wonderful world this could
really be.
Jacob post
Knowing when to seek help and where to find it. Most of the
time (as per stated previously) I am completely self reliant and
resist the urge to ask for help even when I really need it. Part
of this was because I wasn't sure where I could find it when I
needed it most, the larger part was because I'm overly
independent. Taking advantage of the tools and resources
provided does not make one less of themselves, by knowing our
own shortcomings we can set ourselves up for the best chances
at success. Life isn't about making your struggles harder for
yourself to overcome, it's about successfully overcoming them
as your best self.
One of the challenges I had this term was time management. I
feel I did alright using the way I have (take it as it comes
mentality) but also found that planning ahead more specific
times really benefited me. Being able to schedule my week and

6. writing down due dates really helps with not keeping everything
in my memory, and allows me to focus better on what's at hand.
This was one strategy I honestly put down when I first came
across this term, but upon using it found that it will be critical
to my success in the future.
What stood out to me most in the video was when Greg Fowler
talked about knowing why you work and keeping those reasons
front and center. In all of our lives we come to points where we
encounter enough stress or obstacles to question whether they
are worth it. Keeping the reasons why in our mind and
reflecting on them often will help us persevere in the long run
and put doubt out of our mind. Confidence is key to success,
and I feel without directly saying this Greg Fowler made a
strong and valid point.
RESPOND TO ANTOINETTE AND MEGAN POST BE
CONSTRUCTIVE AND PROFESSIONAL.
Antoinette post
When I encounter information through mass media venues I rely
on word usage to evaluate whether the source is using opinon
over reliable, valid, and factualy content. If the slightest word
suggests an opinion like: using the words "i feel" or "it was
tragic" can also be used out of context. Another way to process
information thrown to the people through mass media is to
either research the writer or compare to other stories being
written about the same topic. It is known that there are three
sides of a story (left, right, and center) meaning that there is
only one truth, and the possibility of hearing the entire truth is
near impossible. My personal opinion, I do not rely on mass
media often to be informed of current events. It has been a long
decade where a huge amount of messages given to the public
have been sworn as false information -- which generally makes
me paranoid even more.

7. A time where I realized information from a mass media venue
declared themselves falisifying information was during the
debate of 2020. This experience as an American made voting
extrememly difficult. One news broadcaster supported the words
of one candidate while another would twist the words entirely to
create a story that never happened or was said to begin with.
These media sources would cut out words just to make their
point -- which is creating more negativity than generating
positive outcomes.
Class,
When it comes to media, do you find that it is based on ratings
over delivering truth to the people? Thoughts.
Megan post
When I inquire about information, I first evaluate the source of
my info. Is it credible how accurate has this source been with
past information what has the quality of the info been like? I
check the authority, currency, and timeliness is it objective or
bias who is the intended audience for this information. I look
for answers to my questions when reading crosscheck the
information. I check to see if the info is up to date, doses the
purpose of the site, media, or info, meets my needs.
Where I'm from we have a local news page on Facebook I'm
sure just like every other small city has. Whenever something
going on in the city someone is there taking pics or making a
video trying to inform the neighborhood and keep the people up
to date. But you can't always trust what people are posting
sometime it's the same people over and over just throwing out
an opinion instead of giving out facts.