Creativity Described and Related to Counseling 1

In the book, Creativity, the author Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi endeavors to describe the essence of
creativity in an objective sense. He further elucidates the definition of creativity through its attachment
to the domains and fields of a given area. As it relates to the counseling profession, characteristics of a
creative person are embodied in what makes an effective counselor.
As defined by Csikszentmihalyi (1996), creativity results from the interaction of a system
composed of three elements: a culture that contains symbolic rules, a person who brings novelty into
the symbolic domain, and a field of experts who recognize and validate the innovation (p. 6). Thus, the
creativity Csikszentmihalyi speaks of can only exist within the context of society. This is an important
distinction that moves the accreditation of creativity from an individual or personal level to what is
deemed relevant to society. Meaningfulness is found in the term creativity because society
acknowledges its value. For example, Sigmund Freuds denoting of constructs in the unconscious mind
is considered creative because of its value to societys understanding of the human mind. Still, the
question of how society determines the value of each new idea remains.
Among the factors determining the value of a new idea, Csikszentmihalyi especially focuses on
the influence of a given domain and field. A domain is representative of the current knowledge,
symbols, and procedures in a particular area (Csikszentmihalyi, 1996, p.27). Domains are unique in that
they encompass all that is known or generally accepted regarding a particular topic. Yet, they act as
autonomic entities in and of themselves with differentiating structures per area. Csikszentmihalyi
illustrates the ability of individual domains to determine the value of new ideas by comparing the
system of physics to social science. The structure of physics follows a strict logic, which maximizes
clarity and reduces redundancy according to Csikszentmihalyi (1996). Due to this structure, individuals
are more easily able to assimilate rules and propose novelties which can be immediately recognized
within the field. By comparison, the structure of social sciences is more diffused making it difficult to
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develop novelties that will be recognized within the field. Csikszentmihalyi (1996) uses the example of a
young graduate student developing a new way to represent the behavior of a subatomic particle, and
receiving immediate recognition from physicists at other German universities (p. 39-40).
The second factor determining the value of new ideas is the field in a given area. As defined by
Csikszentmihalyi (1996), a field is comprised of experts that act as gatekeepers to the domain. These
experts determine which new ideas are included in the domain. Among the inherent attributes of
fields, they are capable of being proactive or reactive in orientation towards their acceptance of new
ideas. A reactive field does not solicit or stimulate novelty, while a proactive field does
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1996, p. 43). The proactive nature of a given field can encourage novelty in a given
area, especially when an idea has connection to a particular area of interest already found in general
society. Csikszentmihalyi (1996) demonstrates this phenomenon as follows:
For instance, after World War II it was easy for nuclear physicists to get all sorts of money to
build new laboratories, research centers, experimental reactors, and to train new physicists,
because politicians and voters were still enormously impressed by the atomic bomb and the
future possibilities it represented (p. 44).
Thus, the importance of relating new ideas to what is already relevant in society can have further
implications for a given area. Particular to the area of counseling, demonstrating relevance to general
society is a critical part of what makes an effective counselor. Consequently, these are some of the
same traits found in creative individuals.
More specifically, Csikszentmihalyi (1996) lists some of the characteristics of creative people as
being energetic, smart, and having a capacity towards androgyny. In a similar light, some of the qualities
that make an effective counselor as described by Dr. Samuel Gladding (2013) are: being active in
Creativity Described and Related to Counseling 3


sessions and being able to sustain activity with clients, having intellectual competence, and flexibility to
adapt to the clients needs (p. 36). Just as creative individuals are capable of having a significant impact
on their domain and overall society, we as counselors are capable of having a profound impact on the
clients we interact with. As it relates to my own aspirations towards being a professional counselor, I
am now even more aware of the impact that I will have on clients and individuals that I work with.
Personally, I will need to hone my abilities as a counselor to adapt to client needs. One way to increase
my skill is through education and staying abreast of current research as it relates to the area of
counseling.
Adhering to that need, the field of counseling requires continued education for all counselors
after graduation from a counseling program. As described by Dr. Gladding (2013), The reason is that
new ideas in the treatment and practice are always evolving and must be evaluated, incorporated, and if
necessary, mastered (p. 50). The Continuing Education Units, CEUs, I will acquire to maintain licensure
will help me remain relevant in keeping up with the best known treatments and practices for my clients.
In summary, creativity as described by Csikszentmihalyi encompasses the interaction between
domains, fields, and new ideas. Furthermore, his descriptions of what makes a creative person are also
implicit in what makes an effective counselor. As highlighted by Dr. Gladding, professional counseling is
a process that will continue even after graduation. Most importantly, I will take from this reading
knowledge of the potential impact I will have on the lives of my clients.




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References
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity. New York, NY: Harper
Gladding, S.T.(2013). Counseling: A Comprehensive Profession (7
th
ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson/Prentice Hall/Merrill.