In order to create a thorough assessment and treatment plan for Rhonda, a more comprehensive collection of information about Rhonda would be helpful. However, we do not always have the luxury of a complete picture of our clients. Further, clients are multifaceted and we need to remember we are predominantly only seeing them in the therapeutic setting, which limits our understanding of them (Murphy & Dillon, 2015). Even if we had an extensive intake file on Rhonda, we must always approach a client from a “not-knowing perspective”, emphasizing Rhonda is the expert on her own life, and thus decreasing the power-differential inherent in the therapeutic relationship (Murphy & Dillon, 2015, p. 204). Another factor that contributes to inadequate information is the client’s willingness to share aspects of themselves or their lives. With this in mind, developing a therapeutic relationship based on mutuality, empathy, trust, empowerment and respect is crucial, so the client is empowered to define themselves, their lives and their goals (Murphy & Dillon, 2015; Camargo, n.d.). All of this will be pertinent as we explore the following current assessment and treatment plan for Rhonda. Not to mention, we will frequently reassess this plan together with Rhonda, ensuring we are always client-centered with Rhonda guiding our work together (Murphy & Dillon, 2015; Camargo, n.d.). To begin with, Rhonda is a thirty-six-year-old Asian American woman. She was born in Los Angeles, but her
A clinical assessment is then conducted for treatment needs. Different treatment plans are made for each client. Individualized treatment plans are used to make referrals and they are updated periodically.”
As a counselor, the clients that come to receive services will generally be experiencing a tough time in in their lives. The intent of a counselor should be to see them through this time and help them overcome the hardship. A majority of the information they share will be not only be expected, but required to stay confidential. Summers (2014), informs her readers that “confidentiality is both an ethical principle and a legal right” (p. 47). Many individuals feel a sense of comfort knowing that the information they share with counselors will remain between them. Without this, many clients would potentially not feel comfortable enough to share some of the intense personal feelings or experiences they are dealing with.
When working with all clients there is a need as a practitioner to use techniques that incorporate, promote a therapeutic relationship. While these may be presented differently with each client the practitioners need to be using three main skills. These are using Unconditional positive regard, being genuine with clients always and while you may not have waked in a similar situation as your client, the use of empathy supports the therapeutic relationship.
A counselling relationship is likened to being on a journey - a beginning, middle and end (Smallwood, 2013). During the beginning phase the client develops sufficient trust in the counsellor and the relationship ‘to explore the previously feared edges of his awareness’ (Mearns and Thorne, 1988, p.126).
The practice that assist a therapist in determining a client diagnosis and the proper treatment plan that would resolve the issue surrounding the clinet’s diagnosis is Case Conceptualization and Treatment Planning. The clinet’s treatment plan must be appropriate and relational and this will alow any type of medication and adaptions to be adjusted if needed so that modifications and adaptations can be adjusted as needed (Altman, Briggs, Frankel, Gensler, and Pantone, 2002). The ultimate goal of case conceptualization and treatment planning is to discover complete findings in relation to the client. One approach is Existential Therapy. The human
Throughout the class, many aspects of the curriculum were seen as useful in future social work practice. Before this course, in other course work, treatment planning and goal setting was often something that was reviewed briefly, yet within the coursework of the capstone seminar this matter had been gone over in more detail. Within this course, it was possible to gain more insight into a more balanced way of setting treatment goals that included conversations with the client concerning what they desired out of treatment in addition to what was needed. This aspect of the course was particularly useful when it came to working towards the development of the treatment plan with the client who was presented during the case presentation, Sarah.
In the following, we will examine three progress notes from my work with Rhonda throughout her treatment, a final clinical summary of the work, and a self-reflection section on not only the challenges, but also what was learned from our work together.
Carry’s attitude toward treatment and therapy is positive. I am her second therapist, and she was willing to get started right away. She was typically open to feed back, and homework assignments. After our first session, Carry stated “she was happy with me and is eager to see results.” Consequently, she also stated “she has shut people down in the past, but she likes what I have to say, and will take my advice.
The assessment and providing a diagnosis for a client is an active and involved segment in client treatment. Prior to designing a treatment plan for a client, a practitioner must assess and diagnose the client. Practitioners are not limited to standardized assessments alone in making their assessment of a client. The subsequent discussion is regarding the case study of Evelyn C., which will also include discussion on her diagnosis, assessments, and any data that would be necessary for collection in her treatment.
In therapy or counselling the client has the opportunity to experience a relationship in which her or his emotional state can be understood, tolerated, recognized and felt in a way which they have not been before.
Some of the treatment goals that they developed were a stabilized mood for a period of six consecutive weeks, deal with family of origin issues, absence of psychotic features, absence of self injurious behaviors, improved ability to experience and tolerate painful affect, and the ability to sustain and initiate relationships with caring partners. By the end of the one year in therapy, Dr. Childerston reevaluate and decided that if Natalie agreed it would be best to continue therapy. His reasoning was that he noticed some progression, but she was also a little resistant to therapy. The client’s resistance was probably due to the fact that she did not want to relive the pain of her past or deal with her current problems. Natalie continued being seen by Dr. Childerston until the early 2000’s.
By creating a therapeutic environment in which the client feel safe to be entirely honest and open about their thoughts and feelings we can enable the client to be
There are many variables that influence the success of therapy for the client, none more so than the therapeutic relationship. The therapeutic relationship is defined as the strength and collaborative relationship between the client and therapist that emphasises mutually agreed goals and tasks within the context of a strong affective bond (Horvath, 1994.) In the therapeutic relationship, the clinician offers care, touch, compassion, presence, and any other act or attitude that would foster healing, and expects nothing in return (Trout, 2013.) Some clinicians believe that the “therapeutic relationship is a precondition of change, others as the fertile soil that permits change, while others see it as the central mechanism of change itself” (Norcross, 2010.) This is not to devalue other variables that impact the success of the therapy such as client involvement and the treatment method.
Treatment goals: Client's anxiety has been identified as an ongoing problem in need of treatment. It is primarily manifested by Anxiety Disorder - with excessive worrying - with minimal impairment in everyday functioning. PTSD- exposed to traumatic event loss of her mother and other people.
The final core condition is congruence or genuineness, this trait has to do with the person-to-person nature of the helping relationship and it is only through maintaining an absence of façade and sustaining a consistency between what I as a counselor say and present in non-verbal terms in response to the what the client verbalizes. Genuineness is key to the helping relationship as Roger’s says “It is only by providing the genuine reality which is in me, that the other person can successfully seek for the reality in him” . I agree with Roger’s core conditions as an aid to developing a safe environment and trust within the helping relationship that will encourage the client to delve deeper and truly work with their problems; without these characteristics the client may feel reluctant to truly expose themselves and may only work superficially with their difficulties preventing long term growth and healing.