The Case : Popeye Seeking Individual Therapy

of the therapy, the client meets the therapist to describe specific problems and to set goals they

Gurman, A. S. (2008). Clinical handbook of couple therapy (4th ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

The treatment planning process helps the client select the level and intensity of treatment that works best for them. When planning treatment the counsellor can consider preferences and the services available. The treatment plan may change over time but it provides a focus for ongoing support. The treatment plan comprises of two main functions, it allows for a negotiation between the client and assessor for specific interventions to address the identified problems as well as allows them to develop a

Client (AM) is a 20-year-old heterosexual African American female, born in Durham, and currently still resides there. Her primary language is English. She lives with her 13 moth old child (NM) in a one-bedroom apartment. The client is unemployed and currently receives SSI benefits. AM resides in subsidized housing because of her social security income. Client did not finish high school and has no desire to do so.

Based on the DSM-V (2013) diagnostic criteria Keisha experiences Persistent Depressive Disorder 300.4 (F34.1), recurrent, moderate, with early onset. The client experiences the following symptoms: depressed mood for most of the day, for more days than not, as indicated by either subjective accounts (e.g., feels sad, worthless and hopeless) or observation by others (e.g. appears sad, cries), for at least one year (she is an adolescent). In addition, while depressed, there is a presence of the following symptoms: the client experiences poor appetite, she is eating one or two meals per day and lost ten pounds in one year. Keisha also experiences hypersomnia nearly every day by sleeping twelve or more hours per night. The client reports low energy/fatigue very often, even though she is sleeping well during the night. During the one year period of disturbance, the individual has never been without the symptoms in criteria A and B for more than two months at a time. In addition, the criteria for a major depressive disorder has been continuously present for one year. There has never been a manic episode or a hypomanic episode, and criteria have never been met for cyclothymic disorder. Furthermore, the disturbance is not better explained by a persistent schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, delusional disorder, or other specified or

The treatment plan serves as a never-ending stream of therapeutic plans and interventions designed to help the client complete the treatment program successfully.  In order to develop an effective, measurable treatment plan three questions must be answered:

Being able to form a diagnosis properly for a client is a process that is wide-ranging and broad. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) supports recommendations and standards for identifying a diagnosis for a client. The procedure of diagnosing is more than skimming for symptoms in the DSM; one must assess, interview and identify issues, as well as refer to the DSM for a diagnosis.

Family therapy is a technique that has many alternative approaches to every aspect of treatment which Nichols (2014), states may present a challenge when describing a basic technique. The two models of family therapy in which I feel that I would be most effective and comfortable with would be, experiential family therapy and solution-focused brief therapy. I feel most comfortable with these models because, I adapt to the role of the therapist of both therapies naturally. According to Nichols (2014), when families seek therapy they are stuck in a life-cycle transition, sometimes they are obvious and sometimes they are not obvious. I’ve found that during the first session an excellent question is to ask the client why now so that they can

The family is made up of five people: Claudia, the IP; Carolyn, mother; Laura, the sister; Don, the brother; and David, the father. The family is coming into therapy because there have been mounting concerns about Claudia and her behavior—acting out, staying out late, some fairly typical teenage stuff. For the purpose of this paper, I will be starting at the beginning where the family is first coming into therapy. I will first school that I will apply is Structural Family Therapy and the second school is Bowen Family Therapy.

therapy aims to improve family relations, and the family is encouraged to become a type of

Approaches to Family Therapy: Minuchin, Haley, Bowen, & Whitaker Treating families in therapy can be a complex undertaking for a therapist, as they are dealing not only with a group of individuals but also with an overall system. Throughout history several key theorists have attempted to demystify the challenges families face and construct approaches to treatment. However, there have been key similarities and differences among the theoretical orientations along the way. While some have simply broadened or expanded from existing theories, others have stood in stark

The therapist will engage with developing the treatment plan. Each family member will participate and agree to the content in order to make it a collaborative effort and a family intervention. The plan will consist of three goals and two-three interventions based on Bowen family theory. The therapy will consist of twelve sessions and will meet weekly, in which Rosalyn and Carl will attend each session, while the children will attend three – twelve. If necessary, the therapist will assess the need to incorporate more private parent time.

Reflecting on the choices made in treatment planning, there are some I am satisfied with and others I am not. In the model I chose, I feel it is an appropriate framework when assisting with the Smith family. It helps to establish a relationship but works on the individual person as each person will speak to the family therapist, rather than speaking directly to one and other. The problem areas that were chosen, I feel is an accurate representation of the overall family dynamic and how it is affecting Stewart. It is a difficult case, especially when the client expresses hearing voices at such an early age; I felt I addressed it correctly. In the goals and objectives, I am not completely satisfied with the areas chosen. I believe it is

Roger is a 36 year old male who is seeking therapy for a number of different issues to include: agoraphobia (a fear of open spaces), drinking in order to get to work, unable to make friends because of his agoraphobia, being overweight, not having a long lasting relationship (though he claimed this was not a problem), and homosexuality which goes against his religion (though he does not see this as a problem either) (Wedding & Corsini, 2013, pgs14-15). For his treatment he agreed to have 10 sessions in front of a classroom at the Alfred Adler Institute of Chicago free of charge.

In the vignette, it is mentioned that the client Julie, a 34-year-old African American female, is calling about her son 12-year-old son Derik, who seems to be having an adjustment issue relating to her recent marriage to John. Although Julie indicated that she is calling on behalf of her son’s adjustment problem, she spends most of the time talking about her dissatisfaction at work and within her romantic life. When approaching this case through a solution-focused lens, I would stress to her that anyone who is concerned about the problem situation (Derik’s adjustment problem, although it is apparent there are other issues) should attend the sessions. In the initial intake phase, little information is taken, understanding that the client is the expert in what needs to change; as the therapist, my role is to help her access the strengths she already possesses.