Week 6 Assignment: Case Study

Instructions

For this week’s assignment, you will have a chance to practice applying some of the concepts we’ve been learning over the past several weeks.  You will be “introduced” to four different clients, and after selecting two of the clients to focus on, you will address the following:

  • Explain which therapeutic approach or combination of approaches you would take with the client and explain why. (Crisis, CBT, decision, person-centered, logotherapy, etc.)
  • Identify and explain what you think the top goal(s) should be for the client.  What steps should be taken to help your client achieve their goal(s)?
  • Which micro skills do you think would be most effective in helping your client achieve these goals?  Be specific and clearly identify micro skills covered throughout the course.
  • Are there any cultural and/or ethical considerations you should be aware of?  Explain.

 

Client #3

Isabelle is 73 years old and recently fell and broke her arm. She lives alone with relatively little to no family or friends nearby. She was able to get care for her broken arm but has been extremely fearful since her fall. She is afraid to leave her house because she fears that if she gets hurt again her family will just lock her up in a facility and forget about her. No one has said anything to her about going to a nursing facility to live, but she “feels” like that is what they are thinking and finds herself avoiding contact with them.  She has trouble using the phone, so she has had minimal contact with anyone for the past week.  She recognizes that she is lonely, and she has noticed a decline in her mood and overall energy.

Client #4

Divya emigrated from India with her husband 25 years ago. They have three grown children. Divya was referred to therapy by her primary care physician, who was worried about her depression and stress, caused primarily because her mother in India had just been turned down for a second green card and visa. Divya’s mother had lived with them when the children were teenagers and had returned to India without renewing her green card. Divya was alternately angry with her mother over her negligence and worried about how she could take care of her now.  Divya  proceeded to talk rather rapidly and intently about her mother and the history of what she saw as the problem. She had brought her mother to live with her when her children were teenagers. Her mother stayed by herself all day and never helped around the house, then she would follow the children around after school. Divya  and her mother had fought over the mother’s not being helpful. She said she had asked her mother why she never said she loved her. Her mother had just shrugged her shoulders. Divya  said her own children had often complained that it wasn’t fair to them for their grandmother to be such a burden to the family.  Divya  said that her children were now grown and very successful in their lives and tried to tell her to let go of the grandmother. Then the mother returned to India for a visit and let her green card lapse. Divya  could not let go of the mother because, as her daughter, she felt that she had to take care of her. Her religion and culture expected it of her, as she did as well. She had spent a great deal of time and money trying to get another green card for her mother, even though the mother didn’t want it.