Part 1:
CASE 1: ALEXIA
Alexia is a 32-year-old, divorced woman who is employed as an administrative assistant at a local hum. services program. She lives with her I I-year-old daughter, Christine, in an apartment located near her job. Although she makes a relatively low salary, Alexia has managed to support herself and her daughter without financial support from Christine's father. Alexia was married briefly to Christine's father when she was 20, but she left him after he became physically and sexually abusive toward her. Her mother, a widow, is a strong support for Alexia and Christine, as are two cousins, Denise and Moira. Alexia reports growing up in a "normal middle class family" and states that her childhood was "good.' despite her father's occasional drinking binges, which she says were related to him celebrating a special account he had landed (he was in advertising), and her mother's "occasional bad depression." She is the youngest of five children and the only girl. Alexia has experienced some mild depression. She describes having little pleasure in life and feeling tired and "dragging" all of the time. Alexia reports that her difficulty in standing up for herself with her boss at work is a constant stressor. Now, one week into treatment, Alexia reports feeling numb sof tense. She talks only in women's treatment groups and, then, only when specifically asked a question.
Theoretical Orientadon/Case Conceptualisation - Students will be provided with I (one) case study. It will be similar to the case study discussed in class on a weekly basis. Students will need to explain aspects of the case in addition to the specific clinical presentation of the client based on (I) one of the ,theoretical approaches discussed in clam. The conceptualization paper should be 3-5 pages in length, double spaced and writing should be done according to the APA 6° edition. Each student will pick a theoretical approach. Grading will be based on the student's ability to:
• Accurately identify the most relevant clinical information in the case study, to include at least 3 key concepts of the theory and describe how they were applied to the case- 10 points
• Explain the client's problem or symptomology based on a theoretical orientation.
• Identity examples of how 3 different techniques were used with the client problem/issue/goal.
• What two aspects of this theory would you use and what two would you avoid? Explain.
• Writing clarity, organization, and following APA writing standards.
Part 2: Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, South University-Savannah Karla SappEd.D., LPC, NCC
Case conceptualization refers to the process in which we make sense of a client's presenting concerns in the context of a theoretical framework. In other words, it refers to how we explain or understand the client's symptoms, personality characteristics, cognitions, feelings, and behaviors in light of a particular theory or integration of theories. Such understanding should lead to the formulation of counseling goals and intervention strategies.
At this stage we will conceptualize the client's case from one theoretical orientation at a time. The content of the conceptualization of the same case will differ according to the various theories depending on the aspect of human experiencing that each theory emphasizes.
The case conceptualization process (as with the counseling process itself) starts with an understanding of the clients' presenting concerns from the perspective of the client.
Therefore, Step 1 addresses the question
• What does the client say her or his problems are?
In Step 2, following an exploration process in collaboration with the client, the counselor starts formulating a framework from which to explain the origins of the stated problems, guided by the following questions:
• How is it that this person came to have these particular problems?
• Where are these problems stemming from? (e.g., Intra-psychic issues, early relationships, learned behaviors, faulty cognitions)
• What are this person's strengths?
And in Step 3,
• Specific interventions are used to address the problems identified by the counselor and the client.
Conceptually, the various theories differ in (a) the questions they ask clients as part of the exploration process, (b) the answers they provide to the questions posed in Step 2 and, (c) the interventions selected in Step 3.