Posted: September 10th, 2023

A Case Study on Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy

A Case Study on Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy:
Psychological disorders affect millions worldwide, impacting daily functioning and quality of life. Effective treatment often involves psychotherapy, tailored to individual needs. This paper explores the application of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for a client with major depressive disorder (MDD), demonstrating the integration of therapeutic communication skills in a fictional therapy session.

Client Demography and Presenting Concern
The client, a 30-year-old female named Sarah, presents with symptoms consistent with MDD. She reports persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities, and fatigue. Sarah’s background includes a recent job loss and a history of familial depression, contributing to her current state. Understanding her demographic and psychosocial context is crucial for effective treatment planning.

Choice of Therapeutic Approach
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is selected for its efficacy in treating depression. CBT focuses on identifying and modifying negative thought patterns and behaviors, which are prevalent in MDD (Beck, 2019). Research supports CBT’s effectiveness, with studies showing significant improvement in depressive symptoms (Hofmann et al., 2018). Additionally, CBT’s structured approach and emphasis on skill-building align well with Sarah’s need for practical strategies to manage her symptoms.

Theoretical Framework
CBT is grounded in the cognitive model, which posits that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected. By altering maladaptive thoughts, individuals can experience changes in emotions and behaviors (Beck, 2019). This approach is particularly beneficial for Sarah, as it empowers her to challenge and reframe negative beliefs contributing to her depression.

Multicultural Considerations
Incorporating multicultural therapy principles is essential, given Sarah’s diverse background. Understanding her cultural context and values ensures that therapy is respectful and relevant (Sue & Sue, 2019). This involves being aware of potential cultural influences on her depression and adapting CBT techniques to align with her cultural identity.

Therapy Session Transcript
Session Overview
The following transcript illustrates a therapy session with Sarah, highlighting the use of therapeutic communication skills such as reflection, empathic statements, and open-ended questions.

Therapist: How have you been feeling since our last session? [open-ended question]

Client: I still feel really down, like nothing is going to get better.

Therapist: It sounds like you’re feeling quite hopeless right now. [reflection]

Client: Yes, exactly. I just can’t see a way out of this.

Therapist: Feeling trapped can be overwhelming. Can you share more about what makes you feel this way? [empathic statement, open-ended question]

Client: Losing my job was a big blow. I feel like I’ve let everyone down.

Therapist: It seems like you’re carrying a lot of guilt about the situation. [reflection]

Client: I am. My family expected so much from me.

Therapist: Let’s explore these expectations. How do they affect your view of yourself? [open-ended question]

Client: They make me feel like a failure.

Therapist: It’s important to recognize these feelings. Together, we can work on challenging these thoughts and finding a more balanced perspective. [empathic statement, introduction to CBT technique]

Conclusion
This paper demonstrates the application of CBT for treating major depressive disorder, emphasizing the importance of therapeutic communication skills. By understanding the client’s background and integrating multicultural considerations, therapy can be more effective and personalized. The fictional session transcript illustrates how these elements come together in practice, providing a framework for future therapeutic interventions.

References
Beck, A. T. (2019). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond. Guilford Press.

Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2018). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427-440.

Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2019). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice. Wiley.

American Psychiatric Association. (2020). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing.

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Disorders and Treatments Paper
This assignment will require you to select a psychological disorder and pair it with a form of psychotherapy that has demonstrable success. You will also create a therapy session transcript that shows successful application of therapeutic communication skills. In your work as a mental health provider, you will be called upon to identify, interpret, and successfully apply evidence-based therapies. The transcript exercise provides you the opportunity to demonstrate competence in applying basic therapeutic communication skills you learned and practiced in Units 3 and 4, and at least one technique of the approach you selected to assist your fictional client. This assignment also provides practice in matching therapies to client concerns—which will you will do again in Unit 10—while at the same time incorporating theories of multicultural therapies.
Instructions
For this 9–12 page assignment, you will choose a psychological disorder from the following DSM-5 categories:
• Depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma and stress related disorders, OR
• Substance-related and addictive disorders.
You will then choose an approach to psychotherapy that has a proven track record. You will also create a therapy session transcript. In that imaginary session, you will explain to the client the type of therapy you would like to use (See 10.1 Informed Consent to Therapy, and 4.02, Discussing the Limits of Confidentiality in the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Link in the Resources) as well as demonstrating the therapeutic communication skills of reflection (thoughts and affect), empathic statements, and open-ended questions.
The first 5–6 pages of the paper should describe the client’s demography and presenting concern; it should then provide an academically-based reason for your choice of therapeutic approach to use with the client. The final 3–4 pages will be the transcript of a fictional client.
EXAMPLE OF IDENTIFICATION OF SKILL SET WITHIN TRANSCRIPT [Excerpt of middle of a session]
Therapist: Hi, how are things going today? [open-ended question]
Client: Everyone hates me.
Therapist: Can you tell me more….who is “everyone”? [open-ended question]
Client: My dad is always on my butt to mow the yard, my mom yells at me about my bedroom. She wants it to look like no one sleeps there, and none of my friends are talking to me at school.
Therapist: I want to make sure I understand correctly, right now your friends are not being so friendly, and your mom and dad are mostly interested in their house and yard. [paraphrase]
Client: EXACTLY! Did they have me just so I could provide free labor?
Therapist: Feeling used can weaken the best of relationships. [empathic statement] Can you tell me when you noticed that your friends stopped talking to you? [open ended question, clarifying question]
To successfully complete this assignment, you must meet the following requirements:
• Written communication: Written communication is grammatically correct and free of errors that detract from the overall message. Writing should be consistent with graduate level scholarship.
• APA formatting: Title page, main body, references should be formatted according to APA (6th Edition) style and formatting.
• Number of resources: Minimum of 6–7 resources.
• Length of paper: 9–12 typed double-spaced pages to include 3–4 page session transcript, title page, and references. No abstract or table of contents is required. Do not exceed 12 pages for the entire project, title page through reference page.
• Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
Resources
• Disorders and Treatments Paper Scoring Guide.

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Tags: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Major Depressive Disorder, Multicultural Therapy, Therapeutic Communication