Maria Case

Introduction – Maria Case

Module 2

Consider the case of Maria. Maria has been a victim of domestic violence for the past three years. She just found out she is pregnant. When she told her partner he became angry and, although he did not strike her, she fears that he will. She has called her local domestic violence program and has set up an appointment to meet with domestic violence counselor. The key to helping Maria will be in building a strong therapeutic relationship with her. Maria will enter counseling with a great deal of fear. The counselor will have to build a relationship with Maria based on trust, mutual respect and acceptance. During this module you will be introduced the elements of the therapeutic relationship.

We will then begin exploring some of the theories related to counseling and the approaches based on these theories. Approaches based on insight oriented theories and action oriented theories will be discussed.

As you explore each of these theories and their resulting approaches, I would encourage you to think about Maria’s case and which approach you think would be most appropriate. Keep in mind there are no right or wrong answers when choosing an approach. In fact, many times a counselor will try an approach with a client only to discover it is not effective. They could choose several approaches before they find an effective approach. In initially choosing an approach, a counselor will need to understand the elements of a therapeutic relationship and apply them to working with that client.

Readings and Resources

• Read: Chapter 4 – The Therapeutic Relationship in Introduction to Counseling: Voices from the Field
• Read: Chapter 5 – Insight-Oriented Approaches in Introduction to Counseling: Voices from the Field
• Read: Chapter 6 – Action-Oriented Approaches in Introduction to Counseling: Voices from the Field
• Resource: ThingLink
• • Video – What is Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy? (Downaloadable Transcript Link)
  • Audio Lecture – REBT in Action.mp3 (Downaloadable Transcript Link) 
• Resource: YouTube – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): role-play session (Downaloadable Transcript Link)

Module 3

We have learned a great deal about different theoretical perspectives in Module 2. Understanding these theories is important. As a counselor you should be able to to assess your client and decide an approach to counseling based on your understanding and application of theory.

Let’s revisit the case of Maria presented in Module 2. In your initial meeting with Maria, you would conduct an assessment to determine the best approach to use in counseling Maria. During this phase you would decide which theoretical approach works best with both the problem Maria has presented as well as who Maria is.

Module 4

We return to the case of Maria. Maria’s presenting problem was that of being a victim of domestic violence who desired to escape from this relationship when she discovered she was pregnant. During Maria’s initial session with you, she shares with you several other issues. She states that she is estranged from her family. She grew up in a large family. She is the eldest of five children. Her parents immigrated from Mexico before she was born. Her parents have refused to talk with her for several years because they did not approve of her boyfriend and thought she was setting a bad example for her younger siblings by living with him. She has several younger siblings who still live at home. She discusses how much she misses her family and how she often finds herself crying uncontrollably. She states she is employed as a waitress for a small restaurant. She is afraid when the owner finds out she is pregnant, she will be fired. She describes having had several good friends before she started dating her boyfriend, but none are in her life any longer. She describes herself as feeling sad, anxious, and depressed. Upon completion of this module, you should be able to determine the diagnostic tools you would use in order to assess and diagnose her.

Readings and Resources

• Read: Chapter 8 – Assessment, Testing, and the Diagnostic Process in Introduction to Counseling: Voices from the Field
• Resource: American Psychiatric Assocaition – DSM-5
• Resource: American Psychiatric Association – Online Assessment Measures