Evaluating Client Profile 2 Using a Cognitive or RET Approach - Assignment Example

Running head: COGNITIVE APPROACH Evaluating Client Profile Using Cognitive Approach I chose Cognitive approach to address Aaron’s problems. This approach has some strengths and limitations when using with this client. I think it is appropriate treatment approach for him because it is evident from the description of the case that he is intelligent and is old enough developmentally to have a logical thinking. The limitation of this approach with Aaron is the fact that I am not sure if Aaron is capable of self-reflection and introspection.

While learning more about Aaron in a therapy session, I would want to make sure he is able to think adequately in other areas of his life, besides the problem areas described in the case study. There are several cultural issues that need to be attended with this client. The case description says Aaron is Syrian-American. I would need to learn more about his cultural background, cultural values, and expectations. I would need to know when he or his family came to this country and what his and his family’s level of acculturation is.

I would need to learn more about his religiosity, and his religious values and practices to make sure I respect them and incorporate them while developing treatment goals and plan. For example, he might not be comfortable with female therapist or sessions might interfere with some religious practices. Finally, his age should be considered too. He is a minor, but very close to the age of majority. Thus the controversy of dependence versus independence may arise with him. I could address this controversy by considering some ethical and legal issues described below.

I would consider several ethical and legal issues with this client. First of all, he is a minor (17 years old). I would need to get informed parental consent to start the therapy with Aaron. In addition to parental consent, I would need to get his assent to engage in therapy. Even though assent is not legally required, ethically assent is important to develop a good alliance between the therapist and the client, and to achieve therapeutic goals successfully. This is especially important in Aaron’s case, because he is so close to the age of majority and may feel defiant in therapy if decisions are made for him by his parents or other adults.

In addition to the consent, I would go over the confidentiality issues and the limits of confidentiality with Aaron’s mother and himself. I think it’s important to do so to help Aaron feel more secure and open during the therapy sessions, and it would be helpful with Aaron’s mother to clear her expectations from the very beginning. I would start by trying to establish the therapeutic alliance and collaboration. It is important that the client and the therapist agree on the issue to work on, the goal of the therapy, methods of achieving this goal, and the duration of the therapy.

It might be difficult to establish the agreement between the therapist and the client on the issue to work on, since the referral was made by Aaron’s physician, and not Aaron himself. He might not recognize the same problem areas as his physician does, and may even deny them. As a therapist, I would need to be very sensitive to this issue, especially during the initial sessions, when the therapeutic alliance is not yet well established. I would work closely with Aaron to develop his treatment goals, since research shows the success rate of achieving the treatment goals is significantly higher when developed through client-therapist collaboration.

To help Aaron develop goals and understand his problems, I would focus on solving the problems or inconveniences in his life, rather than changing his personal characteristics or values. Based on the case presented, I assume (since it is a hypothetical client) that most likely the goal of the therapy would be to reduce the anxieties that Aaron is experiencing by creating lists and overly controlling his life. By focusing on reducing unpleasant, such as the feeling of anxiety, I can avoid attacking his personal choices and values, such as his life style.

I would start by accepting his choices and values and work from within to help him understand his blurred perceptions and incorrect judgments. During the treatment phase with Aaron I might use several cognitive techniques and strategies. One of them is recognizing maladaptive ideation, which is an ideation that interferes with Aarons ability to cope with life situations, such as thoughts that lead him to rewrite his lists when he forgets to included certain items on them. These thoughts produce a reaction (anxiety) which is painful to the client.

Aaron might not be fully aware of these thoughts, but as a therapist I would train and instruct him to become more aware of them using this technique. Another possible technique that can be used with Aaron is authenticating conclusions. Although Aaron may distinguish between his thoughts and what causes them, he needs to learn the mechanisms for obtaining accurate knowledge. Through the guided process of problem-solving, I would help Aaron explore his conclusions and test them against reality, applying the rules of evidence.

References Sharf, R. (2011). Theories of psychotherapy and counseling: Concepts and cases (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning. Safran, J., and Segal, Z. (1996). Interpersonal process in cognitive therapy. Lanham, MD: Jason Aronson. Alford, B, and Beck, A. (1997). The integrative power of cognitive therapy. New York, NY: Guilford Press.