Finding Solutions to Problems of Concern to Patients - Book Report/Review Example

Chapter Four Book Review The main issues that the focuses on in the fourth chapter of the book revolve around finding solutions to the problems that trouble patients. Firstly, the chapter signifies the importance of the therapist finding the primary cause that led the patient to visit the therapist. The therapist tries to find out how long the patient has had the problem and further try to find out the perception of the family regarding the problem. Is the problem as a result of poor communication or any other significant problem that the family needs to address? The therapist goes further to find out what other parties may be involved in the problem (Patterson et al., 2009). This gives the therapist abundant information on whether the current problem is of significance to the patient and his overall condition. These seemingly general questions help the therapist in finding solutions that both the patient and the family are comfortable with. Secondly, the therapist tries to assess the various solutions that the family could have attempted in solving the problem. After having explored the issues that brought the clients to therapy, the therapist further finds out the various solutions that may have been attempted. After finding out these solutions, the therapist is able to suggest viable solutions that are appropriate for the problem. At same time, the therapist can also find out the reasons why their clients did not consider various other possible solutions to their problems (Patterson et al., 2009). Moreover, by finding out their reasoning, the therapist is able to identify possible barriers to the solving the problems at hand. The authors note that patients might avoid attempting possible solutions, as they fear their possible consequences. It also important to find out the attempted solutions due to the fact that the problem would have been made worse by the solutions they tried. Patterson et al. (2009) give an example of a client, husband, who withdraws from the family due to their disagreements and their partner interprets that they are not doing enough and that is the reason of the withdrawal of their partner. They are also able to figure out the client’s pattern in solving their problems and alternatively approach the problem in another completely different perspective. They can go further to find out if the client had attempted therapy ever before. The author observes that suicide victims often state their intent of ending their lives prior to committing the act. Suicide victim, often at times, confide in their family members, friends, therapists or physicians prior to actual suicide act. In the chapter, the author notes that most new therapists usually have misperceptions regarding suicide and its occurrence (Patterson et al., 2009). The first misconception that these therapists have is that openly discussing suicide with a patient might actually lead to one. The second is that the therapist cannot intervene when a client decides to end their life. To resolve these misperceptions regarding suicide and its prevention, the author urges therapists to pay keen attention to patient’s replies regarding suicide. In the assessment of violence and abuse, the author notes that abuse may present itself in different forms in the different types of relationships. Patterson et al. (2009) note that victims of abuse often suffer more than the physical abuse; it extends to psychological and emotional realms of the victims. In couples, the easiest way to know if violence exists in the relationship is to ask them to describe how a fight between them looks like. There are various warning signs that therapists should be aware of when assessing couples and other forms of relationships where violence might occur. Other than violence, sexual abuse is on the rise and it is rarely reported. Sexual abuse ranges from child sexual maltreatment to rape, and all forms of sexual abuse should be duly reported. Other concerns that therapists should be aware of is the tendency of patients threatening to kill or harm another. Therapists should warn potential victims of the serious threats that are posed by their patients; this action is referred to as the “duty to warn”. In terms of substance abuse, it is the therapist’s duty to assess the extent to which their patients have abused drugs. Most therapists often overlook substance abuse during therapy sessions because the patient might not consider it an issue. In most cases, patients retreat to substance abuse after a traumatic childhood, a bad job, or a troubled marriage. The main purpose of this chapter is to highlight the importance of assessment for therapists. Patterson et al. analogize the assessment process to that of piecing a puzzle together (2009). Each assessment, from the initial one to the final one, has its significance as with arranging a puzzle pieces together for them to make sense. Some of the important pieces that the authors note are potential issues of harm, substance abuse and the prevalence of biological factor. It is vital for therapists to connect these pieces with other relevant conditions and symptoms of patients for an accurate assessment to be made. The chapter’s main concepts cover the various areas of assessment that therapists have to take into consideration while diagnosing and treating their patients. It provides the guidelines that therapists should follow in order to conduct thorough assessments. Patterson et al. (2009) highlight the guidelines into a five point list that starts with the therapist conducting initial assessment, ruling out potential issues of harm, substance abuse considerations, and biological problems and finally conducting a psychosocial assessment. The authors expound on the aforementioned list throughout the chapter. Each step is important and therapists should treat them as such. Patterson et al. clearly explain the importance of all the steps and a clear example is their identification of a patient’s meaning and belief system (2009). The authors identify that every individual has their own beliefs, emotions and memories. Patients use both meanings and beliefs consciously and unconsciously to make sense of their lives. Once a therapist understands a patient’s meanings and beliefs, they are able to pinpoint their conditions. This example and many others all add up to the chapter’s main objective; the importance of assessment for therapists. The main points in this chapter fall under the guidelines stated at the beginning of the chapter. These important points include the assessment of potential issues of harm, potential substance abuse, general psychosocial assessment and biological problems. Throughout the chapter, the authors state and explain the importance of each during patient assessment (Patterson et al., 2009). First, therapists should explore the conditions that present themselves in patients; problems that bring the patient to the patient. How does the patient describe the problem and its manifestation? This is an example of the questions that therapists should ask during the first visit. Secondly, the authors note that the therapists should ask patients the various solutions they attempted before attending the therapy session. These give the therapists a platform from which to begin with when it comes to suggesting solutions; they cannot propose solutions that patients have already attempted (Patterson et al., 2009). In the assessment of crisis and stressful life events, therapists should assess the triggers of stress in a patient’s life. Are these stressors acute or chronic in nature? What does the patient perform in order to cope with the problem? In summary, the authors suggest questions that are probing and are bound to getting the relevant information from patients. To conclude the chapter, the authors find similarities between patient assessment and solving puzzles. Each of these processes involve the careful arrangement of pieces, information in the case of therapists, that will finally enable one to solve the puzzle; patient’s problem in the case of the therapist. In the case of puzzles, there important pieces that help puzzlers to finally solve the puzzle (Patterson et al., 2009). The same is true for therapists and their patients; the therapists should be on the lookout for symptoms that are significant in order to diagnose the patient correctly. To some extent, this analogy is significant but it trivializes the assessment processes into a simple one, which it is not. However, at the same time this analogy helps therapists in adopting an objective standpoint when treating their patients. The issue that is of significance in this chapter is the importance of following the stated guidelines in patient assessment. The guidelines, in retrospect, are quite effective since they being from a general point and they try to zero in on the specific condition that the patient is suffering from. The initial assessment starts from exploring the problems, attempted solutions and the crisis and stressful life events in the patient’s life. Therapists who ask for complex questions at the beginning of the therapy session sometimes overlook these general questions. The guidelines start from simple questions and become complex as the therapy proceeds. Biological problems, spirituality, family systems are some of the questions that should be asked at the end of the therapy session (Patterson et al., 2009). The information that the Patterson et al. (2009) outline in this chapter is relevant and is applicable and relevant in practicing of therapy and psychology. In the context of the book, the chapter highlights the steps that should be used during family therapy sessions by therapists. The book transverses from what is required of therapists from the first interview to the termination of the therapy sessions. It offers therapists a guideline that they should use in their practice to improve their success rates and prevent the occurrence of suicide, violence, abuse and drug abuse that often goes undetected. The therapists are given model questions that they should use during therapy in order to further help their patients. In terms of contributing to the field of psychology, the chapter is significant. As stated earlier, the chapter re-organizes the order of questions that are important during the therapy session. This re-arrangement assists therapists from haphazardly asking questions that are often counterproductive and do not help patients. In the field of psychology, this re-arrangement and its efficient approach improves it success rates and further cements its place as a social science. Reference Patterson, J., Williams, L., Edwards, T., Grauf-Grounds, C., & Chamow, L. (2009). Essential Skills in Family Therapy, Second Edition: From the First Interview to Termination, (Second Edition). New York: Guilford Press. Read More