Counseling the Emotionally Disturbed Individuals - Case Study Example

 Case Study for Jane-50 Years Old Struggles and their Effects on Her Well Being Basing on the psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral perspectives Introduction to the Theoretical Model Psychology study became more popular in the year 1900 than before. The contribution made by Sigmund Freud’s in his book “The Interpretation of Dreams” made psychology study and its application a great achievement towards understanding of psychodynamics of mental dreams and other mental processes. All psychodynamic themes have a stem from psychoanalysis. The two major perspectives applied to psychology are psychodynamics perspective and cognitive behavioral perspective. Psychodynamic perspective also referred to as insight-oriented therapy explains on unconscious process as manifested in an individual’s behavior[Mic11]. The main objectives of the psychodynamics is for the client’s self-awareness and understanding the influence of their past on present behavior. Such an approach helps the client to examine conflicts and their symptoms that have not been resolved for long from experience[Mic11]. Cognitive behavioral perspective is a common form of psychotherapy whose goal is to change the way people think or their behaviors responsible for their difficulties in life. This method treats a wide range of conflict issues in their life[Cog13]. Cognitive behavioral perspective method work by focusing on thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that we embrace and their influence on the way we behave as a solution to emotional stress. This method is short around seven months for most of the emotional problems. In many cases, the clients normally attend a session every week of less than an hour each[Cog13]. During this conversation, the client and therapist engage in strategy to understand the problem and the possible solutions. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a combination of psychotherapy and behavior therapy. This two understanding is important in mental stability of an individual. The behavioral attitude helps to understand the relationship between our problems and behavior[Ben11]. Clients Background Summary Jane is 50 years old is divorced and a mother to two adult children aged 27 years and 30 years. She has been a full time caretaker for her mother who has suffered the paralysis after an accident that killed her father when Jane was 29 years old. Unfortunately, Jane’s mother died several months ago. She has now been living lonely when her children moved away several years past. Jane has come to me as a psychologist about what she has gone through in her life. Jane intends to move on with her life but faces difficulty with the fact that she lost her career as a nurse, which she gave up to take care of her sick mother. She is worried on whether she will meet the present nursing practice requirement having been away for a long time. In addition, she would wish to have a relationship. Even though she has to find it difficult to meet people and she is anxious about leaving home for long periods about what she has one through. Jane has been undergoing treatment on depression. Her case analysis is through two major forms of analysis; these two approaches are from psychodynamics perspective and cognitive behavioral perspective. Psychodynamic Perspective Approach to Jane’s Situation. Psychodynamics perspective makes several assumptions in its implementations. Some of these assumptions include symptoms and personality difficulties have meaning that is either hidden or unconscious, people have complex inner world of which they are unaware but interacts powerfully with their conscious personality. On the case of Jane, it can be through psychodynamic theory based on object relations theory. It states on how individuals learn and represent their relationship with others mentally[Ras13]. The object in this case is the people whose moods and emotions influenced by relationship they have experienced. These two theories embark on different approaches that earlier relationship tends to set the value for later relationships. According to this theory, depression is occurring in her their case due to challenges faced in such for a good relationship. It is evidently true that depression is due to the ongoing struggle that has affected people inn search for desired object. Anaclitic depression is believed to occur when people grief over their lost or broken relationships[Ras13]. Psychodynamic Counselor on the Case of Jane In the case of Jane, the grief is because of the loss through death of father and mother. In addition, she focuses on her divorced husband and her distantly living children. This lost relationship is the major cause of her depression. Her care-giving duty to her mother is lost after she dies. People suffering from anaclitic depression cases have characteristic demonstrated through their feelings of helpless and weakness due to the abandonment she experiences. On the other side, people suffering from introjective depression experience fear of losing approval, recognition and love from the objects she intends[Ras13]. A depressed person interpersonal behavior leads to rejection by others. Interpersonal psychodynamic approach will help them break out from the negative spirals in their life. This can fully control the situation. it would restore the interaction she has lost with neighbors and friends during her state in depression and regain the contribution in her relationship. In the case of Jane, I would help her explore unsolved issues and conflicts and talk about important persons and their relationship with her. When she carries out transference with me, a large burden in her life will leave and a sign of relief with ease her in the process[Ras13]. Cognitive Approach in Psychoanalysis Aaron Beck, a psychiatrist and Albert Ellis, developed modern cognitive behavioral perspective. This approach believe in the argument that cognition s presented in the form of thoughts and preconceived decision. This process determines an individual’s emotional response. These approaches provide a focus on current problems that are relevant to the client. Effective relationship is necessary between the client and the practitioner. Cognitive approach is more of psycho-educational form whose mandate is to helping the client new skills of personal management that they should apply in their life to counter the problem. This helps them put into practice whatever they have learnt during the entire process[Gar13]. Jane’s Encounter with Psychologist Cognitive behavioral perspective would be more efficient when both Jane and the counselor enjoy a fruitful relationship and openness. Confidently, there is the need for them to have a joined analysis the problem at hand the question on the things she has started doing to cope with her feelings of anxiety and depression. The main two reason of working with the client help them to understand each of the challenge affecting her life. Furthermore, it will aid the counselor to understanding the impact of depression in her life and enable the counselor to understand the areas for their intervention. According to a vicious circle model, changing in any of the areas affecting her will lead to change in other areas of her life[Ras07]. The openness in the evaluation of the challenges affecting her will also be helpful to her. She will be able to identify the effect of depression in her life. The process of noting their symptoms will be helpful to her since she can look at them objectively. She will therefore learn how different challenges she has been going through affects every part of her life. Learning about the causes of her depression, Jane can now identify where she went wrong and rectify the situations in her life. The lessons learnt in her interaction with the practitioner should be in practice continuously. Intermediate beliefs will normally have influence on their view to generate automatic thoughts. These cause extended thoughts that lead to depression. With knowledge in this, she would consider the driving agents and resolve them in the right way at the right time[Gar13]. Differences between Psychodynamic Perspective and Cognitive Behavioral Perspective In regard to Jane The major differences between psychodynamics and cognitive perspective mainly occur in the approach and solution. For example, short-term psychodynamics will normally focus more on exploration of the experiences and its relation to the present. On the other side, cognitive behavioral perspective mainly involves a combination of behavioral intervention and cognitive restructuring. CBP is normally associated with specified behavior outcomes or goals. CBP does not focus mainly on making the unconscious conscious but it also emphasize on the ability to establish insight in the problem[Gra07]. The psychodynamic therapy focuses more on individuals unconscious in e childhood that is affecting their maturity stage. The forces that drive us originate from the unconscious. They always drive us to cause repeating patterns of behavior. Cognitive behavioral approach focuses on the mode in which individual’s thoughts and perception affect how they emotions and behavior about themselves. Finally, the other difference between the two is the theoretical rationale psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral perspectives. Psychodynamics tries to cause the client to uncover the experiences reveal the present. On the other side, cognitive behavioral approach here and now and is always goal oriented. That is, cognitive sees behavior as learnt or acquired. In the case of Jane, these two differences are well illustrated. She might be suffering from issues that she faced on her childhood (psychodynamic approach) or from her life experiences after losing those who were close to her (cognitive behavioral approach). Similarities between psychodynamic approach and cognitive behavioral approach As in the case of Jane Though psychodynamics and cognitive behavioral approaches are different at a large extent, there are various similarities associated with them. The most well established similarity among the two is that both of them try to explain on human mentality, explanation on mental illness, and determination of the best way to manage it if necessary. This explains why they are important in psychology. In the case of Jane, she suffers the same mental suffering. Even though the issues are inter related there is the need to provide the best possible solution to problems. Best priority method for Jane The two methods or approaches are fitting the problem Jane is experiencing. However, applying both methods in her case cannot necessarily carry out. The most effective method with Jane would require would be through the cognitive behavioral approach. This is because from her case it is evident that her life has accelerated by the illness and death of her parents at different instances. She had a better life when she was working and her children were around her. This argument proves that it is the experiences she faces while going through the occurrence are the cause of her depression. Such instance destabilizes her mental soberness adult that stress her to the level of her depression. Another happening that affect her is the divorce with her husband. All these issue comes to her life while mature. She is therefore unable to function normally. Conclusion Going through this psychological counseling will help, she relates with others well, reform the life that has been in ruin, be able to make rational decisions and fulfill her life expectations. This would be a great step in reformation of her shuttered dreams and expectations. Counseling the emotionally disturbed individuals has been of help to them, their neighbors and those close to them. Counseling psychologist works with various client including children, adults families and other people in need. The two methods has been proved being effective in managing emotional concerns. They help in trying to help their clients to solve the conflicting problems in people’s life. references Mic11: , (Michael Herkov, 2011), Cog13: , (Cognitive behavioral therapy, 2013), Ben11: , (Ben Martin, 2011), Ras13: , (Dombeck, Reiss, & Nemade, 2013), Gar13: , (Garland & Williams, 2013), Ras07: , (Rashmi Nemade, 2007), Gra07: , (Graeme Whitfield, 2007), Read More