Anger Management Analysis - Case Study Example

Case Study 2: Case of anger management.

Terry is an unappreciative client who does not consider that the musculoskeletal therapist is going out of his way by accepting to attend to him even when he arrived twenty minutes later. He is rude since he argues his case of improper treatment in a provocative manner that suggests that the musculoskeletal therapist is not as professionally fit as his previous therapist. Though the musculoskeletal therapist is in line of duty, they have gone an extra mile in treating a patient who arrived late for their appointment.

The anger in this case is mostly as a result of the doctor’s prior refusal to attend to Terry. It gives Terry a bad attitude towards the therapist such and he prejudges that the professional performance of the therapist is also that strict. This raises the anxiety in Terry and when the massage starts, he is not patient enough to wait for the massage to end, instead he complains when it is going on and even accuses the therapist of poor treatment.

On the other hand, the therapist’s attitude is right at first when he allows to treat the patient after some negotiations. When the patient becomes, stubborn the therapist is angry since they are making a time sacrifice in treating a client who is not appreciating.

The main issues here are the delivery of quality service on unappreciative clients and the anger management of both the client and the practitioner.

How should the therapist proceed in this situation?

The therapist should ignore the patient and proceed with the treatment though they should work faster so that they can catch up with their schedule. The therapist should try and make the client understand that in medical practice; musculoskeletal therapists undergo the same training hence their treatment is the same. He can also try calming Terry by explaining the treatment process and by sharing information on how the massage works and how treatment is administered; Terry is likely to stop complaining. He could also give Terry something to distract his attention from the treatment like a soft drink or a magazine and when Terry’s temper has cooled down, he can start a friendly discussion.

The therapist should confront the issue of poor treatment and solve it instantly to stop the client from undermining their work. It calls for the skills for working while facing differences between the client and the practitioner (Gottfried 1998 p. 103).

How might the therapist manage their own anger?

The therapist should control their anger by understanding that the client is bitter. They should not be affected by the client’s attitude. They should face the anger positively by treating Terry in a way that they will feel relieved after the session. This could change Terry’s attitude towards the therapist.

The therapists should avoid the feeling of frustration which is common in most of the patient therapies. The issue of time and appointments is set by the institution where the therapist works. It is not in his control to change the policies hence when the client is angry and they could not make to go for the appointment on time, they therapist should ignore such a matter (Munson 2002, p.292).

When one party is feeling vulnerable, it is wise to get rid of such a feeling by creating a connection that is shared by both the client and the practitioner and this improves the service offered by the practitioner. This will make the client feel that the practitioner is caring about their condition. It also allows the client to give the practitioner a chance to perform and they can later judge the service after the practitioner’s performance and completion (American Psychiatric Association 2004).

How might the therapist assist Terry to manage his anger at the time of the session and also in the future?

The therapist should tell Terry to wait until the session is through and then he will judge the treatment from his results. This will make Terry’s anger reduce with the hope that he will feel better. The therapist should also create a good rapport with Terry like discussing a favourite topic that also interests Terry. The therapist should address the issue about anger and also inform Terry of the effects of anger like the Early Cardiovascular disease. Terry is prone to such a disease at his early age if he continues having that attitude.

Since anger is natural, the control is also natural and it should be addressed by both the practitioner and the client and in this way the can avoid the effects of anger like Early cardiovascular disease. If the anger is excessive it is also advisable to check in for an anger management therapy (Liebert 1994 p. 359)

Critically analyse the academic literature around anger management and relate the findings to this case.

In the Ethics of Touch by Benjamin and Moe, the authors give a balanced approach to the issue of angering and undermining clients. They offer tips that the practitioner should use while handling a client to reduce the anxiety and the tension that is usually in a patient’s mind. These include introducing the client to the practitioners operation step by step by informing the client on how the practitioner handles interruptions and also talking about the process that will take place and this reduces the anxiety of the patient. It also creates a free environment between the client and the practitioner. In this case, if the therapist too sometime to discuss the treatment with Terry, maybe they would have had a better session. The book insists in communication between the client and the practitioner before and while conducting the procedure. If the therapist talked about the massage with Terry, Terry would have waited until it was over before complaining. This means that Terry would not have uttered the undermining words to the therapist like he did and so the therapist would not have been angered. It also insists on the alertness of a practitioner on any hindrance that would affect the relationship of the client and the practitioner and anything that would make the client change their attitude towards the practitioner.

I suggest that the practitioner should always be ready to face angering situations when at times the client undermines them. They should try and make the client to understand their profession and the practises and an orientation is a good way of solving the problem.