Introduction
The achievement of success during therapy depends on the practical application of specific theoretical principles and counseling skills. This case study underscores the challenges Hideko faces as she struggles to achieve a balance between caring for her ill mother and succeeding at school. In addition, she barely has time to herself and has recently broken up with her boyfriend. Her connection with her family is strained on account of their expectations and the fact that they fail to recognize her efforts. The pressure has taken a toll on her life, and she reports feeling drained. Hideko has sought help from Viviana, who is focused on ensuring that her client achieves set therapeutic goals. The exercise of specific skills and utilization of recognized theoretic perspectives facilitates the delivery of quality care during counseling.
Empathy and Active Listening
Active listening is an elemental part of the counseling process. Viviana demonstrates this ability by affirming and acknowledging the client’s problem. She reflects on Hideko’s feelings and the content of the challenge she faces by facilitating further exploration. Viviana also gathers information to get a clear picture of her client’s issues. She asks relevant questions aimed at identifying the needs and context of Hideko’s problems. Viviana is understanding in view of the fact that she gives Hidako her full attention and summarizes her views accurately. Viviana shows empathy by understanding Hideko’s feelings and offering responses that reflect her client’s mood. Viviana could have practiced more active listening by challenging Hideko’s views in a non-threatening way. For instance, when responding to Hideko’s statement on not being able to get back on track, she should say, “Have you thought of how to fix it?” Finally, allowing periods of silence and responding to changes in Hideko’s body language is essential during the counseling process.
Readiness to Change
The transtheoretical model of change defines the stages of change during a therapeutic process. These are the pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance phases of the therapeutic process (Krampe et al., 2017). Hideko is in the preparation stage in view of the fact that she is getting ready to make changes, and she believes that the potential benefits outweigh the anticipated costs. In addition, she intends to start implementing the changes in the near future. The evaluation can be confirmed by asking the client about the changes she would like to see implemented in her life. This allows the therapist to identify the client’s most important views, and it creates an avenue for them to express their concerns. In addition, it presents an opportunity for the therapist to gain insight into their patients’ problems and find meaningful solutions that will facilitate recovery. Finally, asking Hideko to rate her willingness to change on a scale of one to ten allows the therapist to judge the extent of her readiness.
The social cognitive theory highlights how psychosocial factors influence health behaviors and proposes methods through which sustainable behavior change can be promoted. It evaluates an individual’s cognitions, prior behavior, the physical environment, and social surroundings (Middleton et al., 2019). It is worth noting that changes in behavior are seen when the client feels she is capable of executing the desired behavior and has a reasonable expectation that she will achieve the desired results. Hideko demonstrates human agency through intentionality, given that she actively engages in therapy to address her problems. She also expresses self-reflectiveness, which is the ability to evaluate the soundness of her behavior and cognitions. Environmental factors such as her ailing mother, disinterested brother, unconcerned father, and pressure at school prompted the desire for change. The conditions at home, coupled with her recent break-up, have triggered her self-reflective and self-developing traits, thus increasing her wish to change.
MAPS Goals
Creating measurable, achievable, positive, and specific goals ensures that therapeutic objectives are met, and the client achieves the desired outcome. Hideko’s goal is to feel okay about taking time off even if her parents do not understand that she needs to rest. The goal is measurable because she can decide the number of times a week she spends engaging in non-school activities that are not linked to taking care of her mother. In addition, she can dedicate a specific number of hours to the free time. The goal is achievable since she often got some free time in the past. In addition, her father is capable of paying for a nurse to care for her mother when she is not available. The goal is positive because it allows Hideko to decompress from the challenges associated with school and caring for her ill mother. Finally, it is specific because it outlines the number of days in a week, the duration of each break, and the purpose it aims to achieve.
Factors that Affect the Client
A variety of factors impact the therapeutic process and the nature of interventions proposed for each client. In Hideko’s case, these include culture, race, life stages, demands, and family stress. Her cultural and racial background determine the nature of interactions between parents and children. In addition, it frames her understanding of health and healing. For instance, her father believes it is the daughter’s role to care for an ailing parent. Hideko is in no position to question her parents and is expected to work diligently without recognition or time off. Hideko deals with a variety of demands, including academic pressure and her parents’ expectations. Her mother’s illness is a persistent family stressor, given that it has denied her the opportunity to participate actively in class or get the rest she requires to remain healthy. In addition, the fact that her parents favor her brother makes her feel sad and underappreciated. Hideko is at a point in her life where her academic and relationship goals are essential, yet she is denied the opportunity to engage and develop. These influences impact the counseling process and must be considered when proposing solutions to the challenges she faces.
Using Theory to Help the Client
Several theories can be applied to the therapeutic process to facilitate effective recovery. For instance, constructivism posits that lived experiences determine how individuals understand and view the world (Avery et al., 2017). Therefore, Viviana should ensure that Hideko actively participates in the process of creating change. The client must act as an agent of her own change and embrace the activities that characterize the therapeutic process. The resilience theory proposes that an individual’s capacity to deal with adversity rather than its nature is the most crucial aspect of therapy (Harms et al., 2018). Viviana must therefore emphasize practical emotional, cognitive, physical, and social skills that will help Hideko achieve her goals. The ecological perspective highlights how a person exists within specific and interdependent ecological systems, which determine how they experience the world (Tanhan, 2019). Viviana should review Hideko’s social, family, and physical environment to better understand her behavior when planning how to resolve her problems.
The family systems theory is based on the view that clients are inseparable from their fundamental relationships. It should be noted that an individual’s family functions as an emotional unit whose constituent parts determine the entire system’s functioning. Viviana should consider involving Hideko’s family in the therapeutic process to help address some of the issues. Adopting a dual perspective is essential because it will allow Viviana to understand how Hideko thinks and feels about her issues. Viviana should emphasize her client’s strengths and encourage empowerment in order to facilitate recovery. Hideko’s ability to influence personal decisions and gain access to the resources required to address challenges is a pivotal aspect of the therapeutic process.
Endings
Learning how to end a therapeutic relationship is essential for healing and independence. Viviana must prepare her client for the end in advance. She needs to tell Hideko that every therapeutic relationship comes to an end, and there is no benefit in denying this fact. Viviana should set a specific date and inform her client exactly when the last session will be conducted. When the day finally arrives, Viviana should tell Hideko that the therapeutic goals have been achieved and that she is equipped with the tools she requires to continue on her own. It is important to emphasize that the client should seek help in the event her coping mechanisms and skills she acquired during therapy begin to fail.
Conclusion
The case study demonstrates the importance of applying specific skills and theoretical perspectives in the delivery of care. Active listening and empathy ensure that the client’s needs are effectively addressed. In addition, the ability to set measurable, achievable, positive, and specific goals aids in achieving the client’s desire for change. The keen assessment of family, personal and cognitive factors that impact the client’s behavior facilitates the creation of viable solutions. Finally, understanding how to end the therapeutic relationship ensures that the client practices the skills they learned as self-reliant individuals.
References
Avery, H. E. M., Guiffrida, D. A., & Lynch, M. F. (2017). Development and validation of the constructivist supervisor scale. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 30(4), 439–455. Web.
Harms, P. D., Brady, L., Wood, D., & Silard, A. (2018). Resilience and well-being. In E. Diener, S. Oishi, & L. Tay (Eds.), Handbook of well-being (pp.1-12). Salt Lake City, UT: DEF Publishers.
Krampe, H., Salz, A. L., Kerper, L. F., Krannich, A., Schnell, T., Wernecke, K. D., & Spies, C. D. (2017). Readiness to change and therapy outcomes of an innovative psychotherapy program for surgical patients: Results from a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry, 17(1), 1–16. Web.
Middleton, L., Hall, H., & Raeside, R. (2019). Applications and applicability of social cognitive theory in information science research. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 51(4), 927–937. Web.
Tanhan, A. (2019). Acceptance and commitment therapy with ecological systems theory: Addressing Muslim mental health issues and wellbeing. Journal of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing, 3(2), 197–219. Web.