The given case conceptualization will primarily focus on a patient, Ms. Cruz, who is suffering from recurring nightmares of hurting her four-month-old son, which severely hinders her daily functionality. The key element of her problem is stress management, which manifests itself in her being unable to control her frustration with the children. The case will be assessed, formulated, and conceptualized through a framework of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as a potential approach to treatment. The root cause of the issue is the notion that the patient is excessively fearful of holding and carrying the baby and experiencing difficulties in taking of the children. In addition, she is greatly stressed about the children’s health, which compels her to clean her house, which is challenging for her. The patient also reports that her fiancé is not as supportive as she perceives he should be. The determined diagnosis is (F32.1) Major Depressive Disorder (Moderate) with anxious distress and with peripartum onset (National Alliance of Mental Illness, 2021). The diagnosis is supported by observed symptoms, which include insomnia, loss of pleasure in life, feelings of fear and anxiety, and extreme difficulty in daily functioning (National Alliance of Mental Illness, 2021). Therefore, the case will be formulated by utilizing CBT concepts to assess the problem.
It is important to point out the fact that the client is of Hispanic ethnicity, which is why it is of paramount importance to include diversity factors essential for a multicultural counseling procedure. It is stated that counselors should be willing to investigate the intricate influences of culture on clients and their perceptions (Guidice, 2021). In other words, it is critical to apply CBT concepts based on multicultural principles of counseling. Since CBT therapy or approach understands problems as a result of faulty thinking and behavioral patterns, it is crucially relevant to focus on potential solutions for integrating plausible changes in Ms. Cruz’s thoughts and behaviors (American Psychological Association, 2021). One should be aware that CBT therapy is highly solution-focused, where the main emphasis is put on identifying problematic behaviors and thinking patterns and subsequently modifying them with a client to achieve relief of symptoms. The counseling process of CBT should not be focused on the client’s past but rather accentuated on the current moment and daily issues.
The problem identification process will be initiated by discussing her fears in-depth, which will help her to properly understand the causes as well as help the counselor devise relevant strategies. Role-playing can be a highly useful method to observe her behaviors under the circumstances under which she experiences a lack of motivation and fearfulness. In addition, psychoeducation can be a critical element of the proposed CBT therapy, which will greatly help the patient to be able to cope with stressors and develop the necessary skills to calm her mind and body (American Psychological Association, 2021). The counselor’s interactions with a client from another culture actualize the values, attitudes, and prejudices of the counselor, which the specialist may or may not be aware of. Excessive ethno-centeredness both on one’s own and on another culture can lead to protrusion of ethnocultural specifics and underestimation of individual and general cultural components, stereotypical judgments, prejudices, and corresponding models of behavior of the consultant. Ignoring cultural specifics also leads to a simplified image of the client and the description of the problem. If one considers the issues of the approach of psychologists, the humanistic traditions in counseling are one of the best bases for specialists. Such a measure will enable the counselor to be able to fully accept the client and her situation and to get away from evaluative judgments.
References
American Psychological Association. (2021). What is cognitive behavioral therapy? APA. Web.
Guidice, T. L. (2021). Cultural diversity and its importance to the field of counseling [PDF document]. Web.
National Alliance of Mental Illness. (2021). Major depressive disorder with peripartum onset. NAMI. Web.