;Option 1: Family Therapy [the problematic segment occurred during an individual or
family session]:
o Structural family therapy OR
o Bowen/Intergenerational family therapy OR
o Integrative family therapy: for the purpose of this paper “integrative” refers to a
combination of only Structural and Intergenerational family therapy approaches.
Option 2: Couple’s Therapy [the problematic segment occurred during a couples session
or possibly an individual session wherein the context and content focused on couples
issues]: for the purpose of this paper, focus on behavioral/social learning theory ala the
main readings by Stuart and course textbooks (Gottman, Nichols), and relevant
readings/videos addressed in this course.
OR
Option 3: Group therapy (using the Yalom textbook) [the problematic segment occurred
during a support group, therapy group or psychoeducation group]
I. Client/Client System (approx. 1 page)
Briefly describe your professional setting.
ClientIdentifyingInformation(age,sex,race/ethnicity,familycomposition,etc.)
Presenting Problem (include DSM-V diagnosis: descriptor, numerical code, and brief
discussion of the diagnosis. Provide even if your field setting does not “diagnose.”),
Referral Status (how client came to your attention, mandated/voluntary, etc.), and
Family/Group Details (e.g., member’ s identifying characteristics, group type,
purpose, open/closed, mandated/voluntary, membership details, seating diagram,
etc.).
Relevant Background (Discuss any pertinent contextual factors that contribute to the
problem (e.g., membership in an oppressed group and/or environmental factors).
II. Selected Segment of a Session (approx.: 1-2 pages)
A. (approx. 1⁄2 page) Briefly describe a particular moment/segment of a session that was
problematic/challenging (what occurred) and why it was problematic (i.e., what
did happen, or might have happened, as a result). Also provide the context: session #
out of how many total, phase of treatment, relevant contextual aspects, goals for that
session, etc.) [e.g., “In session x out of x, when somebody said/did z, then somebody
said/did z, this was problematic because xxx.”]
B. (approx. 11⁄2 page) Identify, and provide the rationale for, the practice/therapy
approach (theoretical perspective) learned in this course (Family Therapy: Structural
OR Intergenerational OR Integrative [combination of only Structural and
Intergenerational]; OR Couples Therapy; OR Group Therapy) which is the
theoretical lens that guided you during your case (or, upon reflection, did not guide
you at the time, but is now the lens through which you will analyze the case) your
assessment, goals, and interventions for this case in general and briefly re: this
particular session in which the problematic segment occurred, using scholarly
literature, evidence-based practice research, agency philosophy (e.g., “My agency
only offers group therapy.”), etc. That is, address how your chosen therapy approach
is useful in how you can assess/think about and/or could do/intervene (whether you
did or not) with the case in general.
Said another way, the aim of Section II-B: Citing both required course readings and external
literature/concepts/theory to justify why your chosen therapy approach is a useful approach
in understanding this case in general and the specific session in which the problematic
segment occurred (avoid an analysis of the problematic segment here—that belongs in III-A).
That is: How might your chosen therapy approach (of only the options listed for this
assignment) help our understanding of how this client came to be in this
situation/dx/presenting problem (e.g., what concepts help explain how this client ‘came to
be’ – such as structural to explain role changes after divorce; intergenerational to explain
pattern of cut-offs for client who is suicidal/isolated from family; use of couple’s
therapy/social learning theory for presenting problem of infidelity to help understand a
marital presenting problem)? How does using this therapy approach/framework with this
client system help this client system’ s presenting problem/diagnosis (e.g., use of
psychoeducation group for addiction; intergenerational and depressed patient in nursing
home) or other identifying characteristics (e.g., use of group therapy with
adolescents/impoverished elementary children/African-American elderly in nursing home)?
How is this approach used in this particular setting (e.g., use of structural family therapy and
in-home foster care home visits; cancer support group in medical hospital; group therapy in a
high school)? How does your chosen approach help frame the goals for overall treatment and
for the particular session in which the problematic segment occurred (that you will analyze
fully in Section III)?
4
III. Analysis of Segment (approx.: 4-5 pages)
A. In your analysis, using application (assessment and intervention concepts [includes
engagement]) of both your chosen Family Therapy (Structural, Intergenerational, or
Integrative: combination of Structural and Intergenerational), Couples Therapy or
Group Therapy practice approach AND therapeutic communication concepts ala
Wachtel, conduct a micro-level analysis of the “problematic segment” (not the entire
case).
Discuss how you assessed the problematic segment at the time (or concepts you did
not take into consideration at the time, but upon reflection you can see how your
chosen approach helps us understand the problematic segment) and intervened with
the client during/after the segment (or upon reflection what you interventions you
could have used at the time), providing explicit discussion of specific intervention/s
employed (how you responded/or did not respond during the problematic segment
and what you might have done differently). Avoid merely summarizing the entire
treatment process; focus on key specific assessment and intervention/s pertaining to
the problematic segment. Broad issues to consider within your integration/citation of
course concepts/theory include but are not limited to: what occurred during this
interaction, why you believe it occurred, what you did/said, what the client did/said,
the status of the therapeutic alliance at this time, how you intervened with the client
to address the problematic segment, was your intervention/s successful or not—if not
why not, what awareness occurred (or would have been helpful at the time) that
helped you shift out of an impasse, how did your faulty assessment (e.g., what aspects
of your chosen approach did you not take into consideration) influence your
intervention, what seemed to work or didn’t seem to work and why, did you develop
an empathic understanding that had previously eluded you of your client’s
experience, if you could get a particular moment back what might you do differently,
etc.
B. Professional Use of Self (approx.: 1⁄2 page)
Integrating course materials and outside research, explore ways in which your unique
person (e.g., personality traits, family of origin, gender/race/class/religion/sexual
orientation) and/or countertransference issues affected your assessment, therapeutic
intervention, or the therapeutic alliance surrounding the “problematic segment.”
Discuss how these issues affected (or did not affect) your work with your client, and
how they were addressed or avoided/averted. [*Note: As there are many definitions,
be sure to specify and cite the definition of countertransference you are using.]
