Instructions
1) Describe a situation/scenario that involves a significant problem for which a client is seeking help from you, the therapist. (You may use the scenario you created for prior DBs if you wish.) Make sure to describe in detail a) what the client’s presenting problem is, including all symptoms and issues related to this problem as the client would describe it, b) her/his significant relationships and how they may be helping the problem or making it worse, c) any stressors the person may be experiencing (e.g. work problems, financial problems, etc. d) precipitating factors to the problem (e.g. is there an identifiable event that started the problem?), and e) what the client reports are her/his thoughts, feelings and experiences about and around this problem. Include any other information that you think would be relevant to treating this client. The client must be an individual, not a couple or family, although the problem they are having may be relationship related.
2a) Give a brief description of how a therapist using Dialectical Behavior therapy would conceptualize this client and her/his problems. b) Name and describe at least 3 Dialectical Behavioral Therapy techniques you could use to help this client, how you would apply these techniques to this particular client and why you would use them with this client. c) Discuss how well you think these techniques would work with this client and what problems you foresee in using these techniques with this person (e.g. why might these techniques not work, what might interfere with client compliance, etc.)
3) Name and describe at least 1 Dialectical Behavioral Therapy technique you would NOT use to help this client. Explain why you would not use it.
Vignette for this post:
Lydia is a 51 year old, lesbian, Caucasian woman who works as a nurse. She comes to you because over the last 2-3 months she has been feeling depressed almost every day. She reports being tired during the day, but unable to sleep at night. She has lost her appetite and has lost about 10 pounds. She states that she’s finding it hard to go to work because her concentration is not very good and she’s afraid of making a mistake with a patient. She used to go out frequently with friends and was very active at the local LGBT Center, but in the last month she has only been going to work and then coming home. She states that she doesn’t really enjoy doing anything anymore, so why bother trying? She has a girlfriend, but she lives about an hour away and they are not able to spend as much time together as Lydia would like. So far, Lydia has been able to hide her distress from her girlfriend. She fears that if her girlfriend found out Lydia is just sitting at home doing nothing and is no longer active at the Center that her girlfriend will reject her, even though her girlfriend has been nothing but supportive to her in the 6 years they have been together. Lydia reports that she has many friends, but she has mostly been avoiding them, since she feels too tired to do much, and also doesn’t want to burden them with her problems.
Lydia reports that she had one other time in her life when she felt like this, that lasted for about 9 months. About 10 years ago she came out to her family as a lesbian, and it didn’t go well. Her family is very religious and they were very rejecting of Lydia on the basis of their religious beliefs. Prior to this, Lydia had been very close to her family and also was an active member of a local church. Her church friends also distanced themselves from her when she came out. Since that time she has had little contact with her family and does not feel that she can turn to them for support. She also stopped attending any church, but continues to find some comfort in her religious beliefs. She wishes she could find a religion that would accept her as she is. She states that she greatly misses her family and church friends and at the time of her rejection she became very depressed. Even though her family and church have told her that what she’s doing is wrong, Lydia feels comfortable in her sexual identity and still feels that coming out what the right.
Answer
Lydia is a 51-year-old Caucasian woman who works as a nurse and identifies as a lesbian. She indicated that in the past 2-3 months, she has been feeling depressed to the point that despite being tired, she struggles to find sleep. She has lost her appetite and lost weight to the tune of 10 pounds. She reports poor concentration and no longer has the desire of going to work because she fears she will make errors that will affect her patients. She enjoys staying at home, yet she was a highly social person and would spend time with friends, including at a local LGBT center. Lydia has a girlfriend of 6 years, but no longer wants to spend time with her. However, she fears that if the girlfriend learns that Lydia is not busy at home and no longer active at the LGBT center, she will reject her. Lydia’s relationships are affecting her problem. Her relationship with her girlfriend is aggravating the problem because it is increasing Lydia’s worry. Lydia fears that if her girlfriend found about her failure to participate in the LGBT…. To purchase, click on the purchase button below to proceed.