Spencer is a 15-year old boy from an upper middle class family living in an affluent neighborhood in New York City. Spencer lives at home with his parent. Spencer has a history of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. His first hospitalization occurred a year ago when he was 14 due to his threats to hurt himself while at school. Spencer has a history of abusing multiple substances, including marijuana and prescription pills. He describes his substance use as a way in which he can “numb” himself from his depression. Spencer has reported having a tumultuous relationship with his father whom he reports is verbally abusive (i.e. telling Spencer that he will never amount to anything). Spencer often avoids his father at home and most of their contact is reported as “screaming matches” Alternatively, Spencer is very close to his mother and has been open with her in voicing his feelings of depression and hopelessness. Spencer is also very open with his mother in reporting to her any times in which he has engaged with substance use, although he does not report any intention or desire to stop using. Spencer’s parents do not agree on how to approach Spencer’s escalating substance use and increased depression. His parents also report that it has become increasingly more challenging to monitor Spencer’s substance abuse when he is interacting with peers who also engage in substance use. Spencer’s father believes in “tough love” and sending Spencer off to military school or some other institution where Spencer will be “properly disciplined. “ Spencer’s father also reports that his wife is “too soft” and is in denial as to the extent to which Spencer is abusing drugs. In particular, Spencer’s father reports that his wife should limit Spencer’s interactions with peers, whom are also suspected to use substances and she should also not “give in” when Spencer refuses to attend school, particularly in cases when he is hung over from excessive drug use. Spencer’s mom in turn does not believe that she is being too soft on her son, but rather she feels helpless in what can be done to stop his drug use, as he is refusing to stop. She also believes that Spencer needs to be treated for his depression, as she attributes his drug use to his feelings of hopelessness. Therefore, she does not agree with her husband that Spencer is simply “acting out” and needs harsh discipline; however she is not certain how she may be able to get her husband to become more empathetic towards their son’s emotional challenges and be more engaged in finding therapeutic treatment that does not require sending Spencer out of the home.

1. What is the organizational structure of this family? Do you notice any examples of triangulation and cross-generational alliances? And how might alliances within the family’s structure contribute to maintaining the problem?

2. What is the hierarchy in the family structure? As therapist, who do you identify may have the most power and control in the family? Who may have the least? Is there an incongruent hierarchy within this family? Briefly describe

3. Briefly describe an alternative structure that you may present to this family ?

4. Describe some structural therapy techniques that you may use with this family in session in order to facilitate reorganization of the family structure. In your description, provide examples of how these techniques may be applied to this particular family’s presenting issue.

5. As a family therapist working with a family in which one or more members may not be motivated for therapy, what are some strategic therapy techniques that you might employ to help this family solve their problems? Briefly give an example of one or two strategic therapy techniques .

Present at least one serious challenge to utilitarianism

Reflection Paper:

Consider a problem that you or someone you know is facing at work. In accordance with the problem-solving section of this chapter, write down all the alternative solutions you can think of to solve this problem, then list the pros and cons of each option.

Which alternative comes out on top?

Does the alternative that seems best on paper also strike you as the best solution to try?

Why or why not?

Detailed please and use examples and references.

Jesus is also known for his emphasis on loving your neighbor as yourself. He stated, "Love one another, as I have loved you." Share your thoughts on these words of Jesus. Are they too idealistic, or do they have practical implications both locally and internationally? How might Confucius react to these words? Zoroaster? Guru Nanak? Share your thoughts in a lively discussion.

It's fantastic when clients make the connection and begin to understand how their choices affect them. What also needs to be covered in therapy is the preparation for family and friends. Clients get excited about this transformation and should understand that their friends and family will often remain the same. How can we assist clients in preparing for their family?

Evaluate the positives and negatives of consumerism, including the relationship between affluence and stress on the environment.

What is the economic impact of a good teacher on the life of a child? In a well-structured paragraph-long response, cite specific evidence and/or statistics that support your answer, Elaborate on why you think this happens.

For this question answer by:

1: What you would do in this situation.

2: Why you would make that choice.

3: Which of Kohlberg's levels of moral reasoning your choice represents?

A madman who has threatened to explode several bombs in crowded areas has been apprehended. Unfortunately, he has already planted the bombs and they are scheduled to go off in a short time. It is possible that hundreds of people may die. The authorities cannot make him divulge the location of the bombs by conventional methods. He refuses to say anything and requests a lawyer to protect his fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. In exasperation, some high level official suggests torture. This would be illegal, but the official is sure that it will make him tell the truth in time for you to find and defuse the bombs.

What should you do?

What if you know that the bomber can withstand torture himself, but is sympathetic toward disabled children and would talk if you were to torture an innocent disabled child?

For this question answer by:

1: What you would do in this situation.

2: Why you would make that choice.

3: Which of Kohlberg's levels of moral reasoning your choice represents?

You are walking across a tall bridge with your 5-year-old child. The child slips off the edge and starts to fall, you dive and grab them but you are slipped over the edge as well. Your only choices are to go over the edge with your child or let go of the child to save yourself.

What will you do?

1)The brain continues to amaze and baffle researchers. This rather complicated 3 pound structure of the central nervous system contains a large number of parts that work together to produce and organize even the most complex behaviors. Just as if you were describing a car's engine parts, each part has a particular function.

For this post, I would like for you to (1). choose any one structure or part of the human brain and discuss it's function(Not the brain stem or frontal lobes because they are already taken. In other words, tell us what this structure of the brain is "in charge of" or does.

Also, include a detailed summary as to what an individual would look or act like if the structure you choose was damaged or destroyed. Feel free to include links to video clips that demonstrate what occurs when this structure is affected.

2)The section in our chapter that discusses neurotransmitters gets me thinking about medications that aid in neurotransmitter production and/or regulation. Specifically, I am interested in us discussing the role of medications with mental illness.

As a society it seems as if we are more interested in taking a pill to decrease symptoms rather than going to therapy. No? If so, is this a good thing? What are your thoughts about this debate (Therapy vs. Medication)?  

In this post, make sure that you are discussing you opinion about this topic as well as including relavent source material that will back up your opinion. There are a number of studies that actually compare these variables and citing any of them would help support your thoughts!

Describe the discovery of the brain’s “pleasure center” and how activity in this region is currently understood to play a role in drug addiction.

The social learning perspective suggests that past experiences and their outcomes, whether positive or negative, create the foundation for forming social behaviors b.Apply this perspective. Include in your application: i.What characteristics of this model appeal to you the most? ii.What characteristics of this model imply hope? iii.What about this theoretical model will advance your capstone topic of PTSD?

Research Methods and Design I – Short Assignment #7 – Crazy Correlations

This individual assignment is related to your Chapter 5 (Salkind) material.

Below is a scatterplot between two variables – “Alcohol Consumption” and “Academic Performance.” Fill in the data table (Participant #1 through #20)! I’ll give you the academic performance score, so just make sure to find the corresponding alcohol consumption score using the scores on the X-axis of the chart below.

2). Does there appear to be a correlation between these two variables? If yes, is it a direct correlation (positive) or indirect correlation (negative)?

3). Calculate the specific correlation coefficient for this data. What does r =

4). What are three possible explanations for this correlation? (Note – These can include “third variable” explanations)

5) ). Now design an experimental study to investigate these two variables. What is your hypothesis? What type of hypotheses does the experimental method allow you to test that the correlational method does not? (Note: You can disregard ethical limitations here! Just design an experimental study rather than a purely correlational study). For the study you design, what is your independent variable? What is your dependent variable? How did you operationally define your variables here?