Question

Instructions: For each of the following problems, indicate which therapeutic approach (psychodynamic, rational-emotive, systematic desensitization, modeling and social skills training, family therapy, drug therapy) that is likely to be the most useful for the following client scenarios.

1. Ernestine is terrified of elevators. She would rather walk up 100 flights of stairs than ride in an elevator. Even thinking about elevators makes her heart pound and her palms sweat. 2. Tamara is very depressed because she feels stupid, unloved, and unlovable, and is convinced that none of this will ever change.

3. Stefan is very shy. He would love to be in a close relationship with a girl, and is convinced that she would like him if she had a chance to get to know him, but he just doesn’t know how to take the first steps to get to know someone.

4. Ricardo hears voices that tell him to do things that he doesn’t want to do. He is very paranoid, and is convinced that people in the television set are watching him and waiting to hurt him.

5. Gerry keeps trying to find a man just like her father. She goes from relationship to relationship looking for the right man, but none of them can live up to the image she has of her dad as the perfect husband, lover, and father.

6. Yolanda has been anorexic ever since her early teens. Basically, she controls everything that goes on in her household by her refusal to eat.

7. Every time James tries to do something to please his parents, they seem to him to be dissatisfied, and he is convinced that nothing he can do will ever make them happy. He broods so much about his failure to please them that he can’t seem to find anything to do to make himself happy.

Answer 1

(Answer) 1. Ernestine is terrified of elevators. She would rather walk up 100 flights of stairs than ride in an elevator. Even thinking about elevators makes her heart pound and her palms sweat.

systematic desensitization – This would help her gradually get over her fears by losing sensitivity to it.

2. Tamara is very depressed because she feels stupid, unloved, and unlovable, and is convinced that none of this will ever change.

Rational-emotive - Because Tamara needs to address the negative feelings and express them appropriately in order to overcome them.

3. Stefan is very shy. He would love to be in a close relationship with a girl, and is convinced that she would like him if she had a chance to get to know him, but he just doesn’t know how to take the first steps to get to know someone.

modeling and social skills training – This would help him hone his social skills in order to comfortably approach people in social settings.

4. Ricardo hears voices that tell him to do things that he doesn’t want to do. He is very paranoid, and is convinced that people in the television set are watching him and waiting to hurt him.

drug therapy – He is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and required both drug and therapy to help him overcome the symptoms.

5. Gerry keeps trying to find a man just like her father. She goes from relationship to relationship looking for the right man, but none of them can live up to the image she has of her dad as the perfect husband, lover, and father.

Psychodynamic – This technique would help realise her subconscious perceptions and address them

6. Yolanda has been anorexic ever since her early teens. Basically, she controls everything that goes on in her household by her refusal to eat.

Family Therapy – Everyone in her household should be involved in improving something as banal as eating habits.

7. Every time James tries to do something to please his parents, they seem to him to be dissatisfied, and he is convinced that nothing he can do will ever make them happy. He broods so much about his failure to please them that he can’t seem to find anything to do to make himself happy.

Family Therapy – Because the entire family should be involved in open communication and addressing their feelings towards each other.