Question

1. For school counselors: A teenage boy has had a sudden drop in grades, totally out of character. When you see him for your first session what would be some of the questions you would ask him in your initial assessment? What might you look for?

2. An elderly man comes in for therapy 4 months after his wife died. He says he is there because his family is making him. How would you differentiate between normal grieving and major depression. What questions would you ask and what do you look for?

3. What is there to learn for the legacy of loss and traumatic experience (such as Jews in holocaust, being a veteran) and how it plays a role in a persons life? What cues do we look for in a persons history to see if they did experience it?

4. How is family intervention and family therapy beneficial and how did family therapy evolve from the intrapsychic psychoanalytic and psychodynamic models?

Answer 1

1. In the initial assessment, In case of a teenage boy, the first thing to look for will be disruption in family. Any kind of problem or mishappening in the family can be reason for the sudden drop of grades. The other points to ponder upon are his peer and also if he is involved in any kind of substance abuse. The questions can be like, what do you think about your parents? Who is the most important person in your life?
2. The symptoms for major depression will be more severe and dreadful. Symptoms like mourning all day, suicidal thoughts and the lack of will to be happy in life can be pointing towards depression. Questions can be related to his relaionship with his wife and kids and how he spends his time now after his wife is gone. We would look for his repressed emotions to find out if it is a case of grievance or depression.
3. Family therapy is beneficial in case of child counselling when the reason for the child's disruption is the parents attitude or interpersonal problems. It is also beneficial in case of a dispute between a couple wherein atleast one of them is ready to give in.