Summary:
This assessment is geared towards assessing your knowledge of the Guidance & Counseling (or Helping) process. Assessing knowledge of the Guidance & Counseling (or Helping) process is susceptible to a wide variety of theories, opinions, ideas, and methods. Therefore, this assessment will be challenging you to take theory and skills and apply those to a situation/scenario.
Details & Instructions:
You will be provided three scenarios to examine. Your responses should include the following information, and be no longer than one page in length.
Step 1: Identify the Theory
Identify the theory you will use to help address this scenario. You may choose more than one. The theory (or theories) you select must be on a counseling theory selected from the book. Suggestions may be any of the following (but not limited to): Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic Theory, Attachment Theory, Behavioral Theory, Client-centered Theory, Cognitive Theory, Existential Theory, etc.
In your response, consider including the following:
Describe the theory and how it can be used in the given scenario. Is the theory still accepted/ used today?
Are there any controversial issues with the theory you chose? Include if there are ethical or cultural limitations.
Who invented the theory or who/what type of counselor is known for using it?
Step 2: Applying the Theory
Identify the target/treatment subject (i.e. children, seniors, couples, survivors of abuse, transgender people, people with drug addiction, ethnic minorities, etc.) Describe how you would respond. What skills would you use? Be specific! Identify how you would apply the theory you chose using Hill’s 3-stage model. Would you use this theory in exploration, insight, action, or in a combination of the three? Tell us if you think Hill would agree with your choices Be sure to use skills identified by Hill’s 3-stage model in your application.
Step 3: Personal Reflections
Tell us why you chose to apply a specific theory to the given scenario.
Do you have any personal connections or experiences relating to your choices in this scenario?
Scenario #1:
Raphael, a 40-year-old Latinx man whose wife recently died, said, “I feel so depressed about the loss of my wife. She was my best friend, the love of my life. I can’t imagine living without her, yet I must go on and care for our children. She would want me to be the best dad in the world. But I know that I’m uncertain about how to handle their grief. They miss her too, and I am gone a lot because I have to work two jobs to pay all of the bills. What if they get in trouble? They have been such good kids. I feel so overwhelmed and so very alone.”
Hint: you may want to consider providing examples of open question about feelings, reflection of feelings, and restatements in your response!
Scenario #1:
Raphael, a 40-year-old Latinx man whose wife recently died, said, “I feel so depressed about the loss of my wife. She was my best friend, the love of my life. I can’t imagine living without her, yet I must go on and care for our children. She would want me to be the best dad in the world. But I know that I’m uncertain about how to handle their grief. They miss her too, and I am gone a lot because I have to work two jobs to pay all of the bills. What if they get in trouble? They have been such good kids. I feel so overwhelmed and so very alone.”
Hint: you may want to consider providing examples of open question about feelings, reflection of feelings, and restatements in your response!
Scenario #2:
Jessica is a 19-year-old Asian American sophomore who has come to counseling because she thinks she is a lesbian. She is afraid and confused because her parents have always made it very clear that good people grow up and get married. Her parents are already displeased with her because she values a career over family. Jessica has confided in her roommate, who told her she is perfectly normal. But Jessica feels anything but normal. She cannot concentrate on her studies because she is so overcome with feelings of inadequacy.
Hint: You may consider exploring the possible effects of using challenges versus interpretations with this
Scenario #3:
Sean is a 29-year-old White man who has just learned that he has been denied custody of his children. He is seeking help because he is depressed. He cannot believe the judge didn’t grant him custody because his ex-wife has not been a part of their lives for 5 years. His ex-wife lives in another state, and Sean is afraid that she will not allow him to see the children. He told the judge that if he was denied custody, his life would be over. Describe how you would handle this situation.
Hint: Consider if Sean is in a crisis situation and if so, what do you do? Also – refer back to the ethics discussion in Chapter 1 of Helping Skills, Fifth Edition.
