AUST Psychotherapy Case Conceptualization Essay

This is intended to help reinforce the brief presentations about each theory. Please keep your answers to each question to 1-2 pages double-spaced. Please use 12-point Times New Roman font (1” margins). Grammar, spelling, and writing quality does count

1. Mary, a woman in her mid-twenties, feels depressed following her recent move a few months ago from her hometown after finding a higher paying job. She is particularly distressed about not knowing anyone in the area and leaving her family and friends behind. Before the move, Mary had a very active social life, and spent most of her days with her family and friends. Mary thought that this move would be a great opportunity and would open doors for her career. However, since accepting to her new job, she describes herself as being fatigued, sad, and empty most of the day. She sleeps most of the day, does not engage in activities that allow her to meet new people, and states that recently the highlight of her days have been her trips to the grocery store. She also states that she feels sick at times, which has prevented her from going to the job she moved for. Her relationship with her husband has also suffered, as her husband feels resentful about the move. This has caused some distance and strain in their marriage. Mary states that she is feeling “blah,” and although she does not necessarily feel guilty or worthless, she is not happy. She also states that she starting to feel as though she is not meeting her obligations and her behavior is being noticed at work. In sum, Mary is seeking therapy to help ease her feelings of depression and loneliness. She also wants to find out how, after her move, she can get started her life over again.

Question: Using cognitive-behavioral theory, how would you conceptualize Mary’s case to alleviate her feelings of depression and loneliness?

Question: Pick any theory we have studied and conceptualize this case from a different perspective (other than CBT).

2. Sandra, a female in her mid-30’s, moved from her hometown a year ago to follow a promising career opportunity and has felt very isolated since the move. She is very anxious when she is put in situations where she has to meet new people and reports having always been a shy child. She thinks her anxiety may be preventing her from pursuing the social life she desires. She recognizes that her need for approval from others has led her to rely on others to help her make decisions. She wants to have a family in the future, but has not had a serious romantic relationship for a couple of years.

She expresses anxiety about her performance at her relatively new job. She worries about missing deadlines and feels insecure about how well she performs. She admits that she holds herself to a very high standard and places unreasonable expectations on herself. She is disappointed with her new job, as it has not turned out to be the career opportunity she was hoping for. She also does not feel like she is living the social life she had imagined would come with the move. She reports feeling depressed because she fears she made the wrong decision to uproot her life and move away from everything that was familiar to her and that it is too late to change the course of her life. She feels overwhelmed with her daily responsibilities, feels trapped in the solitary, monotony of her everyday routine, and feels as though she has very little control over what is happening in her life.

Sandra lost her parents in a fatal car accident when she was 18 months. She was raised by her maternal grandparents, however her paternal grandparents kept in regular contact and occasionally visited. They tried to make her childhood as normal as possible. Her maternal grandfather recently passed away, and she has begun to worry about the health of the other three. She has been questioning whether she is really doing what she wants to do with her life and fears dying without having a family. Since the passing of her Pawpaw, she is seriously questioning her priorities in life and is looking for guidance in re-evaluating her goals. She feels depressed when she realizes she has no meaningful relationships or emotional support in her new life.

Sandra is seeking therapy to alleviate her feelings of depression, isolation and anxiety. She wants to discover how to attain enjoyment in life, meaningful friendships, and a sense of self-confidence.

Question: From an existential approach, how would you conceptualize Sandra’s case and what would be your treatment approach? How would a dynamic approach differ?

3. Which of the two theoretical orientations that we’ve discussed so far seem the most different? Briefly describe the two in terms of case conceptualization and treatment strategies and how they differ. Then, describe which is most appealing to you and why. Give specific examples.

4.For each of the theoretical orientations we’ve discussed, provide a brief overview of how those theories describe human nature. Which theory fits most with your own ideas about human nature? Give specific examples.

NOTE: I attached a Zip drive of some presentations. You can use any type of psychotherapy theory or orientation.