Charlotte Case Study
Part II
Treatment Planning
After taking into consideration the symptoms that Charlotte presents with, a primary diagnosis was made for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). In basic terms, GAD, as Patriquin and Mathew (2017) point out, is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry about a number of events or activities (e.g., work, school performance, etc.), which an individual finds difficult to control (47). The relevance of treatment cannot be overstated owing to the fact that this particular condition significantly interferes with the daily functioning of the person diagnosed with the same. It is on this basis that the treatment plan has been developed below.
1. Short-Term SMART Goal for Treatment
Week 13: Ensure that the client comprehends the limiting aspects of GAD and is fully appreciative of the need to embrace the relevant treatment interventions and strategies.
Techniques
Week 1: Discuss with the client her presenting symptoms and how they tie to GAD i.e. in as far as worry deemed excessive as well as unfounded fears are concerned. Also ensure that the client is aware of the diverse manifestations of avoidance, hypervigilance, overarousal, tension, etc. and how they interact.
Week 2: Explore the relevance of the various treatment strategies in efforts to address avoidance, as well as anxiety and worry symptoms. Also highlight why treatment is instrumental in unnecessary avoidance elimination, overarousal reduction, and worry management.
Week 3: Suggest that the patient reads selected texts on this particular condition, treatment options available, and general outlook.
2. Mid-Range SMART Goal for Treatment
Week 4-6: Ensure that the client gets familiar with, and is able to apply the relevant calming skills to not only manage the symptoms of anxiety, but also minimize overall anxiety.
Techniques
Week 4 & 5: Introduce the relevant relaxation skills to the client. The said skills could be inclusive of, but they are not limited to; mindful breathing, cue controlled relaxation, muscle relaxation (progressive), applied relaxation, etc. These approaches, as Hayes-Skelton and Roemer (2013) indicate have proven effective in the treatment of GAD.
Week 4, 5 & 6 (continuous): After every session, ensure that the client is assigned homework with specific requirements...
In this case, there would be need to ensure that there is gradual application of the said relaxation exercises i.e. in starting off with situations that do not provoke anxiety and then transitioning to situations that provoke anxiety.
Week 4, 5 & 6: Monitor progress and ensure that the relevant feedback is provided going forward.
1. Long-Term Smart Goal for Treatment
Week 7 12: Ensure that the clients fearful as well as biased self-talk is identified, challenged, and eventually replaced with self-talk deemed empowering, realistic, as well as positive.
Techniques
Week 7 & 8: Seek to equip the client with the ability to embrace alternatives that are...
…herself at present. She feels unsupported and underappreciated, and believes that her parents favor her brother who has a more rewarding career. Charlotte is presently putting up with friends.
Employment: Charlotte lacks meaningful income. She does not have a job at present. Thus, she does not have the means to take care of her various needs and is at presently fully dependent upon the goodwill of friends.
As per the assessment above Charlotte would be better off with a meaningful source of income to take care of her basic needs. This is more so the case given that as Thomas, Jones, Scarinci and Brantley (2014) point out, a variety of demographic characteristics (e.g., sex, ethnicity, low income) may be associated with depressive and anxiety disorders (37). Family therapy could also be considered an effective approach towards the creation of a conducive familial environment for Charlottes mental health and wellbeing.
In the final analysis, it should be noted that working with Charlotte has demonstrated to me that diverse familial aspects do have an influence on various aspects of our lives. Thus, the relevance of fostering healthy relations on this front cannot be overstated. To effect social change, I would in this case i) get Charlotte to fully embrace the need for familial involvement ii) get Charlottes approval to reach out to her parents iii) reach out to the crucial family members and get…
