Question
1 (5 points)
[5
pages]
Case study: Mike is a middle-aged
married male with two college-aged children. He is lonely and depressed and has
taken up smoking again after not smoking for 20 years. He blames it on a high-pressure job,
financial strains, and difficulties in his marriage. He does not exercise. His
doctor recently informed him that he is pre-diabetic and that he urgently needs
to stop smoking, to change his diet and to exercise. Mike mistrusts doctors and
feels that he is doing the best he can under the circumstances and that he does
not have a problem. He agrees to come see you at the urging of his friends and
family.
Over a couple of sessions describe how you will help Mike
using FIVE counseling strategies from The
Elements of Counseling by Meier and Davis (Week 9 & 10). Please do not
just pick the first five strategies from the book but rather select ones that
you feel would be most appropriate for this case.
Do the following:
(a) Briefly describe each counseling strategy you will use
to assist Mike.
(b) Briefly explain why you selected these specific
counseling strategies.
(c) Provide an example of each of the counseling strategies.
Psychodynamic Focused on how past experiences affect current problems
Concerned with unconscious drives and conflicting aspects of personality
Traditionally, the therapist takes the expert role
Interpersonal Counseling Diagnosis focused
Concerned with interpersonal relationships
Therapist functions as a client’s ally
Client-Centered Therapy Humanistic approach
Focused on realizing human potential
Supports client discovery
Counselor is empathetic, nonjudgmental, and nondirective
Existential Therapy Focused on what it means to be alive
Non-symptom focused
Clients guided in discovering unfulfilled needs and realizing potential
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Focused on how both thoughts and behaviors affect outcomes
Evidence-based, effective, and highly versatile