Case Presentation.edited

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Kenyatta University *

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Nov 24, 2024

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1 Case Presentation Student name Instructor Course Date

2 Case Presentation Introduction Social workers are challenged with unravelling the complex stories of persons that comprise their unique web of struggles and persistence. In our attempt to illustrate the complexity of mental health intervention, we examine the circumstances of Ms. Rodriguez – a thirty-five-year-old Hispanic lady. The following discussion will take the reader through Ms Rodriguez's clinical overview, the effects of intersectionality, the intricacies of the client/therapist relationship, the relevance of empathy, transference and countertransference, and the purposefulness of using self in the counselling process. Her story takes place in an environment that involves struggle, grit and the intricacy of self-identity. Her psychological issues are based on her traumatic history, recent separation from her abusive partner, as well as co-occurring generalized anxiety disorder alongside major depressive disorder (Johnson & Huggins.,2019). With that in mind, I have learned throughout studying Ms. Rodriguez's experiences that competent social work practice extends beyond the symptomatic approach and includes grasping the nuances of identity framed by the person's history, culture, and society. Clinical Overview The case of Ms. Rodriguez also depicts the complexity behind these various mental health concerns faced by social workers. Ms Rodriguez's ordeal is an arduous journey. One should understand her history, current functioning, diagnosis, and prognosis for them to have an informed path to therapy. Ms Rodriguez began to experience a traumatic childhood due to turmoil and a painful upbringing. In this context, she had trouble growing up in a harsh environment, which has since

3 impacted her mental well-being permanently. Her earlier traumatic experiences significantly shape how she relates to life, leading to her present mental health predicament. Lastly, Ms. Rodriguez was mentally affected by her divorce from her abusive husband as her mental problem worsened. She is a single mother of two whose life has been disarrayed by this traumatizing experience, leaving her shattered. However, it should be noted that her past and the latest traumatic events represent a vital background illustrating the size of Ms Rodriguez's emotional issues, together with providing evidence on the significance of trauma-informed practice in social work services provision (Allahyari et al.,2020). The diagnostic framework reveals the complexities associated with Ms. Rodriguez's mental health. The prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder illustrates how psychosocial factors can affect wellness. These diagnoses function like a master plan or outline for evidence-based solutions to treat the two issues jointly. Intersectionality and its impact To better understand Ms Rodriguez's situation, this essay would like to discuss intersectionality as a conceptual framework that acknowledges the concurrent nature of several identities and their overall effect on life experiences. Ms Rodriquez' being a Hispanic woman intersects with the multiple determinants, including gender, social, economic status, culture, and race, that affect her presenting problems and also shape the character of the therapeutic relationship between them. Her Hispanic identification brings another level of complexity to the experience because it shapes how she sees herself and the space where she operates. Her culture's norms, expectations, and values greatly influenced how she sees the world as well as conceptualizing mental health. Such factors as possible stigma in Hispanic culture against psychology consulting

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4 and some traditions typical for the male gender may influence her manifesting distresses. The significance of this, therefore, implies that a culturally competent approach would be required in engaging with Mrs. Rodriguez (Johnson & Huggins.,2019). Finally, the intersection of MS. Rodriguez's gender only complicates the situation. As a woman, she might have experienced forms of violence against women, societal perceptions of what constitutes a good woman and the nature of power dynamics between the man and woman. In this case, the intervention should recognize and affirm a survivor's perspective on her experiences as a victim of an oppressive relationship due to an integrated notion of her gender identity and trauma in its wake. Client-Worker Relationship Effective social work practice rests on developing solid and healing client-worker relationships. In this case, the relationship is critical towards trust, collaboration, and generating favourable results for Ms Rodriguez. Establishing rapport with Ms. Rodriguez starts by identifying the cultural setting. Culturally competent treatment demands that he accepts her being Mexican and understands her ways, values, and the worth attached to family matters in her community. The awareness provides a springboard for communications so that social workers can identify any possible cultural differences and be effective regarding interventions while meeting her perception (Quintana., 2020). How language plays out its functionality within the client-worker relationship is of great significance. There are also likely challenges of languages being a barrier to quality of communication in light of Ms Rodriguez being of Hispanic descent. As a result, the capacity of social workers to bridge these gaps can be achieved via bilingual skills or the provision of

5 interpreters, hence establishing an inclusive setting for therapy (Allahyari et al.,2020). Mutual understanding of the development of shared goals is also critical, as well as the creation of goals together with interventions, as they are highly dependent on clear communication. A strengths-focused approach guides the process of collaborative goal-setting. Acceptance of Ms Rodriguez's strengths, resilience, and coping strategies empowers her decision-making. The social worker demonstrates that through her capability and resourcefulness, she is not going to feel helpless like she might have at a time when she was leaving an abusive relationship. However, any relations between clients and employees involve problems. In this case, one may distrust treatment, worry, or be reluctant to reveal delicate data. Social workers must be prepared to deal with such barriers, considering that trauma affects trust-building. Reflexivity becomes a daily practice and cultural humility, tools necessary for resolving power struggles and maintaining collaborative relationships with patients. Engagement requires cultural humility, which consists of a continuous self-reflexive inquiry on self. However, a social worker must be keen on examining his or her prejudices and hypotheses to understand and appreciate Mr. Rodriguez's culture. There is authentic interest in her experiences, receptivity for learning, and flexibility in adjusting the intervention by considering those cultural ideas. In this case, the act of cultural humility would be embodied by the social worker, who will validate Ms Rodriguez's identity and create a space where she will feel heard to understand her views. In this regard, the client-worker relationship is active, and changes as Ms Rodriguez moves through her treatment course. Consistent follow-ups, feedback meetings, and joint

6 evaluations affirm that her changing needs are addressed and that she is guided towards realizing her aspirations (Berzoff et al.,2021). The social worker has to be flexible in adjusting their tactic depending upon Ms Rodriguez's reactions and inputs, thus involving a sense of partnership in the healing exercise. In the client–worker relationship, the central goal is Ms. Rodriguez's empowerment. Empowering her involves acknowledging and validating her stories and providing her with power, knowledge, skills, and resources for taking charge in addressing challenges on her own. In this regard, the social worker encourages Ms Rodriguez's agency by fostering self-efficacy to be transformative in her path towards healing and recuperation. Empathy in the Dynamic Relationship Empathy forms the basis of the client-worker relationship by creating a sense of knowing and connecting. Empathy is very crucial in the navigation of Ms. Rodriguez's experiences, including anxiety, depression, as well as post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTS) resulting from abuse. The social work literature shows that empathy has three dimensions, which include cognitive, emotional, and behavioural empathy. Cognitive empathy is seeing things from a patient's perspective, knowing the feeling, and sensing what is affecting the patient's thinking. It will involve active listening as well as sincere interest in her story. The social worker assures the patient that she is heard and understood through open-mindedness, listening carefully with empathy, and a nonjudgmental attitude. Empathy entails joining with Ms. Rodriguez about the affective experience of her feelings. Responding with empathy when acknowledging an emotional tone in her disclosures enables them to feel connected. The therapeutic bond is crucial for effective intervention and is fostered by this emotional resonance, which acts as therapy itself (Beach., 2023).

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7 Empathy at the behavioural level is responsive and attuned actions. The social worker's effort to modify their style of communication, pace, and interventions according to Ms. Rodriguez's emotional signals highlights the concern for her individual needs. Behavioural evidence of empathy leads to forming a mutual relationship, which boosts engagement and creates an environment of comfort for the client. Transference, Countertransference and Management Plans Any therapeutic relationship is characterized by transference and countertransference dynamics that should be well taken care of in Ms. Rodriguez's case. Fears projected onto the therapist by the client, and the therapist's countertransference reaction can determine the dynamics of the therapeutic process. The transference in the case of Ms Rodriguez could result from her previous experiences, such as traumas or abuses she had to face and transferred the sense of fear back to the therapist. In understanding these dynamics, it is crucial to note that the therapist represents persons from her past. In countertransference, the therapist emotionally reacts to the patient's feelings and behaviours. As a result, the therapist might feel protective, annoyed, or scared when faced with Ms. Rodriguez’s projections directed towards him/her. Thus, it must be borne in mind that a failure to recognize and handle this type of countertransference might disrupt or even sabotage a therapy course (Ferguson et al.,2023). Supervision, reflecting, consulting with other professionals, transferring – countertransference management plan. It allows the social worker to address their emotions by reflecting on their experience with the client, leading to ideas that will contribute to successfully managing his or her emotions. Constant self-examination helps understand one's prejudices and

8 trigger points, enabling the therapist to be objective while relating. Collegial consultation is an added dimension in managing transference and countertransference dynamics in complex situations. Incorporate the Use of Self This area of social work practice is not static but purposefully carried out via careful consideration, revelation, bringing forth personal experiences, and using such with intent to improve the therapeutic effect. This means that self-reflection is a continuous process through which the social worker evaluates assumptions and perceptions that can affect his/her interactions with Ms. Rodriguez. Self-awareness plays a vital role in demarcating the professional boundary lines, anticipating possible provocation sources, and preventing one's prejudices from interfering with therapy procedures. It is where strategic self-disclosure comes in, which entails sharing the necessary parts of the social worker's experience towards building an atmosphere where the social worker's and client's therapeutic interaction is normalized (Hesketh.,2019). As an illustration, the social worker would only give generic information on managing personal obstacles, stressing the concept of resiliency and support. Such strategic use of self-disclosure may help build an alliance and reduce possible power differences between a therapist and a client. Personal experiences involve using examples from one’s own life by highlighting how they were able to deal with hardships, become strong and overcome difficulties. Hence, these examples should be selected carefully according to the client's requirements and objectives. For example, the social worker can share relevant information from their trauma recovery experience to comfort and encourage Ms Rodriguez (Sweezy .,2023). However, it should be noted that there is a sense of ethics of self-referral. They should be transparent, get consent, and put the client

9 first. A social worker should always revisit how their self-disclosure affects the treatment since this could hinder success instead of helping it in any way. Conclusion Therefore, in closing our case study of Ms. Rodriguez, we acknowledge that inclusive and culture-oriented therapy is vital throughout treatment. Her clinical summary has shed light on the complex nature of problems resulting from child abuse, the recent past maltreatment and sole parenting. Her background as a Latina woman brings forth the need to embrace cultural, gender, and socio-economic aspects of assessment and intervention. Thus, this relationship becomes a dynamic partnership wherein cultural competence, meaningful communication, and a strength-based perspective are essential. This empathic connectivity facilitates comprehension and goal setting as partners in crime. Sensitivity, cultural humility, and continuous internal reflection help meet the challenges in the relationship based on trauma and power (Little., 2020). Supervisory assistance is crucial. The practice requires that therapists be aware of themselves and consult their fellow therapists. The practice relies on transference and countertransference that occur through these communication lines. Self, used intentionally, an involved strategy involving self-disclosure and drawing in one’s own life experiences, becomes a compelling instrument for building rapport and supporting Ms. Rodriguez's way to healing and recovering. The case of Ms. Rodriguez is an example that shows us how important it is for us to see people as people and not cases. We as practitioners need only to treat symptoms and understand the complex and interwoven fabric of every client's life. We offer a comprehensive approach to healing, which helps create a therapeutic alliance beyond dealing with mental health problems,

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10 making people capable of becoming more assertive at their own pace on the way to happiness again. References Allahyari, P., Kolivand, M., Namdari, A., & Rahmani, K. (2020). The Effect of Cognitive- Behavioral Counseling on the Sexual Compatibility of New Married Couples: A Clinical Trial Study.

11 Berzoff, J., Flanagan, L. M., & Hertz, P. (2021). Some Final Thoughts. Inside Out and Outside In Psychodynamic Clinical Theory and Psychopathology in Contemporary Multicultural Contexts , 404. Beach, C. (2023). Exploring Therapeutic Techniques and Their Importance Among Music Therapists Working With Survivors of Trauma: A Mixed-Methods Study (Doctoral dissertation, The Florida State University). Ferguson, M. A., Eikelboom, R. H., Sucher, C. M., Maidment, D. W., & Bennett, R. J. (2023, July). Remote technologies to enhance service delivery for adults: clinical research perspectives. In Seminars in Hearing (Vol. 44, No. 03, pp. 328-350). 333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA: Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc. Hesketh, A. E. (2019). The use and application of knowledge in practice: the lived experiences of social workers in adult services . University of Salford (United Kingdom). Johnson, E. J., & Huggins, C. L. (2019). Social casework methodology: A skills handbook for the Caribbean human services worker . Springer Nature. Little, B. W. (2020). A Self-care Protocol for Hospice Chaplains Facing Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder (Doctoral dissertation, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary). Sweezy, M. (2023). Internal Family Systems Therapy for Shame and Guilt . Guilford Publications. Quintana, N. I. (2020). An Examination of the Therapeutic Alliance and Treatment Outcome for Marginalized Populations .

Case Presentation.edited

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