Deck 4: Practice

Question 1

You are working with Ralph, a teenager who is beginning to question his place amongst his friends and his changing values. When he begins talking about how his values are changing, you remember why Ralph was referred to you. He had stolen someone's lunch money. When developing treatment, it is helpful to keep in mind Ralph's age and his stage of development according to:

A)Freud
B)Cultural norms
C)Satir's family system
D)Kholberg's moral principles

Answer 1

Kholberg's moral principles

Question 2

You are beginning to recognize that an individual is having trouble connecting with the therapeutic process, particularly exploring success that he has enjoyed in the past. Borrowing from narrative therapy, you encourage the client to look at:

A)His true feelings
B)His landscape of action
C)His unannounced plans
D)What the future holds

Answer 2

His landscape of action

Question 3

A couple who has recently immigrated from Kenya comes to see you in your office. They are uncertain as to why their son would react so differently in the US, as opposed to their homeland. Once they tell you the story of the oppression and the poverty they faced in Kenya, you begin to understand that this family could benefit from:

A)Minimalist Theory
B)Cultural Counseling
C)Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
D)Narrative Therapy

Answer 3

Narrative Therapy

Question 4

When individuals discuss "humanistic theory," they most closely mean:

A)Trusting the client unconditionally, no matter what is said
B)Recognizing the client as a human being with full potential and capability
C)Behavior is controlled mainly by instinct and modification is difficult
D)An understanding that humans are not perfect and that the client could relapse

Question 5

A mother is having difficulty getting her son to do his homework. On further examination, it becomes clear that not only is the son completely capable, but he is also completely aware of how he is manipulating the situation. Psychodynamically, this could be identified as:

A)A defense mechanism
B)Unrealized conflict between the id and the ego
C)Fixation
D)A complex

Question 6

A mother calls for an intake appointment. During the phone call, she shares that her eleven-year-old daughter Jenny is having increased social problems at school. When considering your treatment plan, ensure that you have fully considered whether or not the client is developing appropriately. In terms of social stages, Jenny is in which stage?

A)Identity v. Role Confusion
B)Trust v. Mistrust
C)Industry v. Inferiority
D)Initiative v. Guilt

Question 7

Therapy may not be the appropriate professional practice for one who:

A)Can reason through complicated issues
B)Holds rigid, immovable beliefs
C)Can see the complexity involved in emotion
D)Needs to write things down in order to remember them

Question 8

As a native of Mexico, Hugo is coming to you in order to sort out some of his issues with acculturation and his parents' issues with his success in the United States so far. Before offering to bring Hugo's parents into a session, it would be important to know:

A)What cultural services need to be addressed (language, explanations, etc.)
B)The other family members' immigration statuses
C)What the other family members believe about Hugo's transition
D)How to pull yourself out of an uncomfortable situation with the family

Question 9

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has shown that each individual can be motivated in different ways. When a mother and father report that they are having trouble motivating Sarah to do her chores, you are observing a system that is in disharmony because a need is not being met. In order to better meet that need, you might encourage the family:

A)To provide more discipline at home and provide less empathy
B)To look at how other parents are raising their children
C)To continue reinforcing Sarah as they always have
D)To provide an allowance for Sarah for doing her chores

Question 10

Amanda comes to you with news that she is pregnant. In her culture, it is looked down upon to have a child out of wedlock and she is not yet married to the child's father. She asks for your advice on what she should do. What is your next step?

A)Provide a referral
B)Encourage her to seek out alternatives to what she has proposed
C)Remind yourself that therapists do not give advice
D)Make whatever decision would be calm and rational for her

Question 11

When first introducing yourself to a client, it is essential to:

A)Provide a warm, welcoming space
B)Let them know your credentials right away
C)Joke around so that it eases any tension
D)Any of these could be considered reasonable steps

Question 12

You supported John McCain in the last election in 2008. You have McCain-Palin buttons all over your office and have some right-wing literature displayed prominently on your bookshelf. When clients first see this display, their likely response is:

A)Speak to you about finding another therapist right away
B)To tailor their responses to fit your political spectrum
C)Feel like they are being pushed in a certain direction by different agendas
D)To open up and share much of their life story

Question 13

When using feminist therapy with women, it can be assumed that you are trying to build a sense of:

A)Community
B)Empowerment
C)Common ground
D)Libertarianism

Question 14

What is one of the more effective ways to practice empathy with a parent who is on her last leg when it comes to keeping her son at home when he becomes increasingly rowdy?

A)Appreciate her story with praise and disbelief
B)Express the impending difficulty she must have with putting up with everything
C)Find your own story that you can compare with hers
D)Reflective listening in order to make sure that you understood everything

Question 15

A client was recently referred because of her experience with PTSD. She was the victim of a violent car accident and is having a hard time recovering from even the smallest change in her environment. In order to make your office a safe place for her, which of the following would be appropriate?

A)Minimize any noise that could be mistaken for street noise
B)Offer to meet the client at her home to minimize exposure
C)Distract the client as loud traffic speeds by out the window
D)Honk a car horn in your office to imitate traffic to desensitize right away

Question 16

Joanna has alerted her therapist to issues that she has when holding boundaries with other people. Both individually and in a family setting, Joanna might be an appropriate candidate for which type of family therapy?

A)Strategic
B)Structural
C)Bowenian
D)CBT Family

Question 17

In order to minimize transference or countertransference issues, some may suggest that the therapist should arrive in the room as a blank slate, not reflecting anything that could filter any experiences. The difficulty with such a stance is that:

A)We are unable to examine our true thoughts when in session
B)As humans, we all have issues that we bring to the room
C)Everyone has something to gain from therapy, no matter when it happens
D)Those issues can only be filtered once they're talked about with all involved

Question 18

Brief therapy encourages clients to explore their issues:

A)In the present moment, involved with all systems
B)From the lens of what has happened in the past
C)In rapid succession, to search for an interconnectedness
D)From the perspective of an analyst, rooted in childhood

Question 19

When Antoine comes in for therapy, he explains that he does not have the same experiences as many African Americans at school. While he is trying to adapt to being a normal teenager, coming from Haiti has its unique set of challenges. In order to understand those challenges:

A)Encourage the client to document his difficult transitions
B)Consider how different cultural forces are at work
C)Consult with the specialists on the topic
D)You invite the client to explain them

Question 20

In order to develop the most accepting environment, which of the following would be most appropriate when referring to someone's relationship?

A)Spouse
B)Husband/wife
C)Life partner
D)Partner

Question 21

In order to provide a safe space for clients to express themselves spiritually, which of the following might help signal the client that it is safe to discuss?

A)Religious books
B)Books on therapy and religion
C)A crucifix
D)A rosary

Question 22

Which of the following addresses how to work with someone grieving the loss of a pet?

A)The relationship was very valuable to this person and should be treated that way
B)It is a pet, not a human, so there is not as much value
C)Encourage them to replace the pet as soon as possible
D)Offer to take them to the local shelter to choose another pet

Question 23

When a client has romantic feelings for his therapist, how should the therapist provide the safest environment?

A)Forbid the client from bringing up the topic again
B)Openly discuss the idea of transference as a common occurrence in therapy
C)Let the client know that the feelings are mutual
D)Act on those feelings

Question 24

Brett is a thirteen-year-old high school freshman. Which might be the best way to get to know him?

A)Talk directly about the problem that brought him in
B)Empathize with how his mom causes a lot of problems
C)Start by talking about interests, friends, school, and home
D)Determine how motivated he is to be here

Question 25

When a family presents about a father's drinking problem, where might you be most helpful as a therapist?

A)Helping the family to understand why dad drinks
B)Encouraging the family to explore their feelings toward dad
C)Allowing dad to feel like he can contribute to this therapy, even with an addiction
D)Referring the family to an intervention specialist

Question 26

Philosophically, marriage and family therapy deals specifically with:

A)Panic and commitment issues
B)Raising kids and families
C)Marriage preparation
D)Any issue on the spectrum of mental disorders

Question 27

Up to this point, you have connected well with the children in a family, but the parents have been resistant. In order to gain the trust of parents and develop a therapeutic relationship, you must be sure to:

A)Remove any fault-finding language
B)Point out that all parents fail at something
C)Contact a parenting support group
D)Consider how parents are able to manage so much

Question 28

A family presents as very artistic, each in their own way. When gathering a family history, you have an idea that perhaps they would like to express their history artistically. Rather than ask, you proceed with a standard genogram. You have missed:

A)An opportunity to connect with the family
B)The core of the problem
C)An opportunity designed specifically to engage family members
D)A chance to be the art critic you always wanted to be

Question 29

When working with Alicia's family, it is clear that they could use some restructuring of the family dynamic. When restructuring, it also becomes clear that Alicia needs to build self-esteem. One way to build self-esteem for Alicia is to practice:

A)Shielding
B)Aligning
C)Retroactivating
D)Conjecturing

Question 30

It is clear that in order to address Harvey's problem, you must be able to speak with his school personnel. When Harvey's parents hear this, they are hesitant to allow you to speak to the school. Their fear most likely comes from:

A)Getting Harvey into more trouble
B)Fear of you violating their trust
C)An impression they have of what the school will tell you
D)An inability to connect with school officials more often

Question 31

You notice that every time you speak with David about alcoholism and addiction, that he becomes defensive. You may want to try:

A)Avoiding the subject all-together
B)Using different language, i.e. using, habit, etc.
C)Offer to attend an AA meeting with him
D)Develop a way for him to tell you what words irritate him

Question 32

When creating a safe place for clients to express themselves, one of the more important aspects of safety is:

A)Deciding when a client might be wrong
B)Unconditional positive regard
C)Offering advice and expertise when appropriate
D)Letting clients explain their own experiences

Question 33

When interviewing a family for the first time, it is important to ask questions that:

A)Get to the root of the problem
B)All participants can answer equally well
C)Determine whether or not the family is serious about pursuing therapy
D)Can be answered simply

Question 34

When determining which therapeutic model to use, it could be helpful to measure a family or individual's level of:

A)Coping skills
B)Tolerance for ambiguity
C)Secrecy
D)Enmeshment

Question 35

Mom and dad present as a united front. When meeting the children, you can't help but notice that the boy aligns with dad and the girl with mom. With the gender gap in this family, it is evident that:

A)The children need to be educated about gender equity
B)Both parents will need individual therapy
C)One of the two, men or women, will hold the key to the problem
D)Gender will help to play a role in the family's understanding of their issue

Question 36

When making references to popular culture with adults or children, it is important to consider:

A)Their culture may not allow exposure to the referenced material
B)The family's ability to tolerate references to pop culture
C)Implications for diagnosis.
D)How much time kids spend in front of the TV these days

Question 37

Even benign icebreaker questions like "How was your weekend?" can have unintended consequences because:

A)There may not be anything to say
B)There is an assumption about the value of someone's time
C)Something close to the family happened that weekend
D)The client may have forgotten

Question 38

When you hear that Eric is only able to provide for his family by going to the discount grocery store, where they do not sell any healthy alternatives, your most appropriate course of action might be to:

A)Teach him about healthier options
B)Connect the family with appropriate social services
C)Plan a practice shopping trip
D)Make him aware of the definition of neglect

Question 39

and Mrs. Commitment have made an appointment for an assessment of their marriage. At the end of the assessment, they ask what you think about their odds of survival. What do you share with them?

A)That 50% of marriages end in divorce
B)That many couples try and fail
C)That you're willing to help them if they're willing to attempt therapy
D)They should divorce

Question 40

If CBT theory states that in order to extinguish a behavior, one should ignore it, how do you make such an impression work in your private practice when someone is being obnoxious?

A)Ignore the behavior
B)Ask parents to address it
C)Tell them to leave the room
D)Give them a stern look

Question 41

You begin working with Marcy, who believes that she has a lot of insight into her issues. One of the theories most likely to work with Marcy would be:

A)CBT
B)Differential therapy
C)Narrative therapy
D)Solution focused therapy

Question 42

As a therapist, you believe that much of what an individual experiences can be traced back to their early childhood. The individual(s) from whom you would take your professional cues are:

A)Virginia Satir
B)B.F. Skinner
C)Freud and Jung
D)Michael White

Question 43

Jack is a 30-year-old Caucasian male, recently diagnosed with HIV. Which of the following communities would Jack most likely be a part of?

A)Luddites
B)Generation X
C)Terminally ill
D)LGBT

Question 44

When attending to the physical environment of the counseling room, you are ensuring that:

A)The client feels comfortable enough to share with you
B)You are able to hear everything that the client shares
C)Escape is possible for those difficult moments
D)Everyone can see you when you begin making requests

Question 45

After about six weeks of therapy, Joanna gets really angry with her therapist. The anger reveals that the therapist:

A)Could not confront her properly
B)Meant to reveal how timid or sad she was
C)Is only human and clearly hit upon a sensitive subject
D)Knew exactly what he was doing

Question 46

When a family arrives for their intake session, the therapist greets them with, "Hi, I wonder what brings you in today." The difficult job here is that:

A)The family is beginning to feel pre-judged
B)He is not creating an environment of safety
C)Listening is not always this therapist's best quality
D)All of the above

Question 47

The idea that humanistic theory is an individual treatment approach, coupled with CBT as a systemic approach, makes therapy possible because:

A)No matter what, there is an applicable definition for all
B)CBT will only address what needs to happen to eliminate the issue
C)It couples tough love with an appreciation of individual differences
D)Families can appreciate that everyone is driven by the same motives

Question 48

When working with a woman who tells you that she is considering transgender reassignment, you should at the very least be able to:

A)Support her decision no matter what
B)Understand how much of a risk it is for her to share such intimate details
C)Attempt talking her out of it
D)Make her feel uncomfortable, questioning her natural existence

Question 49

Developing sensitivity around the issues of sexuality would include developing an understanding of all of the following except:

A)BDSM
B)Polyamory
C)Generally unsafe sex practices
D)LGBTQ issues

Question 50

Systemic theory may suggest that you use thought records in order to assist with panic disorders, including PTSD. In clinical practice, however, you encourage clients to journal about their PTSD experiences in as much detail as possible. Overall, this seems:

A)Appropriate, especially if you are going to pursue the recovery in this way
B)Close enough; each person will react differently
C)Inappropriate; journal entries could take them too far into the past
D)Inappropriate; they need to move forward, not back

Question 51

Systemic theory may suggest that you encourage parents of an out-of-control teen to use behavior contracting. In clinical practice, however, you encourage clients to talk, more than wheel-and-deal in a contract sort of way. One consequence might be:

A)Parents get more of what they want through empathy
B)Kids get more of what they want through manipulation
C)Things do not change based on methods used
D)Hearing the importance of what their friends are getting

Question 52

One of the consequences of not appropriately addressing a family's cultural issues may be:

A)More focus on the clinical problem so that a solution can be worked out
B)Nothing will happen; culture will have little to do with their issue
C)Alienation of the individuals who have come seeking help
D)Failure to make progress given resistance to some methods

Question 53

Providing an environment that is physically safe can be especially important for which type of client?

A)Those who are coping with a personality disorder
B)Individuals dealing with social phobias
C)Sexual assault victim
D)All clients, regardless of situation, need safety when talking to a therapist

Question 54

While some agencies tend to give different feedback for different ethical issues, one issue where every professional organization lines up with a firm stand is:

A)The inappropriateness of a sexual relationship with clients
B)The definition of a dual relationship
C)How to handle gifts from clients in private practice
D)How long to hold sessions

Question 55

Psychotherapists have been working for many years to undo the stigma around mental health. What is one of the best ways to undo the stigma in your own practice?

A)Lend yourself to what might be an experiment
B)Put together your own video or brochure
C)Give each individual time, care, and attention, and avoid nebulous questions
D)Heavily promote your own books and tapes

Question 56

You are working with a client who has some social phobias, but who also shares that she really relates to animals. By bringing an animal into therapy, you would be:

A)Promoting the idea that therapy is just like a petting zoo
B)Saying to the client, "I heard you and am willing to support you"
C)Reconciling that you never got to have pets growing up
D)Making a gesture of reality-testing toward the client

Question 57

Once clients develop trust with you, it can be a great experience. However, in order to maintain it, you must be aware that some clients will need to be given some reassurances over time. These assurances might include:

A)A pat on the hand or on the back
B)Closing the blinds before a session
C)Visual reminders of how much space you have to hold information
D)Verbal reminder that you don't share information

Question 58

In order to be philosophically in line with the discipline of marriage and family therapy, one must be:

A)Willing to engage with anyone
B)Open to accepting the potential of recovery at every pace
C)Ready to accept everything that you hear
D)Always available, on-call

Question 59

Janessa is coming to therapy at the recommendation of her mother, who points out that she has no strong female role models at home or in her life that she can look up to. When she points this out, you begin to ask her questions about her family of origin. Questions center around power, equality, and strength. Which type of therapy may be most effective for her?

A)Feminist therapy
B)Cognitive behavioral
C)Structural therapy
D)Couples work

Question 60

Which of the following is an example of language that should be avoided in the therapeutic relationship at any cost?

A)Are you proud of yourself?
B)What do you mean by that?
C)How does that make you feel?
D)What ways do you see yourself making progress?

Question 61

Art therapy can be especially effective at opening the communication channels between the therapist and:

A)Young children only
B)Anyone who might have trouble connecting verbally
C)Parents
D)Any age child

Question 62

You are practicing client-centered therapy with a family that is very authoritarian in nature. It is the fourth week and they have shared that this is uncomfortable for them. You are obligated to determine whether the discomfort comes from:

A)Your choice to pursue how you practice or client perception of the issue here
B)Parents only, children only, or the entire family
C)Authority figures or the idea that you can live without tyranny

Question 63

In order to authentically join with a client system, you must be willing to:

A)Belittle the cause that brings them in as insignificant
B)Provide a space for parents to vent about their children's decisions
C)Gain entry to the system as an insider, on their level
D)Judge their decisions pre- and post-therapy

Question 64

Having some light music playing in the background could be helpful in the waiting area. In the therapy room, it may not be such a great idea because it could serve as:

A)Something that the client would come to expect
B)An unbelievable noise
C)An emotional pool of untouched feelings
D)A trigger for certain clients

Question 65

Which of the following is the most appropriate way to show that as a therapist, you are culturally aware and accepting?

A)Explaining that you have a family history that includes a similar culture
B)Allowing the client to explain and explore his culture in session with you
C)Pointing out how much cultural experience you have
D)Pointing out the time that you've spent in other countries

Question 66

When safety is examined in the therapeutic relationship, it can be only be built between:

A)Two people of the same gender
B)Two people of the same culture
C)Therapist and client
D)Anyone; therapists and clients can build trust with one another

Question 67

Solution-focused therapy is usually attractive to first-time therapy participants because:

A)There is an understanding of how much money is being spent
B)It keeps the focus only on the individual with the problem
C)It implies-and the therapist attempts to deliver-short, focused treatment
D)By name, it means less therapy and is therefore better

Question 68

Structural therapists are always interested in how feedback develops. In order to help a family determine if they are receiving feedback from one another, a therapist might:

A)Ask the family to begin making requests of one another
B)Only respond using the terms "please" and "thank you"
C)Begin to watch the children for greedy behaviors
D)Encourage the parents to do favors for one another

Question 69

Strategic therapists might begin by encouraging family members to examine:

A)What structure exists within the family dynamic
B)The structure to which they wish to belong
C)At what point the system became dysfunctional
D)How many different forms of structure exist in the family

Question 70

How would you begin to treat an individual within a system designed to treat an entire family?

A)Make direct requests that would not change the dynamic
B)Focusing more on the way that the IP contributes to the family
C)Focusing on how the parents focus on that individual
D)Disregard whatever dynamic has formed thus far to see the emotions

Question 71

You are a very social person; however, you are having a very difficult time forming a relationship with a client who also identifies as being very social. One of the ways to address this might be:

A)Consider that length of relationship counts for something
B)Remember the gravity of a situation if it brings someone to therapy
C)You have to be willing to take risks before they can be returned
D)All of the above

Question 72

When interviewing a client for intake, it is usually a good idea to stay away from issues of politics, since they can often insight ideological battles that are almost impossible to win. How do you create an ideological safe space?

A)Deny your feelings about whether or not you vote or have political views
B)Reminding the client of how it is his issues that will be worked on
C)Using phrases like "It doesn't really matter what I think"
D)Using phrases like "What would it mean if I..."

Question 73

When attending to a client's need to be safe, one of the potential drawbacks is:

A)He begins to feel too comfortable around you
B)You may be unconsciously avoiding what is a difficult issue for him
C)You may be denying him the chance to feel what danger is like
D)You may forget what question you were going to ask

Question 74

As a therapist, you have just experienced a tragic experience in your life. Someone calls you, needing an appointment in order to discuss a similar situation. As a responsible therapist:

A)You decide to let the client decide if your feelings are too much for him
B)Your feelings come second, take the appointment
C)You make a referral; too close to home
D)You tell the client to call back in three months; you'll be ready then

Question 75

Some may argue that trust is the cornerstone of any therapeutic relationship. However, others may argue that therapeutic relationships grow out of a common knowledge of a set of circumstances. The danger of this point of view is:

A)Knowledge is not the only thing upon which to build our experiences
B)No danger; people know how to put those feelings aside
C)Being of the same mindset means that there's no room for the friction needed in therapy
D)A therapist with similar views may not challenge you as much

Question 76

How do you integrate the treatment of an individual when you are treating a family using narrative therapy?

A)Let the storyteller decide which part of the story to keep
B)Teach others how to tell the family story
C)Asking each individual for his or her story
D)Continue finding hope within the family

Question 77

You are having a hard time getting through to Ben, a high school freshman. Ben connects with basketball, dominoes, and skateboarding. You're not terribly coordinated, so you break out the dominoes and invite him in. If Ben returns, you've been able to show:

A)How much you were listening in the first session
B)A consistent message of inadequacy, since you don't play well
C)A unique way to play dominoes
D)Capacity to join

Question 78

When working with parents and children to establish a therapeutic alliance, it is most important that you present yourself as someone who:

A)Wants very much to fix the kids
B)Places no blame and is willing to examine from all angles
C)Believes in the dad's ability to make changes that could really turn around
D)Will be the one to fix their son or daughter, no matter the cost

Question 79

When providing a safe space for clients, you must be willing to sit with your own discomfort around some issues. If a client senses that you as a therapist are somewhat uncomfortable, it can:

A)Send them running
B)Help them sugarcoat the story next time
C)Remind them not to show so much emotion
D)Show your humanity; let them know discomfort is okay

Question 80

Forming a therapeutic alliance can be achieved by all of the following, except:

A)Knowing how to sit with silence
B)Pointing out when time is up
C)Making a referral to a trusted colleague
D)Rejecting the client's premise for therapy