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:

Accepted Answer

Kholberg would say that as a teenager, Ralph is really at the time where he is struggling between who to follow, his parents and adult examples or those of his friends, which would likely result in a positive social experience. While it might be worth examining a bit more, Ralph's presentation seems like he is trying his best to fit in, even at the expense of others.

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:

Accepted Answer

What does the client have available to him that he can act on? What potential choices are there for his moving forward? Even when he's not willing to engage that question, the fact that you are willing to engage will show him that this will eventually be something that he will be able to see for himself.

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:

Accepted Answer

CBT relies so heavily on human instinct and what drives us to certain behaviors, without much room for explanation. When it comes down to it, narrative therapy is especially helpful in working with families who show signs of previous displacement or misrepresentation. Narrative therapy also allows any individual regardless of age, to tell their story of acculturation as it has impacted them without judgment.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

Humanistic practitioners like Carl Rogers believed in recognizing the client's full potential and capabilities, which often means trusting that the client is leading the therapist in the right direction, even when there is conflicting information. This might be especially difficult, since training and thought processes don't always follow the same pattern in that regard.

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:

Accepted Answer

Procrastination is a commonly identified psychodynamic defense mechanism by which the son is able to manipulate the outcome to suit his needs. If he is ready for the reward or the consequence, he will finish faster than if he is unprepared or wants to delay it for another time. Procrastination often puts the individual who puts the work off in more control than they have previously experienced, creating a circle of power that's harder to break.

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?

Accepted Answer

At this age, usually between ages 6-12, children develop a great sense of industry, but can develop complications around esteem if not immediately addressed. They are not yet old enough to experience identity versus role confusion and have moved beyond trust v. mistrust and initiative v. guilt. This is where the message "you are good enough" plays a big part.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

Reasoning through complicated issues can be helpful, as can seeing complex emotions. Plenty of people need to write things down. But if you hold rigid, immovable beliefs about certain issues, it raises questions about how flexible you can be around issues of culture, religion, sexuality, gender, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and a multitude of others. Maintaining an open mind is one of the most important roles in therapy, without a doubt.

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:

Accepted Answer

Before you begin to provide services for the family, it could go a long way in helping them to understand what they need and how to go about getting it. What's more, you will know that if you are able to connect with them in ways that are important to them. All of those things (language, explanation, etc.) are included in cultural services that should be made available where possible.

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:

Accepted Answer

CBT assesses motivation and how quickly our nature allows us to accomplish something when we are rewarded promptly and with enough reward that we consider repeating the action on a regular basis. Chores get done when the individual gets reinforced for them. High frequency behaviors (getting money) reinforce low frequency behaviors (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?

Accepted Answer

Giving advice is not really part of the therapists' job description, but they are often caught in that space. When it happens, the best thing that a therapist can do is to continue offering to be a sound board for ideas that she would like to consider and keep her safe in the process. Holding space without judgment will go a long way in this regard.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

Even though your credentials are important and everyone appreciates a sense of humor, they might not be the best way to introduce yourself to the people with whom you'll be working. Providing a welcoming space is probably the most critical of all and will encourage clients to continue taking risks with you, since they feel they can trust you.

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:

Accepted Answer

When decorating offices or personal areas, it is important to keep in mind that people will often be influenced by what someone, particularly a therapist, puts in their office or refers to on a regular basis. People begin to understand that their therapist thinks a certain way and may begin to develop thoughts that lean that way in order to seek approval. While a drastic example, for clients with a personality disorder, it may not be uncommon.

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

Empowerment is something that not all women feel, but which feminist therapy speaks to as very important. Common ground is something that all women may find more easily than empowerment. Most political discussions do not belong in the time or space for therapy. Community is often built among men and women in a group setting, if allowed to mesh.

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?

Accepted Answer

Disbelief would indicate that you don't believe her. Instead, try using reflective listening to minimize comparison to her situation, encourage her to explore further, and remain hopeful, rather than consistently reminding her of the difficult road that lies ahead. Your own story has no place in her individual work.

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?

Accepted Answer

Minimizing anything that could be mistaken for street noise would be an excellent start. All of the other options, while plausible, depend a lot upon invivo desensitization and things that may not provide the most welcoming setting for the first time meeting a client. You may want to consider another method of desensitizing that would be less intrusive for her first time, as well.

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?

Accepted Answer

Bowenian therapy examines triangles, enmeshment, and other issues that are critical for those struggling with boundary issues. CBT therapy, on the other hand, is strictly based on what is being done with consequence and reward. Structural work could be helpful, but with the emphasis on disrupting current systems, may not be the most appropriate at this time. Once you have done good work with Bowen, you can attempt some Structural.

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:

Accepted Answer

Entering the room as a blank slate would be impossible for anyone, especially a therapist who has quite a bit of information to process with a vast number of clients. It's true that everyone has something to gain, but that does not necessarily address issues with the blank slate. While talking it over is important, it also takes away the blank slate.

Question 18

Brief therapy encourages clients to explore their issues:

Accepted Answer

While brief therapy does not require us to go back in time to find the roots of our problems, it is also not an express pass to freedom and being worry-free. We must remain in the present moment to assist in seeing how we interact with all of the necessary subsystems in our life.

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:

Accepted Answer

By inviting him to explain them, you recognize that you do not have all of the necessary material to provide answers, but are willing to learn. In addition, you are inviting him to participate in something that is clearly important to him without over-stepping your boundaries or his abilities.

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

Spouse or husband and wife imply marriage, while life partner implies something that is a bit outdated and overused for the same meaning. Partner is the best choice because of its gender neutrality and its ability to be used in marriage or other types of life situations without having to reinvent words or phrases for what is being experienced.

Quiz 4: Practice