Discussion 2: Applying Theoretical Interventions For Clients Experiencing Life Transition And Developmental Issues

Certain elements of treatment planning for clients experiencing life transition and developmental issues may be easier than others. For instance, it may be obvious that a breadwinner’s job loss is the major concern facing a family. The more difficult part may be crafting clinical and treatment formulations for this issue that explain how it affects the clients, what needs they have, and how you, as a helping professional, plan to intervene (Sperry, 2005). As you examine life transition and developmental issues in this week and the next, use your theoretical orientation to conceptualize the scenarios presented and plan theory-based interventions.

For this Discussion, consider a brief case history of a couple or family (this can be one with which you are familiar or a fictional couple). Begin to conceptualize the couple's or family’s problem through your theoretical orientation and identify interventions that you might use. Search the Walden Library for articles that might be used to justify the interventions you selected.

By Day 5

Post a brief description of the couple or family case. Explain the theories and theory-based interventions to couples and families experiencing life transition and developmental issues you will apply to this case. Then,

Develop and justify treatment plans for the fictional couple or family experiencing life transition and developmental issues.

Conceptualize the couple’s or family's problem through your chosen theoretical orientation.

Design a treatment plan including short- and long-term goals

see below you can use these the to write the discussion

In today's news, I read the following headlines from The New York Times:

Black Americans Bear Brunt of Infections and Deaths

Moving College to Zoom Puts Class Differences on Display

The Coronavirus could cause a Child Abuse Epidemic.

In all of these articles, a life transition is caused by the current pandemic. What theoretical orientation would you use to treat someone and how would you alter it for your best results?

If you decide to write about COVID-19, I want you to tie it into our class resources and to follow the discussion prompts.

Required Readings

Gurman, A. S., Lebow, J. L., Snyder, D. K. (2015). Clinical handbook of couple therapy. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Chapter 17, "Therapy with Couples in Step Families”

Chapter 18, “Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues in Couple Therapy”

Chapter 19, “Couple Therapy and Intercultural Relationship”

Hartwell, E. E., Serovich, J. M., Reed, S. J., Boisvert, D., & Falbo, T. (2017). A systematic review of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual research samples in couple and family therapy journals. Journal Of Marital and Family Therapy, 43(3), 482-501.

Williams, M. (2012). Couples counseling: A step by step guide for therapists. Boston, MA: Viale Publishing.

Chapter 5, "4th Session: Couple’s Dialogue” (pp. 85–99)

Chapter 6, "5th Session: Problem Solving & Compromise” (pp. 101–126)

Chapter 9, "8th Session: Taking Responsibility” (pp. 177–190)