Duce Case Summary

When working with Duce, it is important that the counselor consider the psychological, cultural, and sociopolitical issues of the client. The psychological issues that Duce is experiencing are depression, bereavement, anger, and lack of a positive support system. The cultural issue that the counselor might consider is the client’s African American background. The client’s sociopolitical issues that need to be taken into consideration are the devastation of hurricane Katrina, poverty, violence, and drugs in his community.
1b. A therapeutic alliance and positive treatment outcome occur when clinician discovers and uses the client’s strength, assets, resources, rather than focusing on the problem. The client’s current issues are occurring because of a mistake he made when he was vulnerable and in immense pain. Focusing on the client’s strength may help the client learn to overcome their current obstacles. Duce demonstrated many positive assets and resilience throughout his past. One of Duce main strength and resilience factor was prevailing in his poverty and drug driven community. Duce was able to receive a scholarship for University and he attended a Black University. Furthermore, working at a halfway house and attending social justice rallies takes tremendous strength to endure. Hence, acknowledging Duce’s …show more content…
Duce’s ethnicity is African-American and his race is Black; on the other hand, my ethnicity is Hispanic and my race is White. I have privilege over Duce simply by being of a different race than he is. I face less discrimination and racism than Duce; hence, I have privilege. Furthermore, my socioeconomic status also grants me a bit more privilege than Duce. Duce is of a lower class economic status, he grew up in extreme poverty and violence. On the contrary, I am of a lower middle class status, which grants me more of an advantage and privilege than