The therapist assessed Jessica to be in need of Level II interventions outlined in Brief Treatment in Clinical Social Work Practice (Corwin, 2002). While Jessica and her family were still meeting all their basic needs, there were significant interpersonal conflicts present between Jessica and her children as well as Jessica and her husband. Jessica and Mark barely spoke and Jessica spent most of her time screaming at the children. As the level of distress in regards to the family system was addressed, Jessica could work on Level III interventions, which focused on her negative self-thoughts and negative core beliefs. The therapist decided to use cognitive behavioral therapy with Jessica because it has been proven effective in treating both
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Jessica was resistant to doing cognitive restructuring work to begin with because she did not see how changing her negative thoughts, and adding homework assignments to her already busy schedule, would help with being overwhelmed with her many responsibilities. Jessica was at the contemplation stage of change at this point in therapy. Corwin (2002) described this stage as when the client recognizes that there is a problem, but rejects the idea of change because they fear change or ambivalent to change. The therapist educated Jessica about both CBT and how automatic thoughts can effect emotions, her two separate mental health diagnosis, and the research showing that CBT is effective for both depression and anxiety. Jessica’s strengths were also highlighted by the therapist, such as still going to work and keeping up with her children’s many extracurricular activities even though she was having anxiety and depression. Jessica was still unsure about the cognitive part of therapy, so motivational interviewing was used to create cognitive dissonance between what Jessica wanted and what her current course of action was getting her. At the end of the session she agreed to do cognitive work with the therapist.
After Jessica and the therapist had worked together on identifying and evaluating automatic
Jessica was resistant to doing cognitive restructuring work to begin with because she did not see how changing her negative thoughts, and adding homework assignments to her already busy schedule, would help with being overwhelmed with her many responsibilities. Jessica was at the contemplation stage of change at this point in therapy. Corwin (2002) described this stage as when the client recognizes that there is a problem, but rejects the idea of change because they fear change or ambivalent to change. The therapist educated Jessica about both CBT and how automatic thoughts can effect emotions, her two separate mental health diagnosis, and the research showing that CBT is effective for both depression and anxiety. Jessica’s strengths were also highlighted by the therapist, such as still going to work and keeping up with her children’s many extracurricular activities even though she was having anxiety and depression. Jessica was still unsure about the cognitive part of therapy, so motivational interviewing was used to create cognitive dissonance between what Jessica wanted and what her current course of action was getting her. At the end of the session she agreed to do cognitive work with the therapist.
After Jessica and the therapist had worked together on identifying and evaluating automatic