Case Study-Jack
• Do you think that Jack’s current unwillingness to become vulnerable to others out of his fear of “being dependent on them and trapped by their love” has much to do with his mother’s unconditional love?
Although we don’t have much information about Jack’s early years, his difficulty establishing intimate relationships would point to issues at the oral stage by Freud’s interpretation. I think Jack’s relationship issues stem from his relationships with both of his parents. I think his father’s attempts to control with force were in direct opposition to his mother’s need to foster dependency by attempting to protect him. At an early age, Jack seemed to figure out that they both wanted to control him to meet their own needs. …show more content…
What are the underlying psychological aspects that you see involved with Jack’s rejection of his father’s wishes? How might you explain the fact that in many ways he became what his father did not want him to become?
One of the underlying factors seems to stem from Ericson’s “initiative versus guilt” stage. Because Jack’s father did not allow Jack to pick personally meaningful activities, Jack may have developed guilt over making independent choices, which has made setting goals difficult. His decision to continue in school against his father’s wishes seem both an attempt at autonomy and also a desire to stay in the “id”, in a place he felt comfortable that didn’t require him to make big life decisions.
• How might you explain Jack’s fear that he is “empty inside”? What are some possible causes of his feelings of emptiness? How would you work on this issue with …show more content…
Can you tell me what brings you here today?
Jack: I can’t seem to keep a job and I feel like I’m going nowhere in my life.
Therapist: So you’ve lost a lot of jobs.
Jack: Yes. I’ve lost track of how many, it just feels like a revolving door.
Therapist: When you think about work, what comes to mind?
Jack: It’s a drag. I know I should have figured out what I want to do with my life by now, but every job seems to end the same, with me getting angry and fired.
Therapist: So you tend to get angry at work.
Jack: Yes! Some jerk is always trying to tell me what to do, pushing me around just like my dad used to.
Therapist: Your dad used to push you around.
Jack: Yes. He always had the answers for me. What sports I should play, what classes I should take, who I should date.
Therapist: And did you agree with your dad?
Jack: Not most of the time, I hated the way he ordered me around. I learned not to argue back as a kid though, that just got me smacked around.
Therapist: How did that make you feel?
Jack: Well mad of course! I don’t know why he thought he knew what was best for me; he never even asked what I wanted. He just had this idea of who I should be and he tried to force me to be
• Do you think that Jack’s current unwillingness to become vulnerable to others out of his fear of “being dependent on them and trapped by their love” has much to do with his mother’s unconditional love?
Although we don’t have much information about Jack’s early years, his difficulty establishing intimate relationships would point to issues at the oral stage by Freud’s interpretation. I think Jack’s relationship issues stem from his relationships with both of his parents. I think his father’s attempts to control with force were in direct opposition to his mother’s need to foster dependency by attempting to protect him. At an early age, Jack seemed to figure out that they both wanted to control him to meet their own needs. …show more content…
What are the underlying psychological aspects that you see involved with Jack’s rejection of his father’s wishes? How might you explain the fact that in many ways he became what his father did not want him to become?
One of the underlying factors seems to stem from Ericson’s “initiative versus guilt” stage. Because Jack’s father did not allow Jack to pick personally meaningful activities, Jack may have developed guilt over making independent choices, which has made setting goals difficult. His decision to continue in school against his father’s wishes seem both an attempt at autonomy and also a desire to stay in the “id”, in a place he felt comfortable that didn’t require him to make big life decisions.
• How might you explain Jack’s fear that he is “empty inside”? What are some possible causes of his feelings of emptiness? How would you work on this issue with …show more content…
Can you tell me what brings you here today?
Jack: I can’t seem to keep a job and I feel like I’m going nowhere in my life.
Therapist: So you’ve lost a lot of jobs.
Jack: Yes. I’ve lost track of how many, it just feels like a revolving door.
Therapist: When you think about work, what comes to mind?
Jack: It’s a drag. I know I should have figured out what I want to do with my life by now, but every job seems to end the same, with me getting angry and fired.
Therapist: So you tend to get angry at work.
Jack: Yes! Some jerk is always trying to tell me what to do, pushing me around just like my dad used to.
Therapist: Your dad used to push you around.
Jack: Yes. He always had the answers for me. What sports I should play, what classes I should take, who I should date.
Therapist: And did you agree with your dad?
Jack: Not most of the time, I hated the way he ordered me around. I learned not to argue back as a kid though, that just got me smacked around.
Therapist: How did that make you feel?
Jack: Well mad of course! I don’t know why he thought he knew what was best for me; he never even asked what I wanted. He just had this idea of who I should be and he tried to force me to be