Solution Focused Counselling

Counseling/ Therapy is a taboo subject in the South Asian Muslim world, especially for immigrant parents who hold on to cultural and religious beliefs during times of stress. No doubt is that admirable however, it is also important that when concerns become problematic, professional help can be of great assistance. Therefore, it is important that when a client such as Aisha walks into a therapist 's office, the counselor must be prepared for the world that they may not be familiar with. They must take on the role of a humanistic counselor who is understanding, unconditional, and accepting of her world and the factors that are impacting her such as family, peer pressure, culture, and religion. Considering that, I would recommend Aisha, to meet …show more content…
I believe Aisha, is a competent individual that has the potential to strive and construct an identity she wants as long as she receives the proper guidance. Thus, I would start off with Solution Focused Counseling. Gehart (2015), points out how effective this form of approach is with South Asian Muslim Americans. It is culturally and religiously sensitive to the clients needs and can allow them to be in the presence of someone who will respect their need for privacy and reduce the shame a client may feel. Even though Aisha does not disclose feeling any regret or shame for her actions, I would still assess this because of her constant need to avoid her family and unresolved emotions especially the ones she dealt with when her father was alive. Solution-focused counseling can also help with acknowledging her strengths, and competence something Aisha has not received much of. Goals can also be set according to her wishes. This approach focuses on meeting the client where they are, so patience and empathy are essential tools that can enforce Aisha to continue the session and meet her goals. The climate created by this approach can allow her to express her rage, fear, and now the apathy freely, but also help her to move forward from it once she becomes aware of it. She can have the opportunity to share her narrative and even speak about the moments where she feared her own parents and even …show more content…
Aisha 's lack of interaction with other peers has caused her to grow unaware of her own actions. Being in a safe space, where each member has the same goal can help her recognize how she behaves with others and how they can be changed for the better. She can also get support from other members and take on other therapeutic activities provided in the group such as art or journaling. Aisha mentioned having gone to group counseling in the past and s having to write journals, which she found to be really reflective and relaxing especially with her self-defeating thoughts. Aisha 's, thoughts are another area I would focus on. The negative representation she has of herself has led her to become less optimistic of her future and feeling like a failure. She refuses to do anything other than smoking, drinking, staying out late. Cognitive Behavior Therapy would be helpful for her in reshaping her thoughts and allowing her to see her potential. In addition, to letting her explore the other activities, she would enjoy doing without feeling like a