Week 10 Discussion 1

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“Middle Adulthood” Program Transcript

Instructions:

Post by Day 4 a conceptualization of the client that you were assigned. Then, describe two developmental challenges associated with that client. Finally, describe two potential counseling goals and two interventions you could use for the client using a wellness perspective. Justify your response with references to this week’s Learning Resources and the current literature. Be specific.

Respond by Day 7 to at least two of your colleagues using one or more of the following approaches:

•Select a colleague who was assigned a different client than you and suggest another challenge that might be associated with the client’s development and why. Then, share one goal or intervention your colleague might use to address this challenge.

•Select a colleague who was assigned the same client as you and expand on their posting by predicting the effectiveness of their identified goals and interventions. Taking the entire family case into perspective, explain how this counseling approach would progress and identify additional goals that might be needed.

[Martinez Family]

General Background:

The Martinez family consists of Miguel, Jeannette, Gabby, Tommy, and Christina (the adopted daughter of Jeannette’s cousin).

The family’s ethnicity is Hispanic, and both Miguel and Jeannette come from very large extended families—many of whom live in the area.

They are Seventh-Day Adventists who are very involved in their church; they both hold leadership positions in the church and attend services multiple times each week.

Presenting Issues:

It’s 10 years later for the Martinez family. A devastating tornado has torn through the region, wiping out dozens of homes and businesses. There were also many lives lost, and the local community remains in shock.

Miguel (now 57) comes to see you shortly after this tragedy, because “Jeannette said (he) had to.” Miguel tells you that he is fine but that Jeannette thinks he

needs to “talk about (his) feelings.” He tells you that their home was severely damaged by the tornado and was a total loss.

Although Miguel’s immediate family is safe, his best friend – who lived just a couple blocks away – was killed when the friend’s house collapsed. Miguel also lost his supervisor and long-time friend at the post office in the tragedy. He acknowledges that “of course [he] was sad at first,” but now he’s OK. He does not think that his difficulty sleeping lately or his decision to relinquish his position in the church has anything to do with the natural disaster.

Miguel also shares that he has been thinking a lot lately about taking an early retirement from his job and “doing something more meaningful,” but he doesn’t know what that would be. He also tells you that he has realized how little value all of their “stuff” had after it was lost in the tornado, and he is in no rush to replace things.

Jeannette has told him that he must be depressed or in shock still, since he’s talking in a way he never has before, but Miguel insists that he “can finally see things clearly.”

[Reeves Family]

General Background:

The Reeves family consists of Lucas, John, Justin, and Emme. Lucas’ wife, Anne, left him and the children shortly after Emme was born.

The family is Caucasian and of mixed European ethnic descent.

Their faith is Protestant, although Lucas notes that they do not attend church regularly.

Lucas also shares that the he has no family in the area to help him with the children, and he often feels overwhelmed.

Presenting Issues:

Lucas (now 41) has come to see you shortly after John’s session with you.

Lucas shares that he’s “having a tough time” right now and “just wants a sounding board.” He shares that he’s been feeling very lonely lately and has become painfully aware that he is still single, even after all these years. He’s been questioning his success as a parent, although he notes that he has always tried to put his children first.

Lucas shares that this has cost him professionally, and he wonders where his career would be if he had made different choices. All of his closest friends are very successful financially, and Lucas is embarrassed that he never goes on golf outings and can not afford luxury vacations. All of his time and money goes into supporting his children, particularly Emme, who has special needs as a result of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).

Lucas tells you he feels “lost” a lot of the time and that he is “just going through the motions.”

[Jeong Family]

General Background:

The Jeong family consists of Kimball (“Kim,” a physician), Meg (a nurse), Steven, Kelsey, and Joey.

The family is of Korean descent and describes themselves as “very Americanized.”

They are Christian Buddhists and embrace their faith strongly.

Both Kim’s and Meg’s extended families live within about an hour of the Jeongs, providing the family with both support and unsolicited advice.

Presenting Issues:

It’s 20 years later for Kelsey and Jin. Kelsey (46) has come to see you following her recent separation from Jin.

Since you last worked with Kelsey and Jin, they decided to pursue adoption and adopted twin girls using an international adoption agency. Kelsey shares that Jin was never really on board with this decision, but he “gave in” to what Kelsey wanted. They raised their girls together and had what Kelsey thought was “a perfect family.”

She quit her job to be a full-time mother while the girls were young and had just started doing some community volunteer work. She shares that Jin “dropped a bomb on [her]” when he told her he was leaving her.

The girls had just left for college, and Kelsey had not yet adjusted to her “empty nest.” In fact, she notes, she had been looking forward to “rekindling” her relationship with Jin and focusing on the two of them again. She knows this is not a possibility any longer, since she has also learned that Jin has been having a relationship with his 26-year-old assistant (Jin is now a high school principal).

Kelsey is distraught—faced with creating a “new identity” separate from Jin and without having any security or career, she does not know what to do.

She asks for your help and advice on putting some direction in her life.

[Crane Family]

General Background:

The Crane family consists of Carol, Hunter, and Olivia.

Carol is a single mother living in the inner city under very poor conditions. Although she has a job, she barely makes ends meet and receives federal assistance. She cannot afford good food, nor can she afford to live in a safer area. She currently lives in a subsidized housing development.

The family is Caucasian, of European descent, and agnostic.

Presenting Issues:

Carol (now 45) has made an appointment to see you because she “has a little problem” and needs your help.

When she comes in for her session, you learn that Carol recently got her second DUI and has been court-ordered to participate in counseling. She explains that both times she was “barely buzzed” and the police “just wanted to make an example of her.”

Carol also admits that sometimes she likes to have a “drink or two” but denies that she has a drinking problem. After more discussion, you learn that Carol has not been sleeping well, rarely leaves the house unless she is going to a bar, and hasn’t had a romantic relationship in her life that has lasted more than a month.

Carol rationalizes her personal life with “Who needs men anyway?” and changes the subject. She also shares that she hates her job and misses her children (Olivia is away at college and Hunter has moved out of the area due to a job).

In the course of conversation, Carol launches into a tangent about dreams she had in her youth and how she had really wanted to be a writer.

She asks you, “Is this all there is?”, and wonders if she will spend the next 45 years in the same existence.

[Anderson Family]

General Background:

The Anderson family consists of grandparents Ernie and Audrey, Jamal (diagnosed with Asperger’s disorder), Marcus, and Artesia.

Ernie and Audrey gained custody of their three grandchildren after their daughter and her husband were killed in a car accident. Their daughter and her husband— the parents of the children—had been living with them prior to the accident, as they had fallen on hard times after both parents lost their jobs and subsequently had to give up their home.

The family is African American, Southern Baptist, and very involved in their church.

Presenting Issues:

Ernie is now 65 years old and has come to see you at his wife’s insistence.

He tells you immediately that, while he respects you as a professional and appreciates the help you have given his family over the years, he “really [doesn’t] believe in counseling.” He acknowledges that he’s “going through some things,” but he will “get through it like anything else.”

After some small talk, Ernie noticeably relaxes a bit, and you inquire about what has been going on in his life. Ernie shares that he was recently “downsized” out of his job and forced into retirement. He didn’t see this coming and feels betrayed by the company; his supervisor assured him several months ago that his job would be secure following the company’s recent merger.

Ernie has worked at the same company for nearly 30 years and had counted on being there until he chose to retire. He’s not prepared for this change, and wonders how he will manage to support his family now with his significantly reduced income and loss of benefits.

Ernie believes he has let his family down and is ashamed of the fact that Audrey has taken a part-time job.