Running head: CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS
COUNSELING
1
Case Summary and Presenting Problems Counseling Project
Richard Coleman
COUN 510
January 24, 2023
Dr. Neal Carter
CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS COUNSELING 2
Case Summary and Presenting Problems Counseling Project
Introduction
My client is Mary Jane Patterson, a 32 year old single African American woman, who is
beautiful, successful and well-educated. Mary Jane Patterson is the main title character of the
television series, “Being Mary Jane”. Mary is a successful television news anchor of a
widespread news-style daytime show on a CNN-like network called Satellite News Channel in
her hometown of Atlanta. Mary is very talented in what she does and very personable, however
her work schedule is very hectic and takes most of her time. Mary also struggles with adapting
to the politics of her job and takes a lot of things personal, especially being an anchor in her
hometown. Mary remains keen to her family and battles to juggle her family alongside work and
her personal relationships.
Mary was born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. She is the daughter of
wealthy parents Helen and Paul Patterson. Helen is a retired professor and Paul is a successful
surgeon. Helen and Peter are very religious and are very loving and compassionate towards
their children. Helen and Peter have raised three children in a loving but not very expressive
family. Their oldest child is Mary’s brother, Patrick who is 40. Second oldest is Mary, who is the
middle child. The youngest child is Paul Junior, who is 21 and in school to become a doctor.
Mary Jane is devoted to her loving father and ill mother while trying to take care of her
family as a whole. Mary Jane has a good relationship with both of her parents and has become
pressured with the responsibility of helping her family after learning that her mother has Lupus.
Mary has a good relationship with her younger brother (Paul Jr) who abuses substances and
struggles with the pressure of living to his father’s legacy of being a surgeon. However, she has a
CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS COUNSELING 3
difficult relationship with her older brother (Patrick), whom is unmotivated at life, suffers grief
loss from the loss of his wife in a car accident and is also a recovering alcoholic.
Despite Mary’s rocky relationship with her older brother Patrick, she gets along well with
Patrick's teenage daughter Denise. Denise views Mary as an influential woman and seeks her
often for financial assistance and advice. Denise is seventeen, living with her grandparents
(Mary’s mother and father) and pregnant with her second child. Denise has no assistance or
influence from the father of her babies and is contempt with him being out of the picture.
Though Mary does not approve of her nieces (Denise) actions, she allowed Denise to hold her
baby shower at her large estate in Atlanta and also was at Denise’s bedside when she gave birth
to her first child. Overall, Mary is very close with her immediate family and has their best
interest at heart.
However, despite the trappings of a wealthy life, Mary has found herself looking for love
in all the wrong places and struggles with finding a significant other. Mary was first involved
with Andre, a successful, handsome account executive. Although she had no awareness of his
supposedly “happy marriage”. After several months of dating, Mary learns of his marriage after
she finds his wedding ring the morning after sleeping with him. Andre eventually gets caught
and kicked out of his house by his wife and he moves in with Mary promising a new beginning.
However, Mary feels that he is still in love with his wife and ends the relationship, because she
felt guilty for being involved with a married man.
Mary is too embarrassed to tell her parents that she had dated a married man and
potentially ruined a marriage in fear that it would tarnish her “good girl” reputation. Mary also
realizes that she was only using Andre because she missed her ex-boyfriend, David, who she
CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS COUNSELING 4
sees as the one that slipped through her grasp. Mary and David had mutually decided to break
up, but Mary’s job and her lack of free time was a major factor in their relationship. After
recently seeing David at a family function, Mary is intrigued by his good looks and work success.
After she pronounced to David her love for him, Mary learns that he is happily committed to his
new fiancée. Mary was very upset and has become very insecure about herself.
Mary feels that she could benefit from counseling and feels that she struggles with the
pressure of her job, family and personal relationships. Mary feel less open to counseling due to
confidentiality issues and is hesitant to share topics from her past in fear of judgment. Mary
does not have many friends that she trust and often feels as if people are preying on her
downfall. The therapist found Mary’s case interesting, because Mary is a beautiful, successful
African American woman in a prominent job position that struggles with insecurity issues.
Mary would not be as open in a counseling session at the beginning and would definitely
need to establish a rapport with her therapist before she begins to effectively share. As the
therapist, it would be beneficial to be very patient with Mary and allow her to open up at her
comfort level.
Presenting Problems
Personal
Mary feels that she struggles with strengthening her family ties and feels that her
responsibility is sometimes overwhelming. Mary is used to being a successful figure in her
family’s eyes and she strives to keep that image. Mary, however, feels a sense of entitlement to
rescue her family being that she is the only child that has been successful with a prominent
CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS COUNSELING 5
career. Mary also feels like she has to be needed by her family. Mary has also struggled with
assisting her father take care of her mother, who is suffering from lupus. Mary is very close to
her mother and has really attempted to be around more, but struggles with the resentment of
not spending more time with her mother due to her work and feels a sense of guilt.
Occupational
Mary feels that she struggles with adjusting to the many “political issues” at her job and
has a difficult time with not allowing it to affect her personal life. Mary works as a news anchor
in her hometown, and covers many news stories on old friends and acquaintances. Mary has
covered many types of stories, including homicides and missing person reports of her childhood
friends. Mary struggles with leaving her work at work and tends to take many of her stories
personal. Not to mention, she is constantly working and spends a lot of her free time working to
stay a few steps ahead of her other male colleges that want her position and feel her position is
because of her looks.
Relationships
Mary feels that she has failed miserably finding love and has become insecure about
herself and her choices. Mary feels that she is missing this void in her life and has found herself
desperately searching for love. Mary has developed a feeling to be needed and has become
insecure about herself and her worth.
CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS COUNSELING 6
Spiritual
Mary has been so eager to find a good significant other, but she has compromised her
morals and values by being involved with a married man. Though Mary ended the relationship
with Andre, she deceitfully and secretly wanted to force to relationship in her mind. Christians
often think of sin as isolated acts that violate moral standards (Jones & Butman, 2011, p.95).
Mary coming from a Christian background, never believed in infidelity and was a strong
advocate of commitment. Mary feels ashamed of her actions and does not plan to talk about it
with her family.
After reviewing these four problematic areas in Mary’s life, it is clear that Mary struggles
with her family relationships and spending quality time with her mother before she became ill.
Mary’s job is very competitive and she is constantly working on new projects, leaving her very
little free time to her personal life. Mary’s poor decisions in men and the fact that she has been
dating a married man creates more frustration for her. These factors all play a part in Mary’s life
and all make her daily life complicated. Mary seems to have no balance in her life, causing her
to make not the best of choices.
Treatment Goals
Goal 1
The first goal is making time for family. Therapist would suggest for Mary to create a
scheduled time that would not interfere with her work schedule, to enjoy family time. Mary
feels a deep regret of not seeing her parents as much as she should and she lives in the same
CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS COUNSELING 7
city. This is important for Mary to implement, because it would give her more of a balance with
her work and personal life. This will also allow Mary and her siblings to bond more with each
other. Ultimately the therapist would like to see Mary become more comfortable with her
family and open to discuss her personal life.
Goal 2
The second goal is increasing therapy sessions. Therapist would recommend that Mary
consider increasing therapy sessions to assist her with her anxieties from work. Mary tends to
take much of her work life home with her, making it easy for her to get emotionally attached.
Therapist would like to see Mary take a little time (20 minutes) after work to relax and meditate
to help her better deal with issues.
Goal 3
The third goal is taking time for herself. Therapist recommends that Mary take the time
once a week to do something that she likes to do. This goal is important for Mary to work on,
because it gives her a chance to learn more about herself and also grow. Therapist would like for
Mary to ultimately become more secure about herself and become more confident in her
relationships.
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References
Being mary-jane-paul. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.bet.com/shows/being-mary-
jane/cast/mary-jane-paul.html
Jones, S. L., & Butman, R. E. (2011). Modern psychotherapies: A comprehensive Christian
appraisal (2nd ed.). Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press.
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