Running Head: COUNSELING PROJECT 1
Counseling Project: Case Summary of Melinda
Keyoshia Combs
Liberty University
CASE SUMMARY 2
Client History
Melinda Gayle is a fictional character from “Tyler Perry’s Acrimony”. Melinda was the
youngest of her mother’s three daughters “Brenda and June”. Melinda had a decent relationship
with her sisters. As with all sisters they have their agreements and disagreements, Brenda and
June gave Melinda advice, but she always did as she wanted (Gleiberman, 2018).
Melinda was in college when she first met Robert, where her best friend encouraged her
to go on a date with him. During this time, Melinda’s mother passed away leaving her to inherit
$350,000.00 dollars and the family house. Brenda and June immediately disapproved of Robert.
Melinda saw something in Robert that her sisters could not see. Melinda and Roberts’s
relationship took off like a rocket (Hayes, 2018)
As time went by Melinda grew more and more in love with Robert. Using some of her
inheritance money, she purchased a car for Robert. After getting the car, Robert stopped calling
Melinda. Melinda was no stranger to explosive anger. Melinda discovered that Robert was
cheating on her with another woman. Without careful consideration Melinda tried to kill Robert
and the young woman by ramming her jeep into the RV twice, turning it over onto its side
(Duralde, 2018).
In the mist of her rage, she rammed into the steering wheel causing severe internal
damage to her ovaries. Melinda was hospitalized and had to have a hysterectomy at a very young
age, leaving her with the diagnosis of never having children. Melinda forgave Robert for
cheating and took him back, soon after they were married (Hayes, 2018).
Melinda would not be open to counseling at all. Her sisters suggested that she seek help
for her anger but she told them that she could handle it. I would try to build rapport through
CASE SUMMARY 3
trying to understand where her anger started and what caused her rage to become so intense
(Hayes 2018).
Presenting Problems
Melinda is seeking counseling because it was court ordered as a part of her sentence for
stalking her ex-husband and fiancé. Over the course of time Robert never gets a job, Melinda
payed for his last two semesters of college. After this time Robert was called in for three
different job interviews that would allow him to make at least 6 figures a year. However, he was
never successful. He later tells Melinda the reason he could not get a job is because of the charge
he received as a teenager. Robert continues to stay at home working on his dream invention and
draining the $350,000 inheritance Melinda’s mother left her (Hayes 2018).
Once all of the inheritance money was gone, Robert convinced Melinda to mortgage the
home her mother left her. Melinda then has to get a second job so her sisters do not become
aware of her financial troubles. Melinda and Robert barely talked to each other, she would sleep
in the bed and he would sleep on the couch. The two had become very distant of each other.
Melinda’s sisters became aware of the foreclosure on the family home and offered to let Robert
work for their delivery company (Castillio, 2018).
Melinda discovered that Robert was cheating on her again with the same woman from
before. Melinda divorces Robert in a mediation hearing, where he tried to explain to her that he
loved her and did not cheat on her. Melinda closed her eyes and would not acknowledge him.
After the divorce if final Roberts’s invention changes his life and he receives a $75,000,000.00
million dollar check. Robert gives Melinda $10,000,000.00 million dollars and the keys to her
mother’s home that he bought back (Hayes, 2018).
CASE SUMMARY 4
Melinda then decides that she wants Robert back, however Robert is engaged and moving
on with a new woman. Melinda then becomes outraged and feels that Robert owes her and that
she is entitled to the new life Robert has not another woman (Hayes, 2018).
Personal and Occupational Functioning
Melinda continued working for her best friend as an assistant. After Robert gave her the
10,000,000.00 million dollars, Melinda stopped working. Melinda life began to slowly spiral out
of control. She stayed to herself and away from others. She believed that everyone was against
her and on Robert’s side. She began to drink more and more as the days went by. Melinda’s
actions caused her sisters to worry about her and tried to keep tabs on her (Hayes, 2018).
Relationship
After the divorce, Melinda tried dating an old boyfriend, however once Robert paid her
back she realized that she wanted him back. Melinda became obsessed with Robert and his new
fiancé. She stalked them on social media. Melinda felt that Robert owed her and that he is trying
to live his new life without her and she was not having that. If she couldn’t have him no one
could and she wanted what was hers at any cost (Hayes, 2018).
CASE SUMMARY 5
References
Castillo, M. (2018, March 30). Acrimony Movie Review & Film Summary (2018) | Roger Ebert.
Retrieved from https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/acrimony-2018
Duralde, A. (2018, March 30). 'Tyler Perry's Acrimony' Film Review: Taraji P. Henson Is
Furious, But Is She Right? Retrieved from https://www.thewrap.com/tyler-perry-
acrimony-film-review-taraji-p-henson/
Gleiberman, O. (2018, March 29). Acrimony (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6063050/
Hayes, L. (2018, March 21). Lessons from Tyler Perry's Acrimony. Retrieved from
https://www.lindahayes.com/blog/2018/3/31/lesspns-from-tyler-perrys-acrimony
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