Running head: CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS 1
Case Summary and Presenting Problems
Melissa S. Martinez
Liberty University Online
CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS 2
Case Summary and Presenting Problems
Client History
Walt Kowalski can be found as the main character in the movie, Gran Torino (Eastwood,
2008). He is in his mid-60’s, a recent widow, father of two sons, and a Korean War Veteran. This
client is interesting because he seems to have much guilt on his conscience for his time in war,
and with his wife passing, he becomes angry with the world and initially refuses to seek
counseling services. Mr. Kowalski says his life is one that has already lived and is done with.
The proudest moments of his life are the moments he spent with his wife. Now that his wife has
passed, he feels as though his life is now over as well. The guilty conscience keeps him angry
with the world, himself, and his Korean neighbors who remind him of the horrible memories
from war. His two sons have grown up and begun their own families and Mr. Kowalski feels that
he has never been close to them and that they tend to only talk to him when they are in need of
something or want something of his. This puts weight on his shoulders to feel alone in the world
and taken advantage of.
After the two kids next door need help regarding issues with gangs in town wanting to
hurt them, Mr. Kowalski winds up being in the right place at the right time, helps them out, and
develops a bond with them. This relationship took priority over his own children and he felt an
obligation to defend the boy and girl next door with anything that crosses their paths. This
relationship had pushed him to seeking help to develop a clean slate for his guilty conscience.
His wife always wanted him to seek help through the church and confess to his sins, but he has a
difficult time believing in a higher power.
Regarding openness from the client during counseling services as well as building
rapport, Dr. Martinez senses it may take much time, patience, and silence to help the client begin
CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS 3
to even want to discuss anything that may be bothering him. It is important to not make Mr.
Kowalski feel as though Dr. Martinez understands what he has been through and simply be the
listening ear that Mr. Kowalski may feel he has not had since his wife passed.
Presenting Problems
Mr. Kowalski is seeking counseling because after much time of dealing with feelings of
depression and anger, his new neighbors have given him a new outlook on life and a new family
to fit in with. He now feels as he should look into seeking counseling to help rid of his guilty
conscience regarding his family, time in war, as well as how to help his new neighbors with gang
related issues. Mr. Kowalski states that he has issues with depression, anger, as well as familial
concerns. Counseling seems to be a viable option for Mr. Kowalski because of his previous
traumatic war experience in the Korean War as well as new Korean neighbors moving next door
which reminds him of his traumatic times. More background that supports counseling as a viable
option also includes Mr. Kowalski being a recent widow with familial and spiritual concerns. Mr.
Kowalski states that the issues he hopes to cover in counseling are his feelings of depression,
anger, guilt, as well as his relationship concerns and spiritual health.
Personal Functioning
Mr. Kowalski experiences issues surrounding personal functioning. This issue involves
feelings of depression as well as anger. Mr. Kowalski has anger revolving his time spent in the
Korean War in relation to new Korean neighbors moving in next door, which he states eventually
turned into guilt because after getting to know the neighbors, he felt guilt and anger within
himself regarding his time in the war where he had killed innocent children who had begged for
mercy. This guilt and anger he feels regarding his time spent in the Korean War puts much stress
CASE SUMMARY AND PRESENTING PROBLEMS 4
on Mr. Kowalski to gather a clean slate and make up for his actions throughout the war to
innocent Korean kids.
Relationships
In regards to relationships, Mr. Kowalski has issues between the bond and relationship he
has with his own two sons when comparing to the new relational bond he has made with the son
and daughter next door to him. Mr. Kowalski feels that the proudest accomplishment in his life
was being married to his wife, but with her recent passing, he feels that the only time he is in
contact with his sons are when they are in need of something or hope to gain something from his
own death, like his Gran Torino. In comparison to the son and daughter that lives next to him,
Mr. Kowalski feels as though they represent more of a father-child bond than his own two sons.
With this feeling, he has found a new meaning in life but also worries significantly about the son
and daughter next door in their involvement with gang-related issues.
Spiritual Health
Mr. Kowalski states he has never believed much into a higher power and that he only
attended church services because it is what made his wife happiest. When the priest at his wife’s
church went to Mr. Kowalski’s home to talk to him, he told Mr. Kowalski that he had promised
Mr. Kowalski’s wife that he would help him go to confession to confess his sins. Mr. Kowalski
states that this was an insult to him as the priest was younger than him but wanted to talk to him
about life and death. Mr. Kowalski states that he knows more about life and death than a young
priest who has hardly lived a full life. Mr. Kowalski hopes to discuss his lack of faith and
spirituality in counseling to better understand the idea of having peace in his life.
