2. authentic observations/experiences and the current literature.
Select a colleague who was assigned the same client as you.
Expand on his or
her posting by describing how you might integrate the
parents/caretakers into the
adolescent’s treatment plan while also maintaining a trusting
relationship with the
adolescent.
Select a colleague who was assigned the same or different client
family from
you. Offer and support at least two strategies he or she might
use to encourage
healthy risk-taking behaviors with their adolescent client.
[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:
4. [Week 7: 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 has brought John (now 13) to you as a requirement of
John’s probation.
John was arrested for robbing a convenience store along with
two other boys,
ages 14 and 16. The older boys assaulted the store owner in the
process, and
they are currently in juvenile detention.
The probation officer told Lucas that, although the surveillance
video showed
John as mostly an accomplice, the charges are still quite
serious, and there may
6. 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.
Meg divides her time between Kim’s private practice and taking
care of the
children, particularly Joey, who has been diagnosed with
autism.
Presenting Issues:
It’s been several years since you’ve seen the Jeongs.
Meg brings her son Steven (now 17) to see you regarding
concerns over his
substance abuse. Recently, Meg found two empty bottles of
vodka buried in
Steven’s closet. She turned his room upside down and found a
bottle of what
appeared to be prescription medication, but she could not
identify it. Steven
claimed that he did not know where the bottle came from and
that the alcohol
belonged to his neighbor.
When you speak with Steven alone, he first maintains his story.
However, he
eventually admits to “[drinking] a little bit—but what teenager
doesn’t?” Steven
seemingly changes the subject, stating that his parents are
always “ragging on
[him]” about something and that they still can’t agree—even
after all these years.
9. (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:
It’s been about 10 years since you last worked with the
Anderson family.
Audrey has brought Marcus in to see you. You meet with them
together first and
listen as Audrey shares her concerns about Marcus’ behavior.
She states that
Marcus has lost considerable weight over the past six months or
so. He eats
“practically nothing” and seems obsessed with exercise. He has
withdrawn from
his church youth group and rarely goes out.
Audrey became very alarmed when she found cuts on Marcus’
arms—not deep
enough for stitches but severe enough to scar. When pressed for
an explanation,
Marcus refused to talk about it.
10. Marcus is quiet and appears teary while his grandmother speaks.
When Audrey
leaves and you are alone with Marcus, he breaks down crying.
He asks you to
promise not to tell his grandmother, because he’s afraid she
“won’t love [him]
anymore.” Marcus shares that he is gay—something he’s known
for a long time
but doesn’t think he can hide any longer. He is afraid of the
implications in his
family, his church, and among his community.
Marcus tells you that the cutting is not suicidal, although it does
help him “release
[his] pain.” He also admits that sometimes he wishes he could
“just disappear.”