1. Practicum: Decision Tree Essay.
Practicum: Decision Tree Essay. The client in the case study presented with complaints
about sleep difficulties, fatigue, sadness, concentration problems, and a feeling of emptiness.
The client also reported that there are times she feels normal and very energetic.
Accordingly, this assignment will provide a differential diagnosis for the client and also
discuss the treatment decisions for the client. In addition, the ethical considerations that
may affect the communication and treatment plan for the client will be discussed.Practicum:
Decision Tree Essay.ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HEREDecision Point OneThe
diagnosis for the client is cyclothymic disorder. The reason why cyclothymic disorder was
selected is that the client meets the diagnostic criteria for the disorder. The DSM-5
diagnostic criteria stipulate symptoms of cyclothymic disorder to include both depressive
and hypomanic episodes that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive
disorder or hypomania. In addition, in cyclothymic disorder, there is no history of mania,
hypomania or depressive episodes. The distress caused by the symptoms should impair an
individual’s occupational or social functioning (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
For the diagnosis of cyclothymic disorder, the person should experience mood cycling for a
period of more than two years. The client in this case study exhibits symptoms of
cyclothymic disorder like erratic sleep problems, periods of emptiness and sadness, and
periods of being overly energetic and hyperactive; the symptoms have persisted for more
than two years and therefore the symptoms meet diagnostic criteria of cyclothymic
disorder.Practicum: Decision Tree Essay.With the selected diagnosis, the expectation was
that MSE would confirm the diagnosis of cyclothymic disorder and lead to the correct
treatment for the client.Practicum: Decision Tree Essay.Decision Point TwoThe second
decision is to arrange to see the client every three months for routine follow-up. The
rationale for this decision is to ensure that the client is routinely and adequately examined
in order to confirm or rule out the diagnosis. According to Kilbourne et al (2018) at times it
may be difficult to identify the exact mental disorder causing the symptoms and hence
taking time and effort to ensure an accurate diagnosis can be helpful in helping determine
the suitable treatment.By selecting the decision to have the client undergo routine follow-
up, the hope was that this would help in monitoring and comprehensive assessment for the
client, and hence identify the exact mental disorder causing the symptoms for this client.
This is because some symptoms manifest similarly in various mental disorders and hence a
routine check-up would help determine the exact mental disorder (Kilbourne et al.,
2018).The outcome of this decision was that after twelve weeks, she reported that she did
2. not feel any different. The symptoms continued to follow the same pattern. Just like it was
expected, the symptoms followed the same pattern and hence this confirmed the earlier
diagnosis of cyclothymic disorder. A comprehensive routine check-up is important in order
to identify the exact mental disorder causing the manifesting symptoms (Kilbourne et al.,
2018).Practicum: Decision Tree Essay.Decision Point ThreeThe third decision is for the
client to begin cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). The reason for choosing CBT is due to
the efficacy of CBT in the treatment of cyclothymic disorder. CBT identifies unhealthy and
maladaptive beliefs, feelings, and behaviors and replaces them with more adaptive and
healthy thinking patterns and therefore leading to behavior modification (Totterdell et al.,
2014). Moreover, through CBT, it is possible to identify the triggers for the symptoms and
thus educate the client on how to avoid such triggers. The client will also be taught stress
management and coping strategies to enable her to handle any stressful or upsetting events
in her life (Sadock et al 2015).Practicum: Decision Tree Essay.By selecting this decision, the
expectation was that the depressive and hypomanic symptoms exhibited in the client would
decrease. This is due to the CBT’s efficacy in changing the maladaptive thinking pattern and
feelings and replacing them with a more adaptive and healthy thinking pattern.
Additionally, through CBT, the client would be taught how to identify triggers to the
symptoms and stress coping skills (Totterdell et al, 2014).Practicum: Decision Tree
Essay.Ethical ConsiderationsInformed consent and autonomy are major issues likely to
affect the treatment plan for this client. Symptoms like hypomanic episodes can impair the
judgment of the client and thus she may not be able to make rational treatment decisions
(Richa et al., 2018). Therefore, it may be difficult to obtain informed consent from the client.
Likewise, symptoms such as grandiosity and aggression during the hypomanic episodes can
make the client uncooperative during treatment and this brings in the issue of autonomy
(Perugi et al, 2017).Practicum: Decision Tree Essay.ConclusionThe diagnosis for the client is
cyclothymic disorder because the symptoms she is presenting meets the diagnosis of the
disorder. The second decision is to arrange to see the client every three months for routine
follow-up. This would help in correctly confirming the diagnosis. The symptom pattern was
the same and this confirmed the diagnosis of cyclothymic disorder. The last decision was,
therefore, to have the client undergo CBT in order to alter the maladaptive thinking pattern,
into a more positive and healthy thinking pattern; this leads to symptom remission.
Informed consent and autonomy are the ethical issues likely to affect the client’s treatment
plan.Practicum: Decision Tree Essay.At each Decision Point stop to complete the
following:https://mym.cdn.laureate-
media.com/2dett4d/Walden/NURS/6670/05/mm/decision_tree/index.htmlDecision #1:
Differential DiagnosisWhich Decision did you select? I chose Cycloyhymic DisorderWhy did
you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the
Learning Resources.What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support
your response with evidence and references to theLearning Resources.Explain any
difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #1 and the results of the
Decision. Why werethey different?Practicum: Decision Tree Essay.Decision #2: Treatment
Plan for PsychotherapyI chose Arrange to see Stefanie every 3 months for routine follow-
upWhy did you select this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to
3. the Learning Resources.What were you hoping to achieve by making this Decision? Support
your response with evidence and references to theLearning Resources.Explain any
difference between what you expected to achieve with Decision #2 and the results of the
Decision. Why werethey different?Decision #3: Treatment Plan for PsychopharmacologyI
chose Begin Coganitive Behavior TherapyWhy did you select this Decision? Support your
response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources.What were you hoping to
achieve by making this Decision? Support your response with evidence and references to
theLearning Resources.Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with
Decision #3 and the results of the decision. Why werethey different?Practicum: Decision
Tree Essay.Also include how ethical considerations might impact your treatment plan and
communication with clients and their familyRESOURCEShttps://eds-a-ebscohost-
com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=e6c23e40-1c1d-4873-
8ea5-
be890d118cf6%40sessionmgr4008https://www.mdedge.com/psychiatry/article/66320/b
ipolar-disorder/bipolar-disorder-or-something-elseAmerican Psychiatric Association.
(2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC:
Author.Gabbard, G. O. (2014). Gabbard’s treatment of psychiatric disorders (5th ed.).
Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publications.Practicum: Decision Tree Essay.
