Interventions (Tx Stage + Theory Specific) Flashcards
A 38-year-old husband and 36-year-old wife seek marital counseling after the birth of their first baby. The wife left her job as a lawyer to stay home with the baby. She shares that she “gets no help from her parents” because her father is deceased and she’s been estranged from her mother since her parents got divorced. She adds that her husband’s parents are overbearing and always in their business. The husband states that all his wife cares about now is the baby and she never pays attention to him.
What interventions would a Bowenian therapist use in the beginning phase of treatment?
A. Facilitate enactments of the common arguments; Interpret the mother’s engagement with the baby as avoidance to marital problems.
B. Create a multigenerational family map of relationships; Interrupt arguments.
C. Teach “I” statements; Encourage reunification of wife with her mother.
D. Create a multigenerational family map of relationships; Encourage reunification of wife with her mother.
Correct
B. Create a multigenerational family map of relationships; Interrupt arguments.
A 36-year-old client seeks therapy after a recent divorce from his wife of four years. He explains that the main disagreement that pulled him and his wife apart was about having kids. His ex-wife wanted children but he did not. He works in a legal department of a large corporation, but finds his work to be unfulfilling and draining. He noted that it deadens him on the inside. He shares that he doesn’t have much of a social life, rarely goes out, and frequently drinks himself to sleep. After establishing a therapeutic alliance with the client, how would an Adlerian therapist proceed?
A. Assess for suicidal ideation; Explore client’s expectation of therapy; Identify positive relationships client currently has.
B. Explore client’s expectation of therapy; Refer client to Alcoholics Anonymous; Encourage client to use alternative coping strategies.
C. Assess for suicidal ideation; Explore family dynamics of early childhood; Inquire about client’s early memories.
D. Explore client’s expectation of therapy; Explore family dynamics of early childhood; Inquire about client’s early memories.
Correct
C. Assess for suicidal ideation; Explore family dynamics of early childhood; Inquire about client’s early memories.
A 42-year-old African American dentist is referred for therapy by his minister for anger issues. He has been married for 8 years and his wife and him have 2 little kids. He reports that he “blows his top” when his 4-year-old and 6 year-old talk back to him. He cannot stand it when they give him attitude or do not immediately do what he asks of them. He shares that his father was a violent drunk who used to slap the client across his face any time he would misbehave. The client states that he has never physically hurt his kids, but he has thoughts that scare him when he gets really angry. How would a Solution Focused Therapist develop an initial treatment plan?
A. Incorporate cultural issues into focus of treatment; ask when the anger problem began.
B. Assist the client in articulating the problem he wants to address; inquire about the client’s early recollections of his father’s anger.
C. Ask the client to describe a recent situation where he got angry in order to understand the problem; ask the client what would be different in his life if he woke up tomorrow and the anger issue has been solved.
D. Clarify with the client what he hopes to achieve in therapy; acknowledge the client’s desire to be a better dad.
Correct
D. Clarify with the client what he hopes to achieve in therapy; acknowledge the client’s desire to be a better dad.
A 55-year-old spa manager is referred to treatment by her colleague. She reports having one failed relationship after another and her most recent break up left her utterly devastated. For the past several months she finds herself with a huge bowl of popcorn every night and feeling disgusted in the morning because she ate too much yet again. During the fourth session the client shares a detailed story of how she was bullied during middle school and her mother refused to believe her. She begins to sob then grows quiet. What would a Gestalt therapist be likely to say to the client at this moment?
A. “What are you experiencing as you tell me this story?”
B. “Was you mother there for you in other ways?”
C. “Do you think your overeating is a way you bully yourself?”
D. “How did you cope?”
Correct
A. “What are you experiencing as you tell me this story?”
A 28-year-old Asian American graduate student seeks treatment for anxiety and depression. She reports that for the past three months she has been unable to concentrate, is unable to sleep and cannot complete her coursework on time. She is worried she will be kicked out of the university and everyone will see she’s a failure. What interventions would a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist utilize during the initial session of treatment?
A. Explain how therapy works; Explore client’s relationship with parents; Assess for suicide.
B. Teach client how thoughts influence behaviors; Assign thought-stopping homework; Assess for suicide.
C. Explain how therapy works; Teach client how thoughts influence behaviors; Assess for suicide.
D. Explain how therapy works; Teach client how thoughts influence behaviors; Provide client with a journal to track negative thoughts.
Correct
C. Explain how therapy works; Teach client how thoughts influence behaviors; Assess for suicide.
A therapist is working at a community center that treats the homeless population. A client and her three-year-old daughter are assigned to the therapist for clinical case management services. The mom reports she has been feeling depressed since she lost her job and was evicted from her apartment. She starts crying when she says that she is not getting along with her family. She asks for help getting childcare. What task should the therapist focus on initially?
A. Finding stable housing.
B. Exploring her relationship with her family.
C. Developing a comprehensive care plan.
D. Validating the client’s feelings of depression.
Correct
C. Developing a comprehensive care plan.
A 38-year-old husband and 36-year-old wife seek marital counseling after the birth of their first baby. The wife left her job as a lawyer to stay home with the baby. She shares that she “gets no help from her parents” because her father is deceased and she’s been estranged from her mother since her parents got divorced. She adds that her husband’s parents are overbearing and always in their business. The husband states that all his wife cares about now is the baby and she never pays attention to him. What interventions would a Bowenian therapist use in the beginning phase of treatment?
A. Facilitate enactments of the common arguments; Interpret the mother’s engagement with the baby as avoidance to marital problems.
B. Create a multigenerational family map of relationships; Interrupt arguments.
C. Teach “I” statements; Encourage reunification of wife with her mother.
D. Create a multigenerational family map of relationships; Encourage reunification of wife with her mother.
Correct
B. Create a multigenerational family map of relationships; Interrupt arguments.
A 42-year old woman is in treatment for depression and anxiety that resulted from a severe abuse history she experienced as a child. During the sixth session the client experiences a flashback of a particularly violent exchange with her father when he choked her until she went unconscious. During the session she appears to have difficulty breathing then begins to hyperventilate and appears very scared. How should the therapist proceed with the client?
A. Ground the client by focusing on what is happening in the here and now.
B. Offer education about the experience of triggers and flashbacks.
C. Normalize her reaction as a common traumatic stress reaction.
D. Remain silent until the client calms down.
Correct
A. Ground the client by focusing on what is happening in the here and now.
A therapist is working with a male client who reports occasional impotence and anxiety when having sex with his new girlfriend. The client shares that he has had issues like this in the past but did not have an issue with his previous girlfriend. The therapist has training and experience working with sexual disorders. What therapy intervention should the therapist consider?
A. Desensitization
B. Sensate Focus
C. Exposure Therapy
D. Dialectic Behavioral Therapy
Correct
B. Sensate Focus
A client seeks therapy for feelings of anxiety and panic that she’s had since losing her job three months ago. She reports that she has a second interview at a good company at the end of the week, but she is having a hard time concentrating and is doubting her abilities. She adds that she hasn’t been getting along with her boyfriend and wants to lose weight because she can’t fit into old work clothes. The immediate focus of treatment with this client should be:
A. Teaching her communications skills to better connect with boyfriend.
B. Discuss strategies for her to prepare for her interview.
C. Explore her eating habits and exercise routine.
D. Refer her to a psychiatrist for a medication evaluation.
Correct
B. Discuss strategies for her to prepare for her interview.
A family is referred by their minister for family therapy due to conflict between the parents regarding how to discipline their 5 and 7 year-old boys. During the initial assessment the therapist learns that the mother drinks alcohol daily. There is no indication of domestic violence or child abuse. Which of the following interventions should the therapist take FIRST?
A. Involve the family in creating a family map of their problem.
B. Obtain a release to speak with their minister.
C. Work with the mother regarding her need for an alcohol use assessment.
D. Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the family members.
Correct
C. Work with the mother regarding her need for an alcohol use assessment.
A therapist is working with a family with three children, the youngest of whom, age 12, is in a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy. The parents describe the child’s withdrawal from outside activities and believe that he is depressed. The child remarks that his mother hovers over him, and that his siblings dislike him because he has no chores at home. He expresses an interest in staying with a cousin over Christmas break and says he wants more responsibility at home. What should the therapist do FIRST?
A. Support the mother’s understandable need to be protective.
B. Focus on the 12-year-old’s need for greater self-esteem.
C. Help the family address the 12-year-old’s expressed needs.
D. Suggest the family explore outside activities for the 12-year-old.
Correct
C. Help the family address the 12-year-old’s expressed needs.
An older couple comes to therapy. The husband reports that since he retired one year ago, he spends much of his time completing his wife’s daily chores. He does not understand why she is so upset all the time. “I feel so useless,” she says. What intervention would address their dilemma?
A. Help them set more adaptive boundaries so they can shape new roles for themselves.
B. Reframe her uselessness as an attempt to distract her husband from his feelings of loss.
C. Encourage the wife to involve herself in volunteer activities so she will feel more useful.
D. Encourage the husband to obtain part-time employment to divert his attention from his wife.
Correct
A. Help them set more adaptive boundaries so they can shape new roles for themselves.
A therapist is working with a family with three children, ages, 7, 9 and 15. The parents are concerned that the 15-year-old daughter does not want to participate in family activities and wants to spend time in her room or with her friends. They share that they are concerned she is depressed and are worried she may disengage from school. What should the therapist do FIRST?
A. Obtain a release to speak to the school.
B. Refer the 15-year-old for a medication evaluation.
C. Provide psychoeducation about normal adolescent development.
D. Encourage parents to share their concerns directly with their daughter.
Correct
C. Provide psychoeducation about normal adolescent development.
A client who has been in therapy for two years for depression has been symptom free for four months. During the final scheduled session, she begins crying and states that she is afraid her depression will come back without therapy. How should the therapist address her concern:
A. Schedule another session in a week.
B. Discuss extending treatment until client is more stable.
C. Normalize her feelings and make a plan if symptoms return.
D. Provide client with referral to support group for depression.
Correct
C. Normalize her feelings and make a plan if symptoms return.
