Reference no: EM133277688

Existential Therapy

Question 1. How would a therapist within Existential Therapy approach treatment for each of the sections for the patient described below?

Question 2. What might be the underlying cause of the behaviors discussed in the patient description per Existential Therapy?

Question 3. How, according to Existential Therapy, would the therapist strive to modify the patient's dysfunctional behaviors in order to help the patient?

Patient is a single 40-year-old Hispanic female.

Education

Patient reports average grades throughout her school years. She quit school in the 11th grade following a suspension for drug use. Educational records do not indicate a learning disability and she did not attend special educational classes. There is a disciplinary record regarding truancy and substance use. She currently verbalizes an interest in obtaining her GED, however, she has not taken steps to begin the process. She indicates a long term goal of working in a profession where she can help others. She is interested in eventually attending vocational training for a nursing certificate and securing employment.

Legal

Patient reports a history of legal involvement in her early twenties. She was arrested for shoplifting and for possession of marijuana. She was placed on probation for 2 years, but violated probation for non-compliance with substance abuse treatment requirements and abuse of illegal narcotics.

Social/Relationship

Patient reports a history of being sexually molested by a neighbor around the age of 5 or 6. The abuse reportedly occurred on and off for approximately one year. Patient indicated she eventually reported the abuse to her mother. She is uncertain whether legal actions were taken against the neighbor, reporting she and her family moved with her family to another residence following the report of the abuse. Patient has a history of promiscuous and impulsive behaviors especially related to relationships. She reports having multiple sexual partners over the past several years, with the relationships involving the abuse of substances. Her relationships with men have been unstable and dysfunctional to the extent that she was the victim of physical abuse. She has one daughter who is 10 years of age and who resides with her grandparents. The patient is unaware of the location of her child's father. The grandparents have legal custody but the patient voices a desire to regain custody of the child in the future. The patient believes her daughter has recently been disruptive in school on several occasions and her grandparents have met with the school counselor.

Substance Use

Patient reported onset of drug use in middle school smoking marijuana when available. She experimented throughout her school years and into early adulthood with various illegal substances including abuse of narcotics and alcohol.

Patient has a history of participating in substance abuse treatment programs, but did not successfully complete the recommended treatment course.

Medical

Patient has a history of right leg fracture as a result of a motor vehicle accident when she was a teenager. She reports chronic leg and hip pain and has taken pain medication for extended periods of time. She has also received treatment from pain clinics and has a history of abusing pain medications.

Patient denies any other hospitalizations or medical treatment; however, she was recently diagnosed with Hepatitis C. She receives medical care for treatment of Hepatitis in a local medical clinic.