This case application exercise serves to provide students practice in applying person-centered theories, practices and techniques to case practice. The purpose of this assignment is to help you practice the following skills: reflecting on the following question: The essay must be 1 full page in length. Make this personal.

This is a psychotherapy course. Based on a therapist works and skills.

Give specific and personal examples

Your paper must include reflection and application of the course material for this chapter. If references are used, citations should be written in APA format

Formatting Requirements:

• Margins – 1 Inch

• Font – Times New Roman, (12pt)

• Spacing – Double

number responses

• Imagine self in the role as counselor and apply techniques commonly used in person-centered practice to a specific case. (Application)
• Exploration and reflection of your personal counseling style. (Caring & Learning How to Learn)

The Case of Judith: Judith is a 25-year-old White female who works as a receptionist at a law firm. Six months ago she began dating Shawn, a 27-year-old man who lives in her apartment complex. Their relationship has deepened, and they now see each other two or three times a week, despite their heavy work schedules. Recently, they began to talk about getting married.

Judith came to therapy because she is concerned about what she describes as her “sexual problem.” Judith told her therapist, “When Shawn and I make love, I get turned on at first but then I just shut down. It’s like my sexual feelings evaporate into thin air. Shawn is very understanding but I know it’s difficult for him.” Judith went on to say that she thought her strict religious upbringing was part of the problem. She said, “I grew up in a small southern town, and my family was almost fanatically religious. My parents thought sex was shameful and dirty and that premarital sex was a horrible sin. If they knew that Shawn and I were having sex, they would be appalled. I left the church when I was in college, and I no longer believe many of the things my parents and church taught, but I think my upbringing has caused me to block out my sexual feelings.”

Person-centered theory posits that children, because they need the love of their parents, tend to “deny to awareness” experiences, including their own feelings, that do not fit their parents’ value system. Judith’s parents considered sex “shameful and dirty” and believed that premarital sex was a “horrible sin.” Thus, it is understandable that Judith, as a child growing up in such an environment, might learn to block out or “deny to awareness” feelings related to sexuality. Although person-centered therapists do not focus on the past in therapy, they do understand that childhood experiences often explain why adults “block out” certain feelings or other aspects of themselves. Person-centered theory says that in order to reclaim previously denied aspects of their experiences, clients must be provided with a therapeutic environment characterized by empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard. To the degree the therapist is able to provide this environment and to the degree clients perceive it, they will begin to grow. Their growth will include a natural tendency to explore and gradually allow into awareness feelings that were previously denied.

Using this theoretical structure, it becomes obvious what I need to do in working with Judith from a person-centered perspective: I must provide her with a therapeutic relationship in which she feels deeply understood and accepted. As she begins to realize that I understand how she feels, that I accept and do not judge her, and that I, too, am trying to be open and honest in my relationship with her, Judith will increasingly feel free to be her real self in therapy and to explore and access parts of herself that she had previously blocked out or denied to awareness. As a person-centered therapist, I would not use techniques in my work with Judith nor would I push, cajole, or try to persuade her to do what I thought was best. Person-centered therapists believe that human beings grow naturally when they are provided with empathy, honesty, and acceptance—just as a flower grows naturally when it is provided with sunshine, water, and soil. Thus, based on my own clinical experience and a great deal of research that supports the effectiveness of a deeply human therapeutic relationship, I would predict that Judith, if she stays with the therapeutic process, will not only recover her sexual feelings but will also grow as a person, perhaps in ways that she has not even imagined.

Questions: Answer the following questions on how you might proceed with Judith within the person-centered framework:

(1) Suppose Judith is referred to you for continued person-centered therapy. Would you find it easy to give her empathy and not judge her? What if you are religious and agree with Judith’s parents that premarital sex is wrong? Would you still be able to give Judith empathy and acceptance? At a more general level, do you think it’s possible to accept and support someone even when you disagree with their values or actions? Explain your answer.

(2) Person-centered therapists do not use therapeutic techniques. Instead, they try to create a therapeutic relationship characterized by empathy, acceptance, and genuineness. Would you feel comfortable working with clients in this way, or would you want to use techniques in your work? Why or why not?

(3) Suppose that after working with Judith for a few sessions you come to suspect, despite her physician’s assurance to the contrary, that part of Judith’s problem could be physiological in nature. How would you handle this? What specifically would you do?

Read The Story of Timothy on page 91 in your text.  Use it to help you begin thinking about writing your own story of uniqueness in a diverse world.  In this three- to- four page (excluding title and reference page) paper, you will discuss the unique and diverse aspects of yourself as they relate to gender, age, religion, race, ethnicity, ability, class, and sexual orientation (GARREACS).

• Explain “who you are” and what your experiences have been as they relate to the concept of diversity.  Include any aspects reviewed in the first two weeks’ readings (Ch. 1,2,3,4, 6) that are relevant to YOU.
• Assess your development in relation to the identity theories discussed in the readings.  Which model applies the most to you?
• Explain any historical, social/family, financial/economic, cultural, or political considerations that have specifically impacted you or your family in your development and in your ability to meet your own needs.
• Summarize the impact of any programs or laws that help or hinder your ability to have the life you would like to have.
• Explain how any of the diverse aspects of “who you are” have either been helpful or hindered your ability to obtain health or human services. Illustrate your points with any personal examples that are relevant.
• Summarize with a focus on where you see the need to gain understanding and insight for future work with diverse others.

Information about myself (I am in my 50’s, African American woman, Christian/Baptist church, from down south, married to my husband, working class, worked in the medical field for over 30 years, love helping people)

NARRATIVE 3.1 • The Story of Timothy

Born in a southeastern state in 1972, the oldest of three children, Timothy reported, “I have red hair, brown eyes, and happen to be Caucasian. The general belief is that I am from Irish decent, but to my parents’ knowledge our family name is Dutch-German.” The family was “lower-middle class” and lived mostly in apartments and duplexes while Timothy, his brother, and sister were growing up.In primary school, Timothy became “best friends” with a Black boy, and although they went to different elementary schools for a few years, the two “reunited in junior high school and started hanging out again.” This friend taught Timothy “a lot about defending myself and speaking up for the things I believed in most. I adopted many of his beliefs.” Timothy played on the basketball team in school and gained respect for his athletic abilities on the court. “The only downfall to this newfound glory was the negative attention received from my White friends. They did not approve of my association with Black kids, and referred to me as ‘White Knight’ and ‘Wigger.’”Growing up in a multicultural neighborhood with Black, Asian, Latino, Greek and Euro-American ancestries living together, Timothy felt “Blessed to experience so much diversity. It was always entertaining when I stayed the night at my friends’ houses due to the differences in our cultures.” He credits his parents for instilling positive values. “The values, manners, and respect that my parents have instilled in me have carried on throughout adulthood. In 1992, I accepted Christ into my life and have tried to live my life according to His word ever since. I am proud to be a Christian and consider it to be a great success in my life.”Timothy’s experiences with diversity and his embracement of values and beliefs that cross cultural boundaries have posed personal challenges. “I am a constant outcast because of the things I am attracted to in life. No matter the crowd I am in, I seem to be different.” He explained, “My favorite music is hip-hop, a predominantly Black music and culture. Music plays a huge part in my life because it makes me feel better when I’m down, happier when I am unhappy, and safe when I feel exposed. Most people tend to judge me simply by the music and culture I live by.” As a White, educated adult, Timothy reported that this “is frustrating, but I feel a certain comfort in being different, so it balances out. I guess I have strived to be different my entire life and it appears to bother other people.”A final suggestion in using racial and ethnic identity models is to become knowledgeable of cultural behaviors and nuances that might influence the helping skills you choose. Learn about behavioral differences and cultural sensitivities common among the people with whom you will work. Search out resources to learn about Native Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos/as, and people of other heritage, and use them judiciously. Learn from clients what is important. For example, what behaviors offer them comfort or present uncomfortable situations? Use their perspectives in creating healthy and helpful relationships. The remaining chapters of this text continue to explore different aspects of cultural identity and self-concept development that will help in this process. To begin, Chapter 5 examines, sex, gender, and sexual orientation identity as contributing factors.