Running head: PRACTICUM: WEEK 1 JOURNAL ENTRY

Week 1 Journal Entry

Name

Institutional Affiliation
PRACTICUM: WEEK 1 JOURNAL ENTRY 2

Practicum
After meeting with my preceptor at the predetermined clinical site, he introduced me to the

environment and the nursing staff. In one of the counseling therapies, we met with J.P, a 35

years African American. He appeared neatly dressed and organized. The client, who was a

homosexual, was diagnosed with the anxiety and depression disorders. The client was sensitive

to any person around him, place environment and time. Additionally, he exhibited good verbal

communication. As a result, he expressed his challenges in an admirable manner. The client

depicted a depressed mood which made it difficult for him to concentrate on various issues at his

workplace as well and school. As a result, he has been warned by his supervisor over his

ineffectiveness and laxity. The issue has also led to his academic probation from NYU. J.P also

reported that he had some racing thoughts and mental irritability. During the session the client

articulated that he had no challenges in sleeping or eating. However, he has been undergoing

some suicidal thoughts within the last two days which was a strange feeling to him. Conversely,

he articulates that he has been avoiding the thoughts and do not want to commit suicide based on

the fact that it was the first time.

Further interaction with the client revealed that he had been involved in multiple cases of

unprotected sex with numerous sex partners. This trend has recurred for many years. J.P said that

he was addicted to it and was finding it hard to stop cohabiting. This factor made him to seek

some medical therapy. Notably, he had stopped the sexual trend after spending time with his

doctor. However, when his doctor went Detroit, he felt discouraged and lost focus in life and

went back to the old habit since last week. During this time, J.P was involved in sexual affairs

with 6 partners. This factor made him get angry with his life and currently suffers from self-

rejection as a result.
PRACTICUM: WEEK 1 JOURNAL ENTRY 3

Back in his youth, J.P always witnessed the anger He reported history of anger as a youth

and he would often internalize his feelings. A further interaction with the client revealed that the

genesis of his anger was the moment he was harassed sexually by some church members during

his tender age. Since then, he has also been fighting with depression. According to him, the

main trigger for sexual addiction was the urge to feel mentally relieved from depression. This

issue justifies his sexual affairs with multiple partners.

Despite the sexual addiction, the client was involved in a romantic long-term relationship

with his partner before it broke on October 2017. Notably, there was a link between the break-up

and the depression disorder. As a result of the challenges he is going through, the family has

been trying to seek for therapeutic support from the church to reduce his anger and depression.

However, this move has failed to work effectively.

Notably, he reported to have started smoking cigars (twice a day) and marijuana (once per

two months). He also stated that he had been taking alcohol occasionally. Currently, he is

fighting herpes and vertigo complications. He was also taking PrEP up to October 2017 when he

stopped as a result of penicillin side effects. However, the nurse gave him an option and is now

taking Wellbutrin XL 150mg daily.

Nursing Theories

Erickson’s modeling and role-modeling theory (MRM) was selected to treat the client. The

theory was created by Erickson, Tomlin, and Swain. According to Current Nursing (2013), the

approach was derived from theories like Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchy of Needs, Piaget’s

Theory of cognitive development, Seyle and Lazarus’s General Adaptation syndrome, and
PRACTICUM: WEEK 1 JOURNAL ENTRY 4

Erikson’s theory of psychosocial stages. MRM is effective in enables the nurses to ensure

maximum care to the patients. The nurse is expected to ensure full-time care to the patients and

treat him or her with maximum sensitivity. Notably, the approach involves modeling of the

patient’s behavior and disorder. This factor helps the nurse to comprehend the nature of the

patient’s world for a better intervention to be made. Additionally, the aspect of role modeling is

also used to help the client plan about the underlying disorder (Hertz, 2015). The main objective

of the theory is to ensure that the patients get a holistic care plan.

Counseling Theories

According to research, it has been revealed that the use of a holistic care plan when

treating depression and anxiety patients leads to a success in reducing their challenges. In this

case, the Holistic and Integrative Counseling Therapy was chosen to help J.P achieve wellness.

This theory involves influencing the client’s physical, psychological and emotional aspects.

According to Tusek, Church & Fazio (2006), this approach involves a combination of other

strategies like the psychoanalysis, breath work, guided imagery, and CBT. It helps to effectively

treat mood-related disorders, traumatic issues, sexual harassment and stress.

The guided imagery is one of the best holistic integrative approach strategies. It helps to

give the patient a relaxed mood and attain a physical and mental wellness (Tusek, Church,

&Fazio, 2006). In this case, it may help the patients to cope with challenges like depression and

anxiety effectively. According to Tusek, Church & Fazio (2006), the approach will help the

patient to gain physical strength. As a result, he will have a high rate of recovery. Finally, it will

help to create personal awareness for the client and help to boost self-esteem and acceptance.
PRACTICUM: WEEK 1 JOURNAL ENTRY 5

Three Objectives for the Practicum Experience

1. Understanding various nursing and counseling theories that are relevant in

family/group counseling

2. Creating a comprehensive family assessment by the end of Week 3

3. Preforming a family counseling without the intervention of the preceptor

Three Goals for the Practicum Experience

1. Developing skills to perform psychotherapy at the end of week 10 without any

assistance from the preceptor.

2. Combine various therapeutic techniques and practices like CBT into group

therapies in week 6

3. Comprehending the right strategies necessary for different groups or families by

week 5

Timeline of Practicum Activities

 Week1: Reviewing the overall practicum tasks from week 2 to week 11. I will also

communicate with the preceptor to assist me achieve the goals and objective of the

practicum. I will also develop understanding of various ethical and legal

considerations necessary for attaining effective family/group therapies.

 Week2: Observation of two or more family/group therapy session.

 Week 3: Completion of the client-family assessment

 Week4: Analyzing various structural and strategic intervention therapies’

suitability for different client families.

PRACTICUM: WEEK 1 JOURNAL ENTRY 6

 Week5: Articulate counseling therapies suitable for two family/group therapies.

This will require an understanding of the structure of solution-focused therapy or

CBT and their effectiveness in various familial contexts.

 Week6: Application of literature-derived in nursing practice

 Week 7: Articulate a progress psychotherapy overview for the client selected in in

week 3.

 Week8: Comprehend the effectiveness of CBT in family therapy

 Week9: Exploration of psychotherapy strategies to group/family addiction

 Week 10: Adolescent/child counseling and articulation of the summary regarding a

client who completing the group therapy

PRACTICUM: WEEK 1 JOURNAL ENTRY 7