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Case Conceptualization Paper

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A case conceptualization is significant in understanding the client's problems. Case

conceptualization entails a summary of the client's information planned in a comprehensible

manner and can be used to enhance a better understanding of the problem and treatment plan.

Clinicians use conceptualization diagrams to create a better picture of the client's problems and

provide effective treatment. During the conceptualization process, maintaining a good

relationship between the client and counselor or clinician is beneficial to enhance healing and

build resilience in the client. A theoretical approach is most important for case conceptualization

to ensure the client's issues are addressed and the causes identified. Hence, a better treatment

plan can be formulated. Using Lisa's case and applying theoretical orientations will provide a

clear picture of the client's background, interventions, and treatment plan. Additionally, the case

conceptualization will consist of four main components: presentation of the problem, formulating

specific areas of concern, theoretical interventions, therapeutic goals, and relationship.

Presenting the Issue

Lisa is supposed to seek counseling following her consequent anxiety and worry

symptoms that have lasted more than five years. The 30-year-old female has never sought

professional help but has been struggling to manage her emotions. Being raised in a conservative

and religious family with stringent rules, Lisa needed to have clear morals, expectations, values,

and behavior from a younger age. Lisa's father was harsh and always presented criticisms about

her daughter especially being a slow runner, unlike the other siblings. Therefore, Lisa had

problems making social connections with friends in schools and speaking out about issues. The

female lived an intimidating life, and the father always told Lisa that she was not smart like her

brother and sister. Lisa, who is also a mother of two girls and two boys, has been encountering

depressive moods like sadness, and she finds it difficult to do daily activities.
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Besides, the lady has had frequent crying spells. Lisa's symptoms, such as being intrusive

and having repetitive thoughts, are centered on her childhood. Frequently, the female imagines

severe accidents occurring and cannot control her thoughts. Lisa is excessively protective over

her four children and uses specific numbers to display different meanings for the kids' safety. In

her imaginary mind, the lady perceives that without using the four numbers, the children will be

in danger in the next few days. Lately, Lisa has been experiencing dissatisfaction in her marriage

and feels that her children are unmanageable. After the husband had a heart attack, he had to

leave his job and depend on Lisa and the children to even the smallest task like getting a drink

from the refrigerator. Lisa thinks the children are out of control, talk about, and do not follow

instructions. Moreover, the lady once had suicidal thoughts after witnessing her friend's baby

running over by a bike. 

Theoretical foundations and Formulating Specific Areas of Concerns

Cognitive theory, developed by Albert, will be used in formulating the specific areas of

concern in Lisa's case. The theory states that dysfunctional thoughts result in extreme emotions

(Beck, 2019). The emotions can, in turn, cause maladaptive behaviors. Lisa's case is a perfect

example of extreme emotions. First, the client's emotions are rooted in her childhood, which was

harsh criticism from the father. Also, having witnessed a baby running over by a bike lead to

extreme emotions to the extent of having suicidal thoughts. According to cognitive theory, Lisa

has developed maladaptive behaviors. The lady perceives imaginary things and holds them to be

true (Beck, 2019). For instance, one day, she imagined her son breaking his leg when playing

football and had to call the school to confirm. The client still believed that his son was in danger

even after seeing him with no harm.

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Moreover, the lady frequently uses specific numbers and fears that something bad may

happen if she chooses certain numbers. For instance, if Lisa selects the first box on the cereal

shelf, she imagines that something severe would happen to the first child or the other children

could be affected if she chooses corresponding numbers. Therefore, this extremity makes the

client choose the fourth number in all her daily activities as a belief to protect the four children.

As seen in the client, the maladaptive behavior makes her believe that something terrible will

happen if she does not protect the children. This behavior has proven to be true to the lady, and

she always thinks that an accident must occur a few days later if she does not protect the four

children. Based on cognitive theory, Lisa's behavior is affected by her feelings, and she faces

uncontrollable thoughts in her mind, especially about a severe accident (Beck, 2019). Moreover,

an example of Lisa's case about extreme emotions is when the lady witnessed a baby involved in

an accident. The client ended up reacting directly to the scene and had suicidal thoughts, which

was maladaptive behavior.

Theory of Change and Specific Interventions

The cognitive theory can enhance Lisa's change and provide the necessary techniques,

strategies, and skills for a change. Albert developed cognitive therapy to correct faulty emotional

patterns in clients, especially those resulting from anxiety. Therefore, the therapy can be assistive

to Lisa, who faces major anxiety symptoms and worry every time. Cognitive therapy, also called

Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy (REBT), focuses on changing the negative emotions in a

client to eliminate a dysfunctional behavior (Schenk et al., 2020). Albert believed that suffering

from negative emotions resulted from irrational; core beliefs. For instance, Lisa has irrational

beliefs that something bad would happen to the children if she does not apply for the fourth

number in her daily routine, such as shopping, smoking, and drinking. According to REBT, such
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irrational beliefs have no evidence but are majorly rooted in a person's thoughts to affect

consequent actions (Schenk et al., 2020).

As a strategy of change to help Lisa, the therapy can help the client to change from

irrational beliefs and become more rational in life. REBT is used on participants to help in

identifying the irrational beliefs, challenging and replacing the thoughts with rational and

balanced feelings (Beck, 2019). According to cognitive therapy, treatment aims to eliminate

dysfunctional behaviors. For instance, Lisa's dysfunctional behavior is based on anxiety and

worries, making her have imaginary thoughts about a serious accident happening to the children.

The lady also feels dissatisfied in the marriage and perceives the kids did not learn from parental

disciplining and have become unmanageable. Therefore, cognitive therapy can be used as a

strategy of change in Lisa. 

Therapeutic Goals

The treatment plan for Lisa is to use cognitive therapy to eliminate the maladaptive

behavior in the client. The client faces extreme emotions from her anxiety and worry(Schenk et

al., 2020). Therefore, the main goal is to increase the capability of remaining calm. By this

assurance, Lisa will not have irrational beliefs about her children being involved in serious

accidents and using specific numbers as a protection measure. In order to increase calmness in

the clients, two objects must be met. First, as per Lisa's report, the client needs to learn emotional

regulation skills to reduce feelings of anxiety and worry. Seeking cognitive therapy can

significantly help in reducing anxiety and eliminating the behaviors resulting from extreme

emotions of the children's safety. second, the achieve the goal of increasing calmness to the

client, enhancing coping skills for anxiety feelings can help to correct the faulty emotional

patterns in Lisa (Schenk et al., 2020). The lady had been facing unhappy moments and felt
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dissatisfied with her marriage and kids. Developing coping skills such as talking to her partner or

considering the bigger picture when faced with irrational thoughts can help to reduce worry.

Therefore, the treatments plans and goals to increase calmness and be beneficial to Lisa's

healing. 

Therapeutic Relationship

The counselor and client should work collaboratively to enhance healing. The counselor

should ensure active participation with the client to ensure treatment and healing are achieved.

Moreover, the therapist has a role to listen, encourage and teach the client to eliminate any

dysfunctional behavior. On the other hand, the client has a role in expressing significant

concerns, being ready to correct faulty patterns, and implementing the learning. Therefore, the

relationship between the client and counselor should enhance better understanding for effective

treatment and healing.

Conclusively, case conceptualization is significant in addressing the client's issues.

Conceptualization entails outline the client's problems, formulating a theoretical approach, and

implement strategies for change for effective treatment. Besides, having clear goals and

objectives is beneficial in ensuring focused healing. Lisa's case is a perfect example of

individuals who face extreme emotions resulting from maladaptive behaviors. However,

applying cognitive therapy can be an effective strategy to eliminate the behaviors and reduce

anxious feelings. While seeking counseling, the client should be open to learning, and the two

should work collaboratively to enhance an effective healing process.

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References

Beck, A. T. (2019). A 60-year evolution of cognitive theory and therapy. Perspectives on

Psychological Science, 14(1), 16-20.https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1745691618804187

Schenk, A., Popa, C. O., Olah, P., Suciu, N., &Cojocaru, C. (2020). The Efficacy of Rational

Emotive Behavior Therapy Intervention in Generalized Anxiety

Disorder. ActaMarisiensis-SeriaMedica, 66(4), 148-151.https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-

2020-0027.