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Child Depression Case

Student’s First Name, Middle Initial(s), Last Name

Institutional Affiliation

Course Number and Name

Instructor’s Title and Name

Assignment Due Date

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Child Depression Case

Ideally, right from his appearance as he came for the counseling session to how he spoke

with the counselor, it is evident that Joe was having issues affecting him not only physically but

psychologically as well. Notably, the cognitive behavioral theory presupposes that body

sensations, thoughts, emotions, and behavior are all connected and synchronized in such a way

that what one does and thinks of directly affects how one feels. It is an imperative theory used to

treat conditions such as insomnia and depression. As for the case in the subject, it is proper to

assert that Joe subscribed to this somewhat unusual behavior due to lack of attention from his

parents and people from school. This is so because he was a leader for a while, then all of a

sudden, no one noticed him. He isolated himself from the school's social circle due to their lack

of diversity. He felt like the two groups he hung out with had become monotonous, and thus he

did not see or deem it essential to be in any of them. Indeed, it is proper to assert that Joe's

feeling of depression was because of his emotions and thoughts. The idea that seclusion from the

social circles and indulgence in drugs would help him cope with his new environment led him to

not only fail in class but lack the motivation to be there, as well as have a direct implication on

the psychological and physical aspects of himself.

Joe's case is easy to solve, especially considering that he was able to identify some of the

things he feels are wrong with him or those that might have affected him. However, to develop a

better understanding of the client's situation, it is necessary to have an in-depth discussion with

the client about the cultural differences that have occurred in his surroundings (Warren, 2013).

While doing so, it is expected that Joe would talk about some norm practices that have

drastically changed in his life, thus helping him come up with solutions that could be used to

subvert the implications of the actions mentioned above. To gather as much information as
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possible, it would be necessary for the therapist schedules more sessions with Joe. The sessions

should be as private as possible, and the therapist should revise the interview questions to ensure

that they tackle the case in a way that is effective and comprehensive. The privacy of the sessions

is vital as Joe indicated that he did not like the idea of his parents discussing him when he was

not there. The therapist should aim to make him feel comfortable for him to feel safe enough to

talk his mind out without fear of being judged.

Summarily, cultural differences are pertinent, especially in treating cognitive behavior

disorders. Such an assertion comes from the fact that it gives the therapist a better perspective of

the patient's life and how they can come up with solutions to specific issues affecting the client.

The case in the subject can be solved more effectively if the therapist considers the inclusion of a

culturally formulated interview in assessing Joe's situation. This is so because it would help the

therapist gauge Joe's perspective of his various symptoms (Warren, 2013). In addition, a

culturally oriented interview helps the patient define their problems in their own words, thus

giving the therapist a comprehensive foundation with which to base their diagnosis and care.

References

Warren, B. J. (2013). How culture is assessed in the DSM-5. Journal of psychosocial nursing

and mental health services, 51(4), 40-45.

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