Page 1 of 2

Term Paper

Each student is required to submit a 2000-word term paper (excluding references) on an

assigned case scenario (depicted on page 2). Based on the case scenario, each student is

required to:

 Offer a thorough case analysis (including assessment of the presenting problems and

underlying problems).

 Make an intervention recommendation (including its limitations and strengths) that

focuses on one of the following counselling approaches:

a. Person-centred therapy

b. Behavioral therapy

c. Cognitive therapy

d. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy

e. Gestalt therapy

f. Structural family therapy

g. Positive psychotherapy

 Reflect on personal strengths and limitations, as a counselor, in working with the

assigned case scenario.

 The term paper is due on or before 10 November 2022.

 Gestalt Therapy- why: because focuses on the present-
it focuses on his responsibilities towards family and
wife, rather focusing on himself. he spends his money
on drinking rather than on his family. focus on the
present, rather than what happened in the past.
Page 2 of 2

Case Scenario

Tom is a 38-year old married father of two children: a 3-year old son and a 7-year old

daughter. His father is a reformed alcoholic who drank heavily when he was a child. He says

he and his younger brother remain very close and have helped each other through the loss of

their parents. He is a construction worker and reports having to work in extreme heat

outdoors. He may drink up to 8 cold beers to deal with the heat during a typical 10-hour

workday. He does not believe it affects his work performance in any way, but admits that he

has experienced a couple of minor injuries at work while under the influence. He denies any

other negative consequences from his alcohol use. He explains that his job is tiring, leaving
Gestalt
him no energy to engage with his children or wife after work. therapy is
freer and
more
He reports significant stress and conflict in his marriage. His 33-year old wife, creative
form of
Victoria, and he often argue about how much of his salary is going to buying beers instead of therapy.
since tom
their mortgage payments and how he is too drunk to spend time with her or the children. His wants to
seek
therapy
response is “Why can’t you be satisfied with what you have? Don’t I make enough sacrifice rather
reluctantly-
for this damn family?” For Tom, he shares that when he and his wife argue, it follows a very gestalt
would be
predictable pattern. They disagree, interrupt one another, yell, and he calms down by having better cause
its not as
several beers. After that, he withdraws and becomes sullen for a few days. Nothing gets intimidatin
g and
demanding?
resolved, and this cycle appears once again when they have conflict. further
gestalt can
Victoria has finally decided that even if it rocks the boat and causes a storm, she help resolve
the marital
cannot continue living as she has. She has asked Tom to go to counselling, because she is and family
problems-
the only
very concerned about his drinking. Tom thinks that seeking counseling is somewhat a slap in motivation
behind Tom
his face, and that counselling should be reserved for those who cannot stop drinking. Yet, to seek
therapy in
Tom has agreed, reluctantly, mostly to save his marriage. He expresses sadness that Victoria the first
place.
is so upset. His love for her is clearly the primary reason he has come to see the counsellor.

He hopes to learn strategies to get his marriage back on track.

Cognitive Therapy- why not? because there is no mention of distorted thought.

more about behaviour- he is acting the way he knows how to already.