ESSAY: Assignment 2: Practicum – Week 2 Journal Entry

Students will:
Apply documentation skills to examine family therapy sessions *
Develop diagnoses for clients receiving family psychotherapy *
Analyze legal and ethical implications of counseling clients with psychiatric disorders

Select two clients you observed or counseled this week during a family therapy session.

Then, address in your Practicum Journal the following:

Using the Group Therapy Progress Note in this week’s Learning Resources, document the family session.
Describe (without violating HIPAA regulations) each client, and identify any pertinent history or medical information, including prescribed medications.
Using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), explain and justify your diagnosis for each client.
Explain any legal and/or ethical implications related to counseling each client.
Support your approach with evidence-based literature.

ANSWER

Client Description, Medical History and Information, and Prescribed Medications

Client Description

            The family therapy session comprised two individuals, James Croft, aged 40, and his wife, Sarah Croft, 32. The couple has no children. They had visited a family therapy center to seek assistance. Initially, James had been admitted voluntarily to the mental health unit due to depression, passive suicidal thoughts, and excessive alcohol dependence. James had lost his job due to working under alcohol influence. A recommendation for couple therapy was made to accelerate his recovery. James appeared depressed during the therapy session, and he admitting to battling alcohol problem. His life had been disrupted, and he had vowed to fully participate in the process of recovery for the sake of his health and marriage. On the other hand, the second client, Sarah, appeared frustrated and anxious. She attributed her problem to her husband, as she was constantly anxious and worried about their future. Fortunately, she was willing and ready to support his husband during the….

Medical History and Information, and Prescribed Medication

            James had battled depression for five year, and his primary care provider had prescribed Zoloft (antidepressant), a year ago. However, he had stopped taking them abruptly after admitting to have felt that his sexuality had been affected by the medication. He failed to follow-up with his provider. Instead, James self-medicated using alcohol. On the other hand, Sarah, reported having a history of occasional panic attacks and anxiety, and that she had resorted to taking 40mg of fluoxetine daily. Her primary care provider had prescribed the medication.             Regarding psychiatric hospitalization, James…