Presenting Situation/History (Question 1) Miss Rachel Green, who is sixteen years old, was referred to Bridgeman Overall Health Services last month by her probation officer. She received probation after shoplifting and hitting the store’s owner with a can of soda when the owner began chasing her. According to the Colorado Judicial Branch, obtaining mental health services is a possible condition of probation (n.d.). The purpose of probation is to reduce an individual’s risk of re-offending after they have pled guilty to a crime (Colorado Judicial Branch, n.d.).
Assessment of Rachel Green (Questions 2 and 7) At the time of this report, Miss Green has met with me two times. We have discussed her current shoplifting …show more content…
According to the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the purpose of social work is to “enhance human well-being” and empower consumers who experience vulnerability and/or oppression (2008). Regardless of the theory used with any consumer, the utmost effort needs to uphold these social work values. Creating more optimistic core beliefs is a beneficial intervention for Miss Green, and this intervention can occur through cognitive restructuring. This theoretical orientation closely relates to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT); CBT emphasizes a dual focus on both beliefs and behavior while cognitive restructuring aims to correct inaccurate beliefs. Ruffolo, Perron, and Voshel (2016) note that cognitive restructuring occurs when consumers identify automatic thoughts through a thought record (pp. 153-155). The social worker then aids the consumer in challenging these thoughts with explorative questions that highlight how the consumers can think more objectively. This activity allows consumers to restate their negative thought patterns in a more positive way, which then generates more healthy behavior (Ruffolo, Perron, & Voshel, 2016, pp. 158-160). Miss Green would benefit from cautious cognitive …show more content…
She stated that having more private time playing music would likely decrease her stress level and increase her sense of control. To increase her self-esteem gradually, Miss Green will place post-it notes around her home that she frequently sees. These post-it notes will serve as a reminder to say out loud twice per day, “I am a good musician, and enjoy my music” until next week’s appointment scheduled for September 22, 2016. Goal attainment will occur when Miss Green confidently and proudly says this statement at least twice per day. A more distal, ultimate measurement of accomplishment is Miss Green’s ability to implement this statement whenever she needs increased self-esteem without the cue of post-it notes (Ruffolo, Perron, & Voshel, 2016, pp. 134-135). To increase the frequency of Miss Green telling her foster parents she needs alone time, she will practice saying the code word “control” twice per day when she is feeling overwhelmed until her next visit on September 22, 2016. This word will signal to Miss Green’s foster parents that she needs private time to calm herself down. During our last session, Miss Green noted she would like her foster parents to join her for her session on September 22 to gain their support for her code word technique. Miss Green was enthusiastic about creating