CNL 545 Week 7 Discussion
Explain the importance of completing a child abuse assessment at the onset of mental health counseling as well as continuing to assess for this throughout the course of treatment.
Child abuse assessment provides the counselor with useful information to select the type of intervention and treatment approach to help the client cope and recover. According to (McDonald, 2007), screening, assessment, and interpretation of a child’s concerns are based on the information gathered during the intake interview stage. Onset assessment provides a counselor with sufficient information about the client’s culture, background, and other sensitive information. Also, a counselor capitalizes on the onset assessment to diagnose the children of the exact problem they suffer from; a DSM-5 diagnostic tool can suitably fit in this context. According to (McDonald, 2007), intake assessment by a clinician helps gather information about the presenting symptoms which the child is exhibiting for purposes of diagnosis. Also, onset assessment helps counselors understand the behavioral, emotional, and mental issues that the child under crisis is enduring. Besides, completing a child abuse assessment during the intake interview stage enables a counselor to create a rapport or good therapeutic relationship with the client.
Compare and contrast overt and covert acts of sexual exploitation. Is one easier to identify or address through professional counseling than the other? Defend your rationale.
An overt act of sexual orientation: One which is shown or done openly; readily and apparent (Bickham, 2007). The act is neither hidden nor done in secret.
Covert act of sexual orientation: The act is hidden and done in secret. Always, the covert act of sexual orientation is covered, concealed, sheltered, or disguised (Bickham, 2007). For example, acts involving parents having their children to satisfy their sexual feelings, desires, and urges, although there is no physical intimacy attached.
Rationale: A logical being is most likely to think that overt act of sexual orientation, which is done openly with no secrecy, would be easier to identify or address by a professional therapist than the one committed to secret and or concealed (Bickham, 2007). An excellent example of overt sexual orientation is a girl who is forced to have sex with a man in the Mormon cult group. Such acts have occurred for an extended period now. No state would pass a law allowing underage children to be married. Thus, overt acts are easier to address than covert actions in a professional therapy setting.
References
Bickham, P. J. (2007). Correlates of early overt and covert sexual behaviors in heterosexual women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 36(5), 724-740.
McDonald, K. C. (2007). Child Abuse: Approach and Management. American Family Physician, 75(2), 221-228.