Cultural Formulation Paper
1. What are the two main presenting problems for the Vargas family?
The Vargas family is composed of Bob, Elizabeth, Frank, and Heidi. As per the case studies, the Vargas family is experiencing problems and the source of these problems is Frank. The two main presenting problems for the Vargas family are:
- Increase in marital tension to an extend that Bob and Elizabeth hold arguments in front of the children. In the case, Elizabeth and Bob acknowledge an increase in marital tension and continued habit of having arguments about Frank’s behavior even before the kids.
- Inability to relax and calm down due to Frank’s unusual behaviors. In the case, Elizabeth is unable to relax and acts “too high-strung” when Frank damages things. Also, Frank’s unusual behaviors are making Elizabeth unable to calm.
2. How are the problems maintained?
As aforementioned, the two main presenting problems are increase in marital tension and inability to relax while Frank’s exhibits his unusual behaviors. In professional counseling, these two problems can be maintained through psychoanalytic and cognitive-behavioral approach in order to restore happiness into the Vargas family.
From the psychoanalytic perspective
In a psychoanalytic perspective, both Elizabeth and Frank require therapy. Frank’s behavior is unconscious, and Elizabeth’s thoughts towards Frank’s behavior are unconscious. This approach will help a counselor treat the Vargas family such that they release repressed emotions and regain consciousness (Courtney, 2019). Elizabeth suffers from the inability to control temper, and psychoanalytic therapy will help understand the reasons behind this habit. Again, a counselor will conduct an in-depth examination of Bob’s childhood behavior to determine if Frank has inherited the same characteristics. With this approach, the ongoing relationship issues, emotional trauma, and family emotional trauma will be treated.
From the cognitive-behavioral perspective
Cognitive behavioral therapy will help the Vargas family understand the feelings and thoughts that influence their behaviors. For example, Elizabeth’s behavior of not being able to relax when Frank damages things will be examined and understood. Also, the thoughts surrounding Frank’s unusual behavior in school and at home will be examined and understood. In the short-term, CBT will help transform the negative thought, behaviors, and emotions that are troubling the Vargas family and restore the right mood into the family (Kendra, 2020).
3. What interventions would you plan to use in your next session?
While psychoanalytic is a long-term perspective, cognitive-behavior therapy is effective for short-term counseling. There are various therapeutic techniques in both perspectives that can be employed in order to maximize insight and gain awareness into the Vargas Family’s problems and behavior.
From the psychoanalytic perspective
Free association: In this technique, a counselor will encourage the Vargas family to freely talk about anything that comes into mind. In close reference to the problems being faced by the family, a counselor will formulate a list of random questions, and the clients will respond with the first association that happen (Coughlin & Katzman, 2013). In this session, repressed memories with Elizabeth, Frank, Bob, or Heidi will emerge and thus the right treatment will be offered.
Interpretation: As a counselor, I will help Elizabeth, Bob, and Frank explore memories and personal narratives in great detail, and in this doing, analyze the presenting problems. Out of the case told by Elizabeth and Bob, the counselor will look for the common problems affecting the whole family (Courtney, 2019). In the end, the therapist will interpret the patient’s story and provide the right treatment.
From the cognitive-behavioral perspective
Guided discovery: As per the case, Bob believes Frank’s behavior is normal since he is a boy while this is the opposite of Elizabeth’s believes. In this approach, the counselor will listen to both Elizabeth’s and Bob’s viewpoints (Kendra, 2020). This will help the counselor understand whose views are right towards Frank and thus help resolve the underlying arguments in the family.
Cognitive reframing: In this technique, the counselor will ask the Vargas family their thought process when it comes to Frank’s behavior and circumstance in order to identify negative patterns. After gaining this awareness, the counselor will restructure those thoughts to make them more productive and positive (Kendra, 2020).
4. What is the role of the counselor in the change process?
From the psychoanalytic perspective
From the psychoanalytic perspective, a counselor’s role in the change process is working with the Vargas family to discover the bases for their marital tensions, unusual behavior, and inability to relax or calm down tempers especially during arguments (Courtney, 2019). In this case, the counselor will encourage the Vargas family to talk about the emotions they are feeling in order to help the family identify recurring patterns in their emotions, behavior, and thoughts. Still, the therapist will probe the past history of all members of the Vargas family.
From the cognitive-behavioral perspective
From the cognitive behavior perspective, the role of a counselor would be to listen, encourage, and teach the Vargas family (Kendra, 2020). To ensure that the counselor succeeds in his role, the Vargas family will have to freely express their problems and concerns with the willingness to learn and resolve their negative behaviors. Also, the counselor will assist the Vargas family in finding and practicing effective techniques that would aid them in resolving their problems while achieving their counseling goals.
References
- Coughlin, P., & Katzman, J. (2013). The role of therapist activity in psychodynamic psychotherapy. Pyschodynamic Psychiatry, 41(1), 75-89.
- Courtney, E. A. (2019). What is Psychodynamic Therapy? 5 Tools & Techniques. Positive Pyschology, 49.
- Kendra, C. (2020). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as Treatment: Process, Types, Components, Uses, and Effectiveness. Pyschotherapy, 2-5.