Trauma Case Study for Maryam
Assessment Issues
Maryam’s vodka intake is a critical assessment area. However, I would first explore her statement “I don’t deserve to live” and conduct a safety assessment (Ross, 2015). Second, I would assess her alcohol intake behavior, which is making her unable to sleep and attend morning classes. In behavior assessment, I would explore Maryam’s cultural, social, and family background to determine whether the alcohol intake behavior is related to these factors. These assessment areas will help form a suitable treatment plan and form educated and collaborative choices concerning treatment alternatives.
Crisis Situation
I think Maryam’s case is a crisis. The source of her issues is the traumatic accident she was involved in two months ago. This might be the reason why Maryam drinks Vodka at night as a coping mechanism to assist her to sleep. Maryam’s ability to sleep is the functional area that has been interrupted following the nightmares about the accident (Cole, 2009). Besides, Maryam’s normal functioning has become compromised by her avoidance of driving and her emotional distress. Thus, she is in a crisis.
Client’s Immediate Need
Maryam’s immediate need is to recover from this crisis. The counselor needs to identify any trauma-related symptoms in Maryam’s current behavior. Also, the clinician needs to determine whether Maryam’s presenting symptoms meet the DSM-5 criteria for trauma disorders. About DSM-5, Maryam is experiencing nightmares, unwanted memories, emotional distress, and trauma-related thoughts such as suicidal ones (Miller, Wolf, & Keane, 2014). She also has lost interest in certain activities, like driving. Thus, the counselor needs to create a suitable treatment plan and resilience to help Maryam recover.
Interventions Necessary with the Client
Maryam’s alcohol usage increase needs to be addressed. To effectively solve Maryam’s problem, the counselor should use solution-focused brief therapy and brief interventions. Solution-focused brief intervention would help the clinician to treat the Client’s suicidal and self-destructive thoughts (Cole, 2009). Brief interventions such as questioning Maryam would help the counselor to find the best solutions. Also, this intervention would allow the clinician to find solutions to Maryam’s current vodka intake problem and explore quicker resolutions to end her fear, anxiety, and unusual thought disorders.
Diagnosis for the Client
The DSM-5 criterion needs to be used for Maryam’s diagnosis. Maryam’s presenting problems suit the DSM-5 criterion for PSTD (Ross, 2015). Behavioral observations show that Maryam is anxious, stressed, low self-esteem, afraid, and hopeless. Following the accident she committed, Maryam has become traumatized. Based on the DSM-5 criterion, she is experiencing nightmares, suicidal thoughts, unwanted flashbacks, exaggeration of self-blame, and difficulty sleeping. Also, these symptoms have been evident in the last two months.
Is the Client Suffering Stress Disorder
According to the DSM-5 criteria, an individual must experience five or more symptoms during the past one-month, and at least one of these symptoms should be loss of interest or depression (Miller, Wolf, & Keane, 2014). In the case of Maryam, she has lost interest in driving, has difficulty in sleeping, and is having suicidal thoughts; these have lasted for 2-months. These symptoms reveal that Maryam is suffering a stress disorder.
Biology of Trauma
According to (Pervanidou, 2008), traumatic stress is caused by traumatic experiences, which disrupts one’s homeostasis. In this case, Maryam is slowly developing and addiction to alcohol as an attempt to cope with trauma. As a teen, Maryam’s psyche is experiencing the change and development process. Maryam’s lack of sleep has disturbed her homeostasis, and the continued use of Vodka to sleep has prompted irregularity of homeostasis.
Should Maryam’s Family be notified?
Indeed, family support benefits many people. However, in this case, the bigger problem is that Maryam is a minor (age 17 years), and she cannot consent to psychotherapy treatment. Being a teenaged seventeen means that she cannot sign into the treatment. Therefore, the clinician must contact Maryam’s family to ask them to give consent to the child’s therapy (Cole, 2009).
Would you feel Competent to work with this Client?
As a professional, I would feel competent to work with Maryam. This is because Maryam looks mindful of her presenting problem arrive on time for her appointment, and her expression is above average. I believe she would provide all the required information to facilitate her treatment plan.
Additional Resources
I would only seek additional resources to treat Maryam from her university roommate, who drove her to the appointment. Perhaps, her roommate could share some substantive data and information in the context of Maryam’s story. However, I would only seek such information if Maryam is okay with it. Otherwise, if Maryam is not okay, I won’t involve the friend in gathering any additional resources for the treatment.
Coordination of Treatment Issues to Consider
In Maryam’s treatment, there are treatment and coordination issues to consider. First, the clinician needs to coordinate with Dr. Jaffee, who referred Maryam to this agency. Second, the clinician needs to consider the treatment and medications administered to Maryam by the previous doctor. Last and not least, the clinician needs to establish a good rapport with Maryam.
References
- Cole, E. I. (2009). Trauma care: Initial assessment and management in the emergency department. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell Publishers.
- Miller, M. W., Wolf, E. J., & Keane, T. M. (2014). Posttraumatic stress disorder in DSM‐5: New criteria and controversies. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 21(3), 208-220.
- Pervanidou, P. (2008). Biology of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Childhood and Adolescence. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 20(5), 632-638.
- Ross, C. A. (2015). Trauma and Aggression in the DSM-5. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 24(4), 484-486.