Developing a Counseling Plan Essay Example for Free

Developing a Counseling Plan Essay As a counselor one constantly strives to help clients become successful members of society. In order to become successful in society one must be mentally healthy, there are clients that are so unhealthy mentally and that have struggled so much throughout their childhood and through adolescents that as a counselor you work and push that much harder to help your client overcome those obstacles. In some cases ones counseling can prevent a negative life and provide for a safer society. This case depicts a client that falls under those circumstances. As a client, John Wayne Gacy will be introduced to Family Therapy to help him understand his family environment and help him to cope and or change the way he feels about his family life. The counseling plan will deal with John Wayne Gacy’s issues of his father being an alcoholic, his father abusing him and the rest of his family, him liking boys, as well as his anti-social ways at school. These will be addressed by looking at creating a genogram. When looking at the research it is favorable to use family therapy in order to facilitate change within the family environment by looking at problem solving abilities, looking at the positive rather than the negative, and accepting family members. Case Study My client is John Wayne Gacy, a 15 year old boy living in Chicago, Illinois. He is a white male and has been referred by a judge to undergo a psych evaluation, after his psych evaluation he began coming to see me. This is Gacy’s first time seeking help from a licensed counselor. Presenting Problems John’s presenting problems are his father is an abusive alcoholic, John is attracted to boys, and John is anti-social at school. These three things lead to much confusion in John’s life which led to him hearing voices. John wants to see if family therapy could change some of his issues and feels that by going to family therapy his home environment might change into a more supportive one. Family Background and Developmental History John Wayne Gacy, the son of Marion Elaine Robinson Gacy and John Wayne Gacy Sr. was born on March 17th 1942 in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were of Polish and Danish heritage (Bell). John was the middle child of three; he had an older sister Joanne and a younger sister Karen. John and his sisters were brought up Catholic and went to catholic school. The environment in which he was raised in was that of middle class, he had a part-time job after school and was involved with the boy scouts. John and his two sisters were raised by a father that was an alcoholic; he abused them and their mother. John was not popular in school and was often left out of the loop. John had a playground incident at age 11 which led to him having a blood clot and the clot caused him to have blackouts (Bell Bardsley). He could not play with the other kids because he had a heart condition which was another reason he was looked down upon by his father; he saw it as another shortcoming. John also discovered that he liked boys and often struggled with dealing with his sexuality (Bell). John’s father in a way resented him for this. He felt that it was a sign of weakness or another fault that John had. Current Living and Work Environment John is involved in many organizations within the community. He is a hard worker that often suffered from exhaustion and anxiety from the pressure he put on himself to succeed. John was a father and husband; and had a house in the suburbs. All of this came to a screeching halt when rumors of Gacy liking boys surfaced. Multiple charges and even a prison sentence were handed down to Gacy for the assault of a young boy. Physical Appearance, Mood, and Demeanor John was overweight and had heart and back problems; however, it did not stop him from his work or community activities. Gacy was sentenced to ten years in prison for assaulting a young boy. Gacy was in denial saying that the young boy willingly participated in the sexual acts in order to make extra money. He also did not take responsibility for his actions and tried to place blame on others. Gacy’s has an anti-social personality but is mentally competent. When he was in prison he followed rules and was not violent. Gacy took on different personalities as well as went through many different moods (Inside John Wayne Gacy’s Mind). Counseling Plan This counseling plan uses Family Therapy. â€Å"Families are systems of interconnected and interdependent individuals, none of whom can be understood in isolation from the system.†(Genopro) Basically family members feed off each other, positivity feeds positivity and vice versa. The best way to put together a treatment plan is to build your family genogram. Study your own behavior patterns and how they fit in with the rest of your family throughout generations. This will bring out options in which could be used in order to solve problems and figure out how one fits into the family and what ones role is within the family (Genopro). The genogram structure of family therapy will allow John and me to create a counseling plan very easily. Conceptualization of Client’s Presenting Problem and Developmental History John shows signs of multiple personality disorder as well as having an anti-social personality. John also hears voices. Family Therapy eludes to the fact that Family development and the environment that he was brought up in, along with family makeup could be a contributor to why John suffers from what he does (Capuzzi Gross, 2011). Family patterns or expectations are looked at in many ways from parental beliefs, personalities, and extended family influence. This allows each family to be unique in their own ways. This uniqueness can be very overwhelming and takes a toll on all members whether it is negative or positive (Pope). For example, John’s father puts a lot of pressure on him to be successful. John’s shortcomings were looked down upon by his father most likely do to the beliefs and personality that he formed based upon his parental upbringing. John admits that his father was abusive to his mom, sisters, and him as well. John took on many personalities and even called himself pogo the clown at times. John was attracted to boys and this is something that has haunted him his whole life and the reason he is in the predicament he is in. He hated being a disappointment to his father and he was always looking to please his father. John’s confusion with his sexuality ultimately lead to him killing those he sexually encountered because the voices he heard were telling him it would please his father. In session we will discuss with John  and his family ways in which the environment John is brought up in could be altered. Conceptualization of Human Nature According to Family Theory The goal of Family Therapy models is to take the problem presented by the individual dealing with their relationships with other people in the family setting and change the negative aspects (Franklin). The Family Therapy counselor believes the development of family life include family life cycle, family life spiral, and the family genogram (Capuzzi Gross, 2011) The family life spiral looks at how the members of the family go through the stages of development from young to old age. The family life spiral looks at generations and how they coincide with each other. The genogram charts development of generations. Counseling Goals The overall objective is for John Wayne Gacy to be able to find a way to cope with his anger towards his father and to be able to express how his father’s abuse towards the family affected him in a negative way. John said he wants to break down the barrier between him and his father because he loves him and ultimately wants to make him proud. To advocate for this John’s goal is to try and change the cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects of his family system (Capuzzi Gross, 2011). In other words he wants to change the environment in the Gacy household completely around. The abuse needs to stop, the constant pressure needs to stop, and the pointing out of his weaknesses needs to be approached differently. Course of Treatment In order to get a complete understanding I believe the first action that needs to be taken is the nuclear family emotional system needs to be broken down, what this is looking at is the possible relationships with in a family and look at where problems could possibly come about. For John, 3 of the relationship patterns are touched upon in his situation. His father is abusive to his mother and siblings, in John’s fathers eyes there is an impairment of John because he likes boys, and lastly there is an emotional disturbance suffered by John because of his father’s view of him (Genpro). The second part that needs to be addressed is differentiation of self which is the dependency on others to give acceptance and approval. This is something John struggled with and never received from his father. He never felt like his father truly accepted him or approved of the life style that he lived (Genpro). John agreed to do 2 things a day to satisfy his needs, meaning if he wanted to work in the community do it because it made him feel good not because he wants or needs approval from his father. Treatment plan was developed and signed by John and we will meet on a weekly basis. Family Therapy Interventions Due to John stating that the pressure his father puts on him within the family system to be successful, the first intervention to be used will be the family interview. We will follow the five stages of the interview which are social, problem, interaction, goal setting, and ending (Capuzzi Gross, 2011). This interview will give me the tools necessary to properly assess the situation. The interview will also help John and his family understands how each other feels and come up with some interventions to help facilitate change. â€Å"the first obligation of a therapist is to change the presenting problem offered. If that is not accomplished, the therapy is a failure† (Capuzzi Gross, 2011). The first intervention needs to address the problem that John has presented, based upon the interview the interventions that will be implemented will be geared towards progressing with Johns presenting problem. Research Support The research that was obtained was very helpful in forming a counseling plan or treatment plan for this particular client. Family Therapy is known for helping individuals whose presenting problems deal with issues that stem from the family and the environment the individual was brought up in. Family therapy is the best way to look at â€Å"the patterns of communication and the relationships that connect people with one another and to their social and physical environments† (Capuzzi Gross, 2011, p. 287). In this case we will be looking at how John fits into his family and what his father’s expectations are of John. Interviewing as an intervention will be crucial in figuring out John place in the family and seeing how his and his father’s view of the roles conflict with each other. Family therapy allows for John  and his family to work on their problem solving with each other within the family, expressing their individuality with each other, discussing the positive and negative aspect of their family atmosphere as well as with each other on an individual basis, and lastly the acceptance of each other (Capuzzi Gross, 2011). Family therapy allows for clients to understand their environments as well as to understand their role within that environment. The counselor’s role within the session is to basically guide the discussion and conduct the interview. Family Therapy I feel is the best theory to use for a client such as John Wayne Gacy due to his confusion within his family, particularly when it comes to the relationship with his father and the expectation that his father has for him or at least how John see those expectations. Conclusion This counseling plan reviewed the use of Family Therapy for counseling John Wayne Gacy. Family Therapy is designed to be an extensive look at John Wayne Gacy’s family makeup. John Wayne Gacy’s presenting problems are his father abusing him and his family, his father being an alcoholic, he struggles with his sexuality, and he is anti-social. Family therapy is used to deal with these concerns, so for John, the counseling objective is to find a way to cope with his anger towards his father and to be able to express how his father’s abuse towards the family affected him in a negative way. The counseling plan addresses John’s concerns of worrying about his father’s abuse and constant push for perfection as well as his anti-social tendencies. Due the treatment plan and goals presented and the attitude of John to want to get better, I feel that Family Therapy will be successful for John Wayne Gacy as well as his family. References Bell, R., Bardsley, M. (n.d.). John wayne gacy jr. In R. BELL (Ed.), Retrieved from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/notorious/gacy/gacy_1.html Bell, R. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/john-wayne-gacy-10367544 Capuzzi, D., Gross, D. R. (Ed.). (2011). Counseling and psychotherapy: Theories and interventions (5th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association Franklin, C. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.utexas.edu/courses/franklin/62670/Week1.html GenoPro. Family systems theory. Retrieved from http://www.genopro.com/genogram/family-systems-theory/ Inside John Wayne Gacy’s Mind. Chicago: CBS. Retrieved from http://chicago.cbslocal.com/video/6658917-inside-john-wayne-gacys-mind/ Pope, J. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/balance/family-therapy-6301

Ross Assessment of Activities in the Middle East :: Politics Political Regimes Essays Papers

Ross' Assessment of Activities in the Middle East Winds of change continue to sweep through lands traditionally ruled by cruel regimes, as the people of these nation-states set aside their fears and vote with their feet. Participation in nations such as Georgia, Ukraine, and Lebanon has increased, and the question lingers as to whether these changes will be merely a breeze, or have more far-reaching and lasting effects. As former U.S. envoy to the Middle East, Dennis Ross, comments on the situations in the Middle East, he analyzes possible outcomes and makes policy suggestions on how to catalyze and encourage further movement away from corrupt authoritarian regimes. In his assessment of activities in the Middle East, Ross recognizes the doubtfulness of any kind of swift and complete transition away from the corruption that so often characterizes the governments of the region. The nuclear situation in Iran, and one of the proposals on how to deal with it, provide a small scale representation of the problems that result from cooperative dealings. Just as the carrots-and-sticks approach to the situation in Iran presents the problem of Iran?s compliance with the terms, so does the general climate of the Middle East. The way in which a nation chooses to present itself and its actions does not always reflect what is actually occurring; gestures and actions are not necessarily supported by genuine sentiment. Despite the fact that his calls for collective action by the United States, Europe, and Japan provide a hypothetically effective solution, the fear may arise that no action will be taken, regardless of the presence of an agreement. Though multilateralism seems to be a good way of handling these issues of corruption, transition, and hopefully, liberalization, it is by no means foolproof. As long as self-interest is prioritized above collective interest on the international agendas of nations like the United States, multilateralism cannot be a sure-fire solution. There exist no guarantees that the continued oppressiveness of various Middle Eastern regimes will prove the greatest threat to national and international security; therefore, there lies the possibility that other issues prove to be more urgent and take precedence. As a result, nations involved in this agreement may have more pressing concerns to address, and choose to withdraw or not participate fully if a response is needed . Ross acknowledges the capability of liberal activity in the region as a force with a possible spillover effect.

Abuse in Nursing Homes – Essay

Unit 3 IP Leigh Ratliff There are reports of abuse in nursing homes every year. There are many types of abuse reported as well. Even though there are many reports there are also many cases that are not reported. Elderly being abused puts them in an even more vulnerable position that what they were in. They now have to fear for their lives from the people who should be taking care of them. With reported cases and non-reported cases the abuser is rarely punished which makes the situation much worse. Elder abuse in nursing homes has grown at an alarming rate and not being reported and I firmly believe that the punishment should be increased for these abusers such as licenses being pulled and state stepping in more to investigate. There are many different types of abuse towards elders. Types of abuse are neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and many more. There are more than an estimated 2. 1 million reports of abuse each year as found in the studies of American Psychological Association, 2011. Elderly abuse is often times overlooked especially when there is bruising of the skin. The elderly are frail and the bruises are often mistaken for normal care on a frail individual which can happen. M. Lachs and K. Pillemer, also studied the same abuse issues and reported that many physicians were un-familiar with the mandatory reporting of abuse. In fact many physicians could not identify a case of elder abuse (1995-2006). Neglect is one of the most common reports of abuse in nursing homes. Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to take care of a patient the way they should. In example, a caregiver does not change an elderly person every two hours. Instead the elder is only changed every 4 hours. This can cause bed sores. Bed sores break down the skin and when urine and feces enter the wound the patient can become ill and even die. Another type of abuse is physical abuse. Physical abuse occurs when a care giver hits a patient. Physical abuse towards the elderly can have grave consequences as well. The elder are very fragile and when hit can easily cause broken bones and even death. It is very hard for the elderly to recover because they are so fragile. Many physicians do not recognize the signs of abuse. The injuries are often mistaken for common issues with fragile elder patients. This means most cases of abuse are not reported and the abuser continues the acts. For cases that are reported the abuse usually is not punished in a meaningful way. Usually the abuser gets a slap on the wrist and in worst case scenario fired from the job just to go to another job and do the same thing. If the state would come in to the nursing homes more often or even a regular weekly basis to inspect. The state has a larger impact than expected and could put the situation under control. The abusers should have their certifications and licenses revoked and should not be able to continue their work. Doing this would leave the patients with care givers who actually care and want to do the job correctly. There are many, many reports every year on abuse in nursing homes. The reports to not even come close to the actual number of cases since not all are reported. Abuse in nursing homes is a very serious matter and should be treated as such. The elderly deserve respect and great care. They have lived a long life and should not have to end it in tragedy.

The Chemistry of Theobromine

Theobromine belongs to a class of alkaloid molecules known as methylxanthines, which naturally occur in as many as 60 different plant species and include caffeine (the primary methylxanthine in coffee) and theophylline (the primary methylxanthine in tea). Theobromine is the primary methylxanthine found in products of the cocoa tree, theobroma cacao. Effects of Theobromine on Humans Theobromine affects humans similarly to caffeine, but on a much smaller scale. Theobromine is mildly diuretic (it increases urine production), is a mild stimulant, and relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi in the lungs. In the human body, theobromine levels are halved between 6-10 hours after consumption. Theobromine has been used as a drug for its diuretic effect, particularly in cases where cardiac failure has resulted in an accumulation of body fluid. It has been administered with digitalis in order to relieve dilatation. Because of its ability to dilate blood vessels, theobromine also has been used to treat high blood pressure. Dangers of Theobromine Cocoa and chocolate products may be toxic or lethal to dogs and other domestic animals such as horses because these animals metabolize theobromine more slowly than humans. The heart, central nervous system, and kidneys are affected. Early signs of theobromine poisoning in dogs include nausea and vomiting, restlessness, diarrhea, muscle tremors, and increased urination or incontinence. The treatment at this stage is to induce vomiting. Cardiac arrhythmias and seizures are symptoms of more advanced poisoning. Different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine. In general, theobromine levels are higher in dark chocolates (approximately 10 g/kg) than in milk chocolates (1-5 g/kg). Higher quality chocolate tends to contain more theobromine than lower quality chocolate. Cocoa beans naturally contain approximately 300-1200 mg/ounce theobromine (note how variable this is!).