Psychology

This assignment provides the opportunity for you to demonstrate your ability to apply the concepts covered throughout the course. This assignment MUST be typed, double-spaced, in APA style, 7th edition, and must be written at graduate level English. You must integrate the material presented in the text and cite your work according to APA format. Please use all chapters in the text to add depth to your responses.

Culture, Diversity and Legal/Ethical considerations are required. Please integrate factors relevant to culture and diversity in your discussions of each vignette. Identify and discuss legal and ethical issues present in each vignette. [This information can be found in Part I as well as in chapters throughout the course text]. You are also encouraged to use outside cultural resources to enhance your understanding.

Use the Case of Stan and Case of Gwen as a guide to theoretical application, referencing in APA style.

Your response to each vignette should be 1-2 pages per vignette for a total of 5-6 pages for the entire assignment plus a title and reference page.
Do not copy and paste the vignettes into your written response

Vignette Four
Albert and Paula self-identify as an African American couple seeking counseling. Albert and Paula have been living together for several years. Albert wants to either resolve certain problems or break up the relationship. Paula is very anxious about being deserted, and she agrees to come for counseling as a couple. Paula feels unappreciated, and she does not feel that Albert cares for her in “the way I would like.” She initially tells you the following: “I try so hard to do what I think Albert expects. It’s really important that I please him, because I’m afraid that if I don’t, he’ll get fed up and simply leave. And if he left, I imagine all sorts of terrible things happening. First of all, I feel the constant threat of being left. I need someone to rely on – someone who will listen to me, who I know cares for me and accepts me the way I am, who wants to be with me, and who will approve of what I do. I feel I must have this in the person I live with. If I don’t, this just proves that the other person doesn’t love me. I need to be loved. My parents didn’t love me, they never gave me the approval I needed to have, and I think that this alone is more than enough for me to bear.”
Albert responds with the following: “Frankly, I’m so tired of always feeling that I must prove myself and my constant love for Paula. No matter what I do or say, I typically end up feeling that I’m not enough and that regardless of what I do, it just won’t measure up. I’m tired of hearing that I don’t care. I’m sick of being made to feel that I’m insensitive. I hate being made to feel inadequate, and I don’t want to constantly feel that I have to weigh everything I say for fear that I’ll offend Paula and make her upset. I just can’t stand having people be upset at me – it makes me feel lousy and guilty – as if I should somehow be more than I am, that I ought to be better than I am. If I can’t get over being made to feel inadequate around Paula, I want out!”

Assume that Albert and Paula comes to you for personal therapy and that all you know about them is what they told you above. Answer the following questions on how you might proceed with this couple within a Cognitive-Behavioral frame of reference:

1. From the perspective of rational emotive behavior therapy, some of the following could be identified as Paula’s irrational beliefs. Show how you would demonstrate to her that they are self-defeating attitudes that are the direct cause of her misery:

• I must please Albert, and if I don’t he’ll leave, and the consequences will be horrible!

• I must have someone to rely on, or else I can’t make it on my own!

• I must have someone to show me caring, love, and approval, and if I don’t get this, life is hardly worth living!

• If I don’t get what I want from life, then life is damn unfair!

2. Again as an REBT therapist, how might you work with Albert’s irrational beliefs? How would you teach him to dispute them? How would you show him that these beliefs are at the root of his problems?

• I must prove myself, I must be able to meet another’s expectations of me – and if I don’t, I’ll feel inadequate, guilty, rotten, and deficient as a person!

• If I don’t meet Paula’s needs, I’m made to feel inadequate.

ANSWER

Vignette Four

Paula and Alberta’s case attracts the integration of the cognitive-behavioral framework, where the primary goal is to accelerate a change in thought patterns. The concept evaluates how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors determine the current issue. As Fenn and Bryne (2013) reveal, cognitive behavioral therapy examines the link between thoughts, emotions, and behavior. The therapist relies on these elements to provide a viable recommendation for the couple.

The rational emotive behavior therapy model is crucial to ensure that Paula changes her perception and attitude. She portrays a self-defeating attitude that leads her into the misery. As the therapist, it is important to inform Paula about self-acceptance. She needs to accept both her strengths and weaknesses. She is always in dire need of approval and is willing to do anything to attain it. However, Paula should accept and believe in herself to avoid the self-defeating attitude. Her issues incorporate the cultural perspective where women are deemed inferior and are expected to be subordinate across various global communities (Sultana, 2010). She needs to counter the perception that she cannot make it independently and that the end of their relationship translates to adverse consequences on her part.

Albert also portrays irrational beliefs. He believes that he must prove himself, and the inability to meet the expectations creates an inadequacy feeling. He should learn to believe in his potential and accepting outcomes. Everything might not always work as he plans and expects. The realization that he might fail to attain the desired results will make him learn to accept results an avoid proving himself to his wife. This eliminates feelings such as guilt and deficiency.

Overall, the case encompasses ethical issues such as fairness and the duty to warn or protect the two clients from any harm. The therapist may encounter a fairness challenge due to the recommendation provided to each client. Also, the service provider is keen to protect the couple from any harm and, as such, might encounter an ethical challenge.

References

Fenn, K., & Byrne, M. (2013). The key principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy. InnovAiT, 6(9), 579-585. https://doi.org/10.1177/1755738012471029

Sultana, A. (2010). Patriarchy and Women s Subordination: A Theoretical Analysis. Arts Faculty Journal, 1-18.