Case Study
Patient Demographic: Name: Jeff Clinical Issues: Referral following hospitalization for suicidal ideation Diagnostic Category: Bipolar and Related Disorders Provisional Diagnosis: F31.32 Bipolar I Disorder, Moderate, Most Recent Episode Depressed Age: 33 Sex Assigned at Birth: Male Gender and Sexual Orientation: Male, Heterosexual Ethnicity: White Marital Status: Never married Modality: Individual Therapy Location of Therapy : Private Practice  
Mental Status Exam: The client's overall presentation during the examination is disheveled. He is thin, taller than average, and hunches over in his chair. He appears tired and exhibits low energy. Several times during the examination, he massages his neck and shoulders. He has inconsistent eye contact and often looks down at the floor. Speech is quiet and slow. You have to wait several seconds for him to answer questions. Thought content reveals negative themes. At various times he appears numb and indifferent but then shifts to tearfulness. Memory is slightly impaired, and he has difficulty staying focused. He denies homicidal ideations but states having past suicidal ideations.
Presenting Problem: First session You are a clinical mental health therapist working in a private practice setting. The client is a 33-year-old male referred to you by an ER physician as a follow-up after being hospitalized due to suicidal ideation. This is not the first time the client has been hospitalized. During the initial counseling session, the client discloses, "I don't know why I'm here. No one can help me. My sister made this appointment for me because I got this referral when I left the hospital. She drove me here and is sitting out in the waiting room." He continues with a tearful eye, "I'm a total failure. No one cares about. My sister looks after me, but I think it's because she feels sorry for me."    You continue with your assessment to gain a more thorough understanding of his current situation. He tells you that there are times when he feels "really low" and his mind tells him that he would be better off dead. Other times, he feels "pretty good" with a lot of energy, a positive self-image, and motivation to complete various projects. You ask about his relationships with friends and family, and the client reveals that he has lost contact with most of his close friends due to a "series of negative events" in his life. He further discloses that he has difficulty maintaining relationships. He expresses feelings of loneliness and disconnection from the world. He is worried that his sister will eventually "give up" on him. When asked about his parents, he softly laughs and says, "They took the easy way out and died. Mom in a car crash and Dad from cancer. They are the ones who deserve to suffer and instead, they've got it easy."    You discuss your role as a therapist and what the client can expect from the counseling process. You also review the parameters of confidentiality involved in therapy. He tells you that he would like to "give counseling a try" and see you for another session. You schedule an appointment to see him the following week.  Fourth session The client appears energetic during this session. He presents as much more carefully groomed and in an elevated mood. He states, "It sure has been a journey these past few days." He reports that he met a woman at a local bar, and after spending the night together at a local hotel, they ended up taking a spontaneous road trip to Florida. He talks about the weekend as "mind-blowing", and states that this adventure has helped him design his new goal, which will be "life-changing."    He goes on to say that his boss "didn't appreciate my free spirit because I had a bunch of voicemails from her waiting for me when I got home." He laughs when he relates that he had turned his phone off, so he didn't have to be "brought down." He recognizes that he had made commitments to work over the weekend, but he states, "If you met this girl, you'd know why I did it." Then laughs.    You listen to the client's story intently and encourage him to talk more about his experience. Then you explore his feelings around the situation and his decision to leave work without making prior arrangements to cover his absence. You also discuss with the client the potential consequences of his actions and help him consider how to move forward in a way that is not harmful or dangerous. You ask him to think about his goals and create an action plan to help him reach those goals. Together, you and the client come up with strategies for the client to move forward in a healthy way.  10th session As you have been working with the client over the past two and a half months, he has made significant progress with treatment goals, including mood stabilization and behavioral control. In the last session, as you reviewed the progress that the client had made over the course of treatment, you both agreed that the client was ready for termination as he felt he had gotten what he needed from therapy. The client was especially pleased when considering his progress in mood regulation and mindfulness, as well as addressing his thrill-seeking behaviors during his manic phases.    For this final session, the client arrived ten minutes late. He appears out of breath as he runs into the room. The client states that he got a call from the hospital where his sister was just admitted. As he describes the phone call, he pauses and looks out the window with tears in his eyes. You ask him how he feels. The client responds quietly, "I don't know, my sister has been in a serious accident, and I don't know how I'll continue without her support," prompting you to recognize that unresolved issues may require additional therapy. You state, "It sounds like your sister's accident has brought up a lot of emotions for you. You are feeling overwhelmed and unsure about how to cope without her support. It must be difficult to process all of this at once." The client nods his head. You continue by telling him that it is natural to feel overwhelmed and uncertain in a situation like this. You engage him in a discussion about coping strategies or support systems that have helped him in the past when facing difficult challenges. You also ask him if it would be helpful to have additional therapy sessions during this time to which he replies, "Yes, I don't want to undo all the progress I've made."
Other Contexts: The client's parents divorced when he was ten years old. He has an older sister who he currently lives with. He recalls his childhood memories as traumatic and reports experiencing verbal and physical abuse by both parents. The client states that he lived with his dad after his mom died when he was 14 years old. He explains that living with his dad was difficult, saying, "Being around my dad was like being around a ticking time bomb. There were times when he was calm and seemed interested in what I was doing, but there were other times when he would become very angry and I was never sure what might set him off." The client works in a local pizza shop. He says he is written up weekly for being late to work. He reports verbal altercations with his coworkers because they will not listen to him. In his teen years, the client used alcohol to cope with his family situation. Since that time, he only drinks socially.

Question: What is your main intention when asking the client about previous coping strategies?
(A): To evaluate the effectiveness of the client's previous coping strategies
(B): To judge the client's ability to cope with difficult situations
(C): To determine if the client has made any progress in managing his emotions
(D): To empower the client by leveraging his own abilities and assets

Correct Answer: To empower the client by leveraging his own abilities and assets
Explanation: By asking the client about their past coping strategies and support systems, the therapist is encouraging them to tap into their own strengths and resources. This can not only help the client feel more empowered, but it also provides the therapist with valuable insight into how they can continue to support the client in coping with their sister's accident. Therefore, the correct answer is (A)
Competency: counseling skills and interventions