1. Suzanne has come by the free “drop-in” counseling clinic were you work to get some information and advice. Suzanne is a 22-year-old single woman who has been living with her boyfriend Jack in Manhattan’s lower east side for the last four years. She and Jack have been heroin addicts for as many years. She reports using about a 1/2 gram of heroin per day just to be able to function and feel comfortable. In order to pay for the heroin and pay the rent on their apartment, Jack doesn’t work, instead, she works the streets at night. She usually drinks four or five beers each night before going out to work. If she can’t score enough heroin, she will try to score either some Valium or Klonopin to “tide me over until I can get some ‘horse’”. She says she has tried cocaine but, “I really didn’t care for the high all that much.” Suzanne tells you that the alcohol and heroin help to calm her nerves and get her through the night. She and Jack are not having sex all that much. When they do make love he never wears a condom. He says that’s what makes him different from her “ john’s” “Which is true because I won’t work without a condom.”
Lately she has noticed that her breasts have become swollen and more tender. She also hasn’t had her period in the last 12 weeks. She is pretty sure she is pregnant and knows it’s her boyfriend’s baby. However she not sure she can stop using dope or work to have the baby even though Jack wants her to keep it. She really confused at what she should do and is her asking for you to help her make some decisions. Her friend who works with her at night told her not to stop using dope if she is pregnant “Because it’s worse for the baby than to keep using.” “I just don’t know what I should do?”
In thinking about this case, how could you conceptualize Suzanne’s case from a CBT viewpoint? Additionally, please discuss at least 5 concepts from your reading that might apply to your work with Suzanne from the beginning to the end of your treatment relationship. Please be sure to provide examples to help demonstrate your understanding and integration.
In thinking about this case from a Reality Therapy viewpoint, how would you conceptualize Suzanne’s case? Please discuss how you might use Choice Theory and/or the WDEP model to assist Suzanne. Please be sure to provide examples to help demonstrate your understanding and integration.
2. At first glance, Reality Therapy could seem “simple.” Examining the WDEP process and the ideas behind Choice Theory have been widely studied and applied to a variety of treatment settings. In thinking about these concepts from your required reading and videos, please answer the following questions:
-In thinking about Glasser’s ideas, please explain his viewpoints on Reality Therapy, Choice Theory, and basic thoughts on human behavior.
-Please explain the WDEP process by using an addictions example of your choice. Please explain each part of the process and your example in detail.
-In thinking about this approach to addictions, what are 2 strengths and 2 weaknesses you think might apply in your future work with clients. Please be sure to share examples to help demonstrate your understanding.
3. in your reading about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, please think about and answer the following questions:
-According to CBT, there are 3 ways in which an addict can learn drinking/using behaviors. In theory, all 3 interplay together. However of the 3, which do you think “makes the most sense” to you when thinking about the nature of addictions and why? Examples?
-CBT is more structured than other modalities of treatment. Please briefly discuss the process of treatment from beginning to end and how change is likely to take place.
