Collaboration Reflection Paper

- Assessment is fluid & ongoing because it is a continuing process. Throughout the helping process with a client factors change and evolve as the relationship develops. For example, there may be new information the client shares with you so your treatment approach may change. Your treatment approach may also change in the process if the client is either struggling to reach their goals or are able to be challenged more to heal or grow during their time in therapy.
- My interaction with my client was isolated due to the fact that I don’t see clients’ one on one in my agency. I did however get to see her clinician once since the time of our interaction and she shared with me that the client is doing well and is in the middle of getting Dialectical
Behavior Therapy. Being present during her intake and experiencing how the client views herself in the world compared to how she reports feeling now has defiantly improved. The DBT has helped her control her ‘adult temper tantrums’ and has helped her begin to gain confidence in taking care of herself. During the intake the client was unable to even come up with 2 strengths for herself, now she has a higher self-worth and is able to self-reflect on her positive attributes. I did have hope for the client to reach the goals her and the clinician came up with, and I believe that she will really reach her full potential if she stays in the optimistic, empowered outlooks she’s in now. The clinician has also connected her to in-home health care services for the client to use to help her to learn to manage her diabetes correctly, which is extremely useful to the client. My view of the client hasn’t changed, just feeling more confident in her growth with new information.
- Joshsmind and her clients relationship has defiantly evolved during her time in her internship. In the beginning she view the client as “normal” and thought he was just a typical 16 year old boy. She didn’t sense that he came from a traumatic past growing up and didn’t see any out of the ordinary behaviors from the client. Then during their interactions or her being present in how he acts inside her agency she began to recognize the client’s extreme lack of attention, disturbing reactions to other clients, as well as witnessing him being unable to control his emotions and have an angry outbreak. She states he acts like a 4 year old when he doesn’t get his way. She wanted to work with him on expressing his feelings in word instead of rage and to teach him coping skills to control himself. Now she feels that the client has defiantly improved in his abilities to communicate his feelings. He still has a short attention span, but is now better able to vocalize how he’s feeling and what might be bothering him. She believes that their relationship is a lot stronger and that he opens up and trust her more. However, she does state that in her opinion he does not have any sense of responsibility still, and needs to get his priorities in order before he can become independent. I believe Joshsmind’s view of the client has changed with more interactions together and gathering new information.
- Renee met her client during his ‘feedback session’ with the program she interns for within the criminal justice system.
The client had just been released from jail 2 weeks before their session. The client was incarcerated for 2 ½ years. He has gotten services from her program in the past after other charges. However, after this session Renee reported that the employees in her program were all so surprised in the difference in the clients’ behavior after being incarcerated. Before when he was receiving services he was very indifferent about how his life was heading, not caring about anyone or anything. Now the client presented as more motivated to get what he needed done. However, after Renee did some research on his case and working with him one on one in case management sessions she stated she didn’t believe that he was being very honest with her and was always dancing around answering questions, presenting having a perfect life. Now, Renee believes the client is doing very well and opens up and talks to her more now in this stage of their relationship. She says that the client is also very thankful for the services that he receives and now feels a stronger emotional relationship with his loved ones. I believe that Renee’s view on the client has changed with new information gathered, and through building trust with the
client.