Father's Suicide Case Study

Mike expresses in the interview how he needed a counselor after he witnessed his father’s suicide (Garzon, 2010b). It was dealt with in the church. African American culture trust the church and not traditional institutions. (McGoldrick, Giordano, & Garcia-Preto, 2005). The family never seek counseling therefor keeping it in-house. The African American culture felt that it was shameful for the way his father passed. They may see their problem as a sin or the result of their own action (McGoldrick, et al., 2010) Because of not receiving counseling, it left Mike with a lot of unanswered questions. He dealt with this for 6 to 10 years, and tried to get over it the best way he could. He had no true understanding of what he had experienced.
However, Mike’s triumphs in his life shaped him to be the person he is today. He was able use the trauma he experienced in life to thrive. Mike gave his life to Christ which made all the difference for why he is here today. He gained empathy for others. Because of Mike’s pain, he developed the counselor center to develop a listening ear and help others with their pain. Mike found his purpose in life from his pain he had experienced. The Bible tells us in Roman 8:28, “ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”