Personalizing Therapy: A Case Study

Ripley and Worthington (2014) state, “One of the most important things you can do for the couple entering your office is to tailor the treatment to their particular style, needs, and values” (Ripley, Worthington, 2014, p. 94). The writer agrees that personalizing therapy will support fulfilling sessions, as well as, effective treatment. The rational for this decision is based off of experience in a residential facility, which implements a program that all residents must follow. However, because each resident has individual triggers, psychiatric disabilities, needs, and coping skills, their programs are individualized to help them succeed. Ripley and Worthington (2014) provide supporting opinions, similar to the previous example, which approve of altering the typical course of therapy based on the demands of a couple. Ripley and Worthington (2014) emphasizes that a good counselor plans treatment interventions intentionally and creatively because “one size does not fit all” (Ripley, Worthington, 2014, p. 24). Dr. Karin Dumont states similar findings when she advises counselor’s to “individually tailor homework to each client” to reinforce counseling as hard work and to stimulate self-awareness (Liberty University, n.d. p. 18). In
94). However, when one partner is highly indifferent about participating in treatment, a counselor may want to alter treatment (Ripley, Worthington, 2014, p. 94). Ripley and Worthington (2014) state giving the unmotivated partner homework or some exposure to the treatment may help them recognize the benefit of treatment (Ripley, Worthington, 2014, p. 94). Instead of prolonging the typical course of therapy, the counselor’s decision to adjust the direction of focus will benefit the unmotivated spouse, to better the couple as a whole. This is just one example of how revising treatment may benefit a partner, or the