Role Play
Reflection Paper Counseling Session
Role Play Between Kristen (student/client) and Tiffany Ellison (Therapist)
Tiffany Ellison
Barry University
Identifying health risk behavior My client Kristen came in for a follow-up session to focus on codependency issues, feeling overwhelmed with her mother, and not having time to focus on her. Kristen seems to be focusing all of her time on her mother and less time to herself. Kristen is aware that she is not strong enough to deal with overwhelming situations and realizes she needs to be focusing more on herself instead of trying to prove her strengths to everyone else. Kristen has many obligations to her mother; however in reality, she is giving an excessive amount of responsibility, commitment, and worries for another person, when she needs to be more focused on herself and her strengths. Kristen understands everything that a codependent person does is done to further establish self pitying thoughts of overdoing and of being taken advantage of and for granted. Kristen is also showing signs of intense emotional feelings and is completely overcome in mind and emotion and feels ill-equipped to cope with her stressors. Level of competence demonstrated Throughout the session, as the therapist I felt confident that I would be able to grasp the real true related issues that were affecting her life. I expressed empathy towards the client, by listening to her expressed thoughts and feelings while communicating back to her a desire that I can understand the client’s perspective completely. I also felt the need to express my feelings on her mother; however I did not do so and immediately reflected critical motivational interviewing skills by avoidance of arguing with the client about their need for her to change, by not answering the phone when her mother needs her at any given moment. Through this session I supported self-efficacy by helping the client believe in oneself
Role Play Between Kristen (student/client) and Tiffany Ellison (Therapist)
Tiffany Ellison
Barry University
Identifying health risk behavior My client Kristen came in for a follow-up session to focus on codependency issues, feeling overwhelmed with her mother, and not having time to focus on her. Kristen seems to be focusing all of her time on her mother and less time to herself. Kristen is aware that she is not strong enough to deal with overwhelming situations and realizes she needs to be focusing more on herself instead of trying to prove her strengths to everyone else. Kristen has many obligations to her mother; however in reality, she is giving an excessive amount of responsibility, commitment, and worries for another person, when she needs to be more focused on herself and her strengths. Kristen understands everything that a codependent person does is done to further establish self pitying thoughts of overdoing and of being taken advantage of and for granted. Kristen is also showing signs of intense emotional feelings and is completely overcome in mind and emotion and feels ill-equipped to cope with her stressors. Level of competence demonstrated Throughout the session, as the therapist I felt confident that I would be able to grasp the real true related issues that were affecting her life. I expressed empathy towards the client, by listening to her expressed thoughts and feelings while communicating back to her a desire that I can understand the client’s perspective completely. I also felt the need to express my feelings on her mother; however I did not do so and immediately reflected critical motivational interviewing skills by avoidance of arguing with the client about their need for her to change, by not answering the phone when her mother needs her at any given moment. Through this session I supported self-efficacy by helping the client believe in oneself
References: Cox, W.M.; Klinger, E.; and Blount, J.P. Alcohol use and goal hierarchies: Systematic motivational counseling for alcoholics. In: Miller, W.R., and Rollnick, S., eds. Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People To Change Addictive Behaviors. New York: Guilford Press, 1993. pp. 260-271 Miller, W.R. and Rollnick, S. (2009). Ten things that motivational interviewing is not. Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 37, 129-140. Miller, W. R., & Moyers, T.B. (2006). Eight stages in learning motivational interviewing. 5, 3-17.