Practicum – Assessing Client Families
Assignment 1: Practicum – Assessing Client Families
Learning Objectives
STUDENTS WILL:
- Assess client families presenting for psychotherapy
- Develop genograms for client families presenting for psychotherapy
To prepare:
- Select a client family that you have observed or counseled at your practicum site.
- Review pages 137–142 of Wheeler (2014) and the Hernandez Family Genogram video in this week’s Learning Resources.
- Reflect on elements of writing a comprehensive client assessment and creating a genogram for the client you selected.
The Assignment
Part 1: Comprehensive Client Family Assessment
Create a comprehensive client assessment for your selected client family that addresses (without violating HIPAA regulations) the following:
- Demographic information
- Presenting problem
- History or present illness
- Past psychiatric history
- Medical history
- Substance use history
- Developmental history
- Family psychiatric history
- Psychosocial history
- History of abuse and/or trauma
- Review of systems
- Physical assessment
- Mental status exam
- Differential diagnosis
- Case formulation
- Treatment plan
Part 2: Family Genogram
Develop a genogram for the client family you selected. The genogram should extend back at least three generations (parents, grandparents, and great grandparents).
Week 3: Experiential and Narrative Family Therapy
The Smiths, a family of five, present with their 14-year-old male son, Joshua, who is identified as “the patient.” Almost immediately, the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner notices the subtle struggle between the parents to be heard first, often talking over one another. Joshua finally blurts out, “You see, you two are crazy, and you think it’s me.” Joshua’s father immediately becomes angry, and Joshua’s mom is quick to rush to Joshua’s side. She begins to argue with her husband about his treatment of their son.
The Smiths and other clients like them may be candidates for both experiential therapy and narrative family therapy, and it is important to note that these are distinctly different therapeutic approaches. Experiential therapy examines experiences of the “here and now,” whereas narrative family therapy focuses on retelling one’s story to understand why one behaves in certain ways. When assessing client families and selecting one of these therapies, you must not only select the one that is best for the clients, but also the approach that most aligns to your own skill set.
This week, as you explore experiential and narrative family therapy, you assess families presenting for psychotherapy. You also examine the effectiveness of therapeutic approaches for client families with impaired family functioning.
