Below is the situation of Doris leaving her child and husband,

PLease answer reflection questions based if you were a Psych NP based on person centered approach. Reference book is Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy BY Gerald Corey---Chapter 7,

 

 Doris comes to a community-counseling center at the recommendation of a friend, who expresses concern that Doris intends to leave her child. The friend thinks she is confused and needs professional help.

 

Some Background Data:

 

Doris was born and raised in Arkansas. Her father is a reformed alcoholic who drank heavily when the client was a child. Both parents are religious, and the father is described as a strict fundamentalist. Doris has a younger brother who is now an enlisted man in the army and is described as the family favorite. She says her parents were stricter with her than with their son and emphasized the importance of marriage as well as the woman's dependent and inferior role in that relationship.

 

 Doris dropped out of high school in the tenth grade. She worked as a manicurist in Arkansas until marrying and moving to Kentucky three years ago. She then worked as a waitress. Her husband says that they have had no fights or arguments during their three-year marriage, and the client agrees. Six months ago Doris gave birth to a baby boy. There were no medical complications, and she maintains that she adjusted well to the baby, but she reports just not being able to feel much of anything except tired. Two months ago she and her husband moved to Houston so that he could join an amateur band. She began working as a cashier at a drugstore. In the course of her work she began to have a series of brief sexual affairs with fellow workers as well as customers. At the same time, although her husband is happy with the band, he has not been able to find a steady job. He has asked her to try to find a second job or to take overtime hours at the drug store.

 

 Doris is considering leaving her husband and her child, although she is uncertain how she would continue to support herself financially. She is also concerned with what would happen to her son, because her husband has no means of support. She insists that she does not want to take the child with her.

 Questions for Reflection:

1)What is your attitude about Doris wanting to leave her husband and her child? What are your values on this matter, and how would they influence the way you would work with her?

 2) Assume that Doris asked you for your advice regarding her plan to leave her husband and child. What would you say? To what degree do you think Doris can function without advice?

 3) If you accepted Doris as a client, in what ways do you think you could be of most help to her?

 4) Are there feelings about herself and her husband that Doris is currently unwilling to accept? How would a personcentered approach help with acceptance of feelings and with denied parts of the self?

 5) What are some of the advantages of working with Doris within a person-centered framework?

1. I do not think Doris should consider leaving her child and husband. First, she has a very young child who would suffer if she were to be left without a mother. Also her husband has not in any way been abusive despite being unable to find a steady job. She is the one who has been cheating on her husband on several occasions and thus she not only should not leave her husband but she should apologize and ask for forgiveness from her husband. I believe in the family values of honest and trust which Doris has violated. However, though I strongly believe in the above values, It would not affect they way I work with her. I believe she needs to be guided and counselled in order to help her face her situation and do the right thing.

2.  I would advice Doris to take time and reflect on the consequences of her intended intensions. She should also try to think on the real reason why she believes leaving her family is the right thing for her to do. Maybe she just feels guilty for cheating on her husband and feels overwhelmed with being a new mother and her husband lacking a steady job. I would encourage her to understand that marriage requires sacrifice  and things will not always be like she would wish them to be. But by being honest and working together with her husband they have a better chance to live a better and happier life than the one she might have on her own. I do not believe at this point Doris cannot manage without advice since she clearly looks overwhelmed and to some point confused.

3. If I accepted Doris as my client, I would help her to change the way she has been coping with her marriage. She believe that leaving her husband is the best way out of the misery she feels. I would help her to try other options such as family counselling and dialogue with her husband about her feelings. Reflecting and talking about why she feels that her marriage is broken as better way of solving the underlying issues that may be affecting her marriage.

4. I believe Doris has feelings that she is unwilling to accept. I believe she feels guilty for cheating on her husband. She also feels like her husband is not doing enough to support the family and she is also overwhelmed  by being a mother and complains that she always feels tired. The use of person-centered approach would help Doris as the it is a non-directive form of talk therapy, meaning that it allows the client to lead the conversation and does not attempt to steer the client in any way. This approach rests on one vital quality: unconditional positive regard. This means that the therapist refrains from judging the client for any reason, providing a source of complete acceptance and support. This approach would help Doris reflect and face her fears and uncertainties that makes her feels that she cannot continue to be in the marriage.

5. The are several advantages of using person-centered care on Doris they include:

• She will feel more comfortable and confident in my service, as upholding her dignity and independence builds mutual respect. The patient will trust that I will do what's best for her, which makes the situation easier for us both.
• I will be able to meet her emotional, social, and practical needs, which ensures she maintains a high quality of life.
• I will be able to  support her if she is not able to directly communicate her wants and needs. Numerous conditions  can affect a person's ability to communicate effectively. For example lack of confidence. Person-centered care helps one find suitable ways to help the client communicate and thus maximize their quality of care.
• It will  improve her independence. Not only is this beneficial on a personal level for Doris, but it will also encourage her to take part in decisions. It will raise her engagement, which will  help her reach better, more suitable decisions relating to her care.