COVID 19 and the Lockdown's Effect on Mental Health Assessment

Verbatim Transcript counseling session analyst

Counseling Session Transcription and Analysis

Instructions: Place the counselors and clients verbatim statement in each row (Part I). Then identify the counseling skills that the counselor used and explain why that skill was used in the session. Note: each counselor statement or encourager must be identified (Part II.1). Next provide a alternative skill that could have been used and write the actual words you would use. Note: every counselor statement or encourager must have an alternative statement (Part II.2). Next, examine the transference (what the client reaction to the counselor) and the countertransference (counselor’s reaction to the client) reactions. Lastly, write a 1 page paper Transcript Video Critique and Analysis. In this paper you will discussed your critique yourself, skills, and theory used in the session (Part III)

Part I

Part II

Verbatim Session

(1). Counseling-skill used and purpose

(2) Alternative Skill, Counseling Statement, and purpose (please write the actual words you would use):

(3). Transference (unconscious reactions raised in the client by the counselor) and Countertransference Reactions (unconscious reactions raised in the counselor by the client):

What went well (add the start and end time)

Counselor:

Hi,Courtney Thank you for taking the time to meet me today. My name is Estefany. I'm a student at Mercy College. I'm working on my Master's in mental health counseling.

Welcoming client/Introduction.

Building report, establishing client counselor relationship

Warmer welcoming, Ice breaker. It’s a nice day outside. How are you this morning?

None.

Counselor:

Before we begin, I want to go over confidentiality. This is a safe place. Everything that you say here and any notes that I may take during the session are completely confidential. Um, if you state that you will harm yourself, harm someone else or someone is harming you, I'll have to, um, communicate it with my supervisor. Do you have any questions?

Client: No.

Counselor: Okay. Is that clear?

Client: It's clear.

Ethical practice, informed client limits of confidentiality

I could have added a privilege communication with a statement such as “Anything discuss here can’t be released without your written consent”

None

Counselor:

Okay. So, during the session today, I'll be asking you questions to get to know you a little bit better, and then I'll be listening to what you have to say. Um, throughout this journey, I want you to be self-aware and empowered to make the decisions, that are best for you. Okay?

Client: Okay.

Stated frame work aimed towards the goal of the counseling session.

Instead of saying “I want you to be self-aware and empowered” help the client to feel that way. It is not like turning on a light switch—the counselor should facilitate the empowerment by making sure needs are met, using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as a guide. Better use of encouragers should be made here, for example, by asking, “Is there anything you need from me or are aware of needing before we begin?”

None

Counselor:

So, go ahead and tell me what brings you here today?

Door opener, minimal encouragement, asking for information directly

More direction: this is a wide open question and could go anywhere.

None

Client:

Um, I'm here because I'm finding difficult to balance a new lifestyle that we have due to the pandemic.

Counselor: Okay.

Client:

I think like, there's a few things that are, uh, insensitive, you know, just in terms of dealing, the new celebrity, I call it the new celebrity, like, first responders, or people on the front lines, you know, because there's more people on the front line than doctors and nurses and EMTs. So, you know, one thing that I struggle with is, um, loneliness because my boyfriend happens to be an essential worker that nobody speaks about. And um, he drives, he drives, um, tractor trailers. That's 18-wheelers, so he's going from state to state to state delivering all the goods that none of us would have, if it wasn't for his profession.

Counselor: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Client: So, honestly speaking, the food from different places, like, you know, just yesterday he told me that he was in Virginia at the Quaker Oats factory, so that's like, oatmeal, everybody eats, you know, everybody eats some form of oatmeal, [inaudible 00:02:32], whatever.

Counselor: Right.

Direct and general response

Counselor could paraphrase to show that he is listening instead of just saying okay.

To make more rows, use tab key

Client:

You know. And, I mean, that's what he's doing, so, I just feel like when it comes to the government, when I say being insensitive, is they just make it seem like the only front line workers are the only people that need assistance, and um, childcare and you know, places to stay to quarantine are city workers and that's not true. So that becomes frustrating because in a way I'm sacrificing, and he's sacrificing, happiness just like everybody else, and togetherness, and wholeness with family, to do a job that equals service.

So that's hard for me to deal with along with this pandemic [inaudible 00:03:21] somebody all the time, or every weekend, you know, you're going from doing something to not doing anything at all, and you can't see the person. It's really tough. And then I felt like the, the whole first responders is like a dagger in the heart, because they're not the only people, you know, that are on the front lines.

Counselor:

Okay. Do you feel concerned about his safety?

Direct question

I would summarize the feelings of the client and paraphrase what has been said to show I have heard her instead of launching right into a query.

Potential countertransference here with the counselor asking if she fears for her boyfriend’s safety. Trying to show concern for him as essential worker to possibly placate the client

Counselor:

I'm not concerned about his safety because he is no-touch freight, which basically means that he doesn't touch anything, he just pulls up and backs into the garage, receiving dock, whatever, they take everything off, he gets paperwork and he leaves. And they're being very, very cautious of contact, so, no. He has a number that he can call when he gets there, and everything's handled that way. It's just these, I'm just like, you know, I'm lonely that I'm frustrated because now I'm here to deal with my kids by myself. And that's tough. I have two boys, one is a preteen, one is five, so the 12-year-old, everything's a challenge, you know, because boys like to challenge their mothers for some reason and not their fathers, so-

The client is seeking validation, recognition that her feelings of vulnerability and not being recognized as making sacrifices are valid.

I would be more affirmative here and let the client know that her feelings are valid and that she is indeed making sacrifices as she states and that it must be difficult adjusting to the new challenges.

None

Counselor: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Minimal encourager

Not a satisfactory response, however; I would offer more encouragement by repeating back what I have heard and affirming that, yes, dealing with kids by yourself is a challenge. This would show sympathy and build trust.

The patient is looking for understanding and support, which she cannot get from her boyfriend because he is always on the road, so is seeking it from the counselor

Client:

Um. Hopeful-... my kids, their dad is not really involved so my boyfriend picked up in that area, and now that... at first it was tough, then it got a little easier because he came, he helped out, the male presence was here, the respect became, you know, a norm and now it's like, you know, the challenge is back, little by little. And dealing with homeschooling.

Absence of male figure; the client is addressing the root of the problem now

Counselor: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Minimal encouragement

The counselor is showing that she is listening and is letting the client talk, which is good, but the client should be able to hear back what she is saying so that she knows she is being heard.

None

Client:

There's no, there's no room for challenge, you know what I'm saying. When you have to help two kids in two different grades with homework. And then I also go to school, so I started my Master's this year, um, in February, January. And, um, the reason why I started it is because my little son wasn't as dependent on me anymore, and my older son was self-sufficient... is self-sufficient, and he could take himself to school and he knows how to make a sandwich or eggs or something, you know, to eat and um, he's able to move back and forth on the bus.Um, so I had a little bit more wiggle room and flexibility to go back to school because I had the eight hours in a day that the kids go to school or whatever, eight to 10 between traveling, breakfast program, in school, after school program, so they was in school for a good 12 hours, from 7:00 to 7:00.

Client is shifting to her personal ambitions now and rationalizing her return to…