Case Study #1 

Using the case history of Martha, apply either Freudian (Psychoanalytic) OR Adlerian Theory and write an analysis of Martha based on the principles of that theory. Terminology appropriate to the theory must be used to describe the client. The paper should be between 2 to 3 pages long. Case studies will be graded on how well points of the theory are addressed, consistency in application of the theory, and appropriate application of theory. Clarity, grammar and punctuation, as well as paragraph and sentence construction are also an important part of the assessment of your written work. Also, you must follow APA guidelines for font and margins as well as for punctuation and grammar. This is NOT a research paper. Your only source should be your text, which is not to be cited or quoted in your paper. You must use your own words to paraphrase or interpret what you have learned about the theory. Do not restate the theory.  For example: No–“According to Freud, people move through stages or phases.”  Yes–“Joe appears to be continuing to deal with issues that arose during his Oral Stage of development. “Case Study Guidelines A) Do not restate the case facts except when making a point about applying the theory B) Address the following four questions each in a separate section of your paper, using the question as a heading:

a.   How does this theorist view what was healthy about this person’s development (or growth) and what went wrong with this person developmentally (or what got in the way of normal growth)? (Note: Not all theorists refer to growth using “developmental” terminology.)

 b.   What would be the counselor’s role in working with this person?

c.    What would be the goals of counseling with this person?

d.   What techniques might the counselor use from this theoretical view? 

C) Be sure to keep to the perspective of the theory that you choose to apply, using the appropriate terminology of the theory.  

                                                                      CASE HISTORY:

Martha Demographic Data:

Martha is a twenty-three-year-old white female who is the younger of two children. She has an older brother who is twenty-six years old and who lives at home. Both parents live in the home and are employed. Her father works as a maintenance engineer and her mother is a secretary. Martha has attended some college but dropped out due to emotional difficulties. She currently works temporary jobs to support herself. Martha was dressed in casual clothes (jeans and tee-shirt) which were well-worn but clean.

Client Parameters: 

Martha has been hospitalized on two occasions during the past year for suicide attempts. The first attempt occurred two years ago after she entered individual counseling to deal with being sexually abused by her brother. When she entered counseling, she was able to recall a few isolated incidents of abuse. During her counseling, she recalled several other incidents of abuse. These revelations were overwhelming for her emotionally and prompted her first attempt. The family received some family intervention during which time her brother acknowledged the abuse. The second attempt followed several confrontations with her parents about a year ago. She believed that her parents continued to provide more support for her brother than for her. She pointed to the fact that he continued to live at home which made it difficult for her to visit with them. She had asked that he not be present when she did visit but found that he was allowed to be in the home alone when she came for a planned visit. Her parents stated that since he had admitted to the abuse and apologized for what he did, she should not be upset with him. They have become angry with her for creating so many problems for the family. In fact, her parents have stated that she is the main problem in the family. After one of these verbal attacks, she returned to her apartment and took a number of pills which prompted the second hospitalization.

Presenting Problem: 

Martha stated that she was returning to counseling to learn to feel better about herself. She reported that she believes that she has dealt with the abuse as much as she needs to address it at this time and wants to find a direction in her life. She has alienated many of her friends during the past two years by being so “needy” of their attention. She would often call them during the middle of the night when she was having flashbacks. At first, they were very supportive of her and rushed to her rescue. After several months of this type of behavior, they began to pull away from her and not respond to her calls. Prior to these episodes, she described herself as being “a lot of fun to be around.” She would like to find ways to rebuild these friendships or gain the courage to find new friends. She also would like to discover what she would like to do with her life. She used to like working with people but now finds them intimidating. She believes that they would not like her if they knew her history. She has thought of returning to college but is unsure what she would pursue as a major. She also expressed concern that she had difficulty dealing with anxiety and stress and was afraid of failing.