counselling internship case study

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IGNOU MA Psychology Counselling Internship Report (MPCE 25)

Purpose of IGNOU MA Psychology Counselling Internship Report (MPCE 25)

The IGNOU MA Psychology Counselling Internship Report allows students to blend theoretical knowledge, research, and counselling abilities. The learner is free to choose his or her own agency. The purpose of the MPCE 25 internship is to assist students in developing counselling abilities. Thus, the learners will learn and acquire skills and professional acumen under the supervision of expert counsellors in the relevant setting. The learners will be closely supervised by the supervisor, who will provide comments on their performance on a one-to-one basis.

A psychologist or a professional psychological therapist can serve as the agency’s supervisor. Learners will be required to work with entire commitment and dedication while obtaining direct supervision from expert psychologists working in counselling agencies and welfare organisations.

The students will be given cases to work on and will be responsible for conducting psychological assessments and evaluations. The students will examine and design solutions to assist clients from various settings in overcoming issues. They will learn how to work with a wide population, including children, adolescents, and adults, as well as how to perform tests and assessments and analyse the findings of the testing.

During their internship, the learner is expected to manage ten cases with case histories and psychological tests. At the end, the learner must prepare a report in suitable format.

Activities may be performed during the IGNOU MA Psychology Counselling Internship Report (MPCE 25)

Assessment and diagnosis, which includes conducting interviews, gathering case histories, administering psychological tests, scoring and interpreting test results, and arriving at an accurate diagnosis of the problem. Individual and group psychotherapy, behavioural treatment, evaluation, and collaboration with an interdisciplinary treatment team are all possibilities for trainees.

Organizations & Agencies for Undertaking IGNOU MA Psychology Counselling Internship Report (MPCE 25)

2) Hospitals

3) Private clinics/counselling centres

4) NGOs/Welfare agencies providing service for women and children and other deprived population

5) Correctional institutions, children’s home, home for women, special homes for people with

Disability, Shelter homes.

6) Child Guidance Centres/clinics

7) Community Mental Health Centres.

Learners’ Specific Requirements in IGNOU MA Psychology Counselling Internship Report (MPCE 25)

Ten cases will be assigned to the leamer/trainee for interviewing and case history. The learner will be referred to these by the agency supervisor over time.

In a narrative format, all of the cases should be written verbatim. What were the psychologist’s queries, and what was the client’s response? How was the client responding to the inquiries at the time? (Was the client, for example, hesitant? Was the client willing to communicate? Was there any evasion on the part of the client? Was the client paying attention during the interview?

What was the client’s general demeanour like while answering questions in the interview? Was the client rushing to wrap up the interview and leave? Was the client indicating that he didn’t want to finish the interview?

Case Study Interview Sample for IGNOU MA Psychology Counselling Internship Report (MPCE 25)

Patient’s name:

Interview No:                                                                          Date:

Session No:                                                                             Time:

Purpose of the Interview

I was referred to the client to take a thorough case history.

The session begins with:

Ms. Y, the client, arrived. I greeted her and requested that she enter and have a seat. Her husband accompanied her on the trip. I also offered him a seat. However, when the interview began, I asked Ms.Y if it was okay if we talked alone for a time while her husband waited outside. (It’s critical that we visit with the client alone first and hear her side of the storey before interviewing those that accompany her.) The rationale for this is that the psychologist’s behaviour makes the client feel good and helps to quickly create rapport.)

The client’s physical appearance is as follows: The client appeared to be well-dressed, tidy, and clean. She had a bright, though apprehensive, appearance.

I decided to make the client feel at ease, so I assured her she could make herself at home here and that whatever she told me would be kept entirely private. Only the information that she claims can be shared with other family members would be shared. I’m a psychotherapist who works here, so she’s allowed to say whatever she wants.

Ms.Y then began to tell me about the issues she is having with her spouse. He doesn’t seem to get her and suspects her if she leaves the house. She explained that she works as well, and that her job requires her to socialise with a lot of guys, which her husband dislikes and frequently fights over. In recent months, her “husband” has begun to suspect her honesty.

Ms. Y’s problem should be stated down in its entirety and clearly.

……………………………………………………………..

The following question is:

The following is the client’s response (along with the leaner’s observations):

What happened at the end of the interview?

I closed the interview in the following manner because the time allocated to the client is usually one hour.

Ms. Y, I believe we have examined your difficulty today, particularly from the perspectives of your relationship and your experience. It has been feasible to determine when your difficulties began, what caused them, and how you have dealt with them. Your efforts are much valued. However, there are a number of issues that we need to discuss with one another. For example, the difficulties you’re having with your husband and the impact this is having on your family, job, and other aspects of your life. Do you think I’ve grasped your issues correctly? Would you like to meet again next week at a time that is convenient for you? Can we schedule the next session for next Saturday at 10 a.m.? Perhaps we could administer some psychological tests to help us and you better understand your situation. The client stated that she would want to visit the following week at the mentioned time. I talked with the spouse for a bit and told him that I’d like to see him when Ms Y came in for the session the next time. We both stood up and exchanged handshakes, after which the client and her husband walked away.

My observations: When the client left, I saw that she appeared slightly more comfortable and pleased that she had been listened to and that her problem had been clearly communicated to the counsellor.

Action strategy: Continue the interview to learn more about the processes that underpin the many conflicts she has mentioned. A meeting with the husband is essential to gain a better understanding of the problem from his perspective.

Today’s session was successful in accomplishing the goal for which it was created.

Note: Everything the client and the learner say should be recorded verbatim in the manner described above. The learner’s impressions of the client and the manner in which the client responds, as well as the client’s varied gestures, hesitation between phrases, gaps and time taken to answer questions, and any discomfort exhibited by the client, should all be documented.

Role of the Agency Supervisor during IGNOU MA Psychology Counselling Internship Report (MPCE 25)

The supervisor should read all of the cases presented by the learner and discuss them with him or her. As a result, a learner-supervisor meeting must be scheduled as needed. The focus of this meeting should be on the student’s work. The student is given guidance on how to proceed with the patient in the next session, and so on, once the work is discussed. If necessary, the supervisor can provide the learner some resources to review and point out defects as well as the validity of the interview and whether the learner has the required talents during the interview. When the learner asks if the interview was handled properly, the supervisor may provide professional development recommendations.

The supervisor must guarantee that the learner is not depressed in any way and must support the learner’s positive characteristics while clearly pointing out how to avoid errors and what the learner should accomplish.

These ten case studies of case history, intake interview, and MSE would teach learners all three abilities, such as how to conduct an interview with ease, how to create rapport with patients, and so on.

Preparation of IGNOU MA Psychology Counselling Internship Report (MPCE 25)

The internship report must be written entirely in English. The Internship report should include the learner’s case history, psychiatric tests given, verbatim record or sessions, and planned intervention, among other things. The learner’s case history, MSE, any psychological tests done, verbatim record of sessions, and planned intervention, among other things, should be included in the Internship report on a case-by-case basis. The report’s content could be printed and handwritten in combination. The consent letter signed by the agency supervisor, the learners’ Declaration, and the learners’, academic counsellor’s, and agency supervisor’s Certificate should all be included in the report.

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Writing a Counselling Case Study

As a counselling student, you may feel daunted when faced with writing your first counselling case study. Most training courses that qualify you as a counsellor or psychotherapist require you to complete case studies.

Before You Start Writing a Case Study

However good your case study, you won’t pass if you don’t meet the criteria set by your awarding body. So before you start writing, always check this, making sure that you have understood what is required.

For example, the ABC Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling requires you to write two case studies as part of your external portfolio, to meet the following criteria:

• 4.2 Analyse the application of your own theoretical approach to your work with one client over a minimum of six sessions.
• 4.3 Evaluate the application of your own theoretical approach to your work with this client over a minimum of six sessions.
• 5.1 Analyse the learning gained from a minimum of two supervision sessions in relation to your work with one client.
• 5.2 Evaluate how this learning informed your work with this client over a minimum of two counselling sessions.

If you don’t meet these criteria exactly – for example, if you didn’t choose a client who you’d seen for enough sessions, if you described only one (rather than two) supervision sessions, or if you used the same client for both case studies – then you would get referred.

Check whether any more information is available on what your awarding body is looking for – e.g. ABC publishes regular ‘counselling exam summaries’ on its website; these provide valuable information on where recent students have gone wrong.

Selecting the Client

When you reflect on all the clients you have seen during training, you will no doubt realise that some clients are better suited to specific case studies than others. For example, you might have a client to whom you could easily apply your theoretical approach, and another where you gained real breakthroughs following your learning in supervision. These are good ones to choose.

Opening the Case Study

It’s usual to start your case study with a ‘pen portrait’ of the client – e.g. giving their age, gender and presenting issue. You might also like to describe how they seemed (in terms of both what they said and their body language) as they first entered the counselling room and during contracting.

If your agency uses assessment tools (e.g. CORE-10, WEMWBS, GAD-7, PHQ-9 etc.), you could say what your client scored at the start of therapy.

Free Handout Download

Writing a Case Study: 5 Tips

Describing the Client’s Counselling Journey

This is the part of the case study that varies greatly depending on what is required by the awarding body. Two common types of case study look at application of theory, and application of learning from supervision. Other possible types might examine ethics or self-awareness.

Theory-Based Case Studies

If you were doing the ABC Diploma mentioned above, then 4.1 would require you to break down the key concepts of the theoretical approach and examine each part in detail as it relates to practice. For example, in the case of congruence, you would need to explain why and how you used it with the client, and the result of this.

Meanwhile, 4.2 – the second part of this theory-based case study – would require you to assess the value and effectiveness of all the key concepts as you applied them to the same client, substantiating this with specific reasons. For example, you would continue with how effective and important congruence was in terms of the theoretical approach in practice, supporting this with reasoning.

In both, it would be important to structure the case study chronologically – that is, showing the flow of the counselling through at least six sessions rather than using the key concepts as headings.

Supervision-Based Case Studies

When writing supervision-based case studies (as required by ABC in their criteria 5.1 and 5.2, for example), it can be useful to use David Kolb’s learning cycle, which breaks down learning into four elements: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation.

Rory Lees-Oakes has written a detailed guide on writing supervision case studies – entitled How to Analyse Supervision Case Studies. This is available to members of the Counselling Study Resource (CSR).

Closing Your Case Study

In conclusion, you could explain how the course of sessions ended, giving the client’s closing score (if applicable). You could also reflect on your own learning, and how you might approach things differently in future.

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What to expect in your first clinical counseling internship.

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What to expect in your first clinical counseling internship . . .

“Oh my goodness, congratulations!!!”

“I KNEW YOU’D GET IT! WOO-HOOO”

“I’m so proud of you, you’re going to kill it!”

Your phone buzzes, alerting you to each incoming message from your friends or family. You’re grinning from ear to ear and your heart feels like it may burst through your chest. You reread the email from your soon-to-be practicum or internship supervisor, lingering on the words excited to offer you a position . You’re one step closer to becoming a therapist.

So…now what? What should you expect as you enter your first clinical counseling internship?

Whether you started your graduate studies straight after completing your undergraduate degree, or you’re changing careers after years in working in another field, beginning your clinical counseling internship is daunting. Every internship site and every internship supervisor will be different. Some sites require hours of specialized training before you begin and require months of silent shadowing before you’re allowed to engage in direct client contact. Other clinical counseling sites have you seeing clients in your first week. Sites may be in-person, fully virtual, or a hybrid. Your clinical counseling supervisor may want to approve every clinical counseling therapeutic intervention that you want to use in session, while others may be difficult to get an email back from.

In a perfect world, you will find, interview for, and get accepted at the clinical counseling site of your dreams. In all reality, that may not be what happens. If you’d like some guidance on finding the right internship for you, check out the Center for Growth’s earlier article on Maximizing Your Counseling Internship Experience . Hopefully, you are beginning your clinical counseling experience at a site you are interested in and which serves clients you are excited to work with, and you are under the supervision of a licensed professional counselor, social worker, marriage and family therapist, or psychologist that you trust and are comfortable asking for help. Whether you’re beginning the clinical counseling internship of your dreams or you are starting at a site that feels a little further from perfect, below is some of what you can expect as you begin the next stage of your training.

Reading, Writing, Typing, and Also More Reading

There is a lot of paperwork involved in your clinical counseling internship, so get your typing fingers ready! Every site will operate somewhat differently, but you will be typing regardless. You should expect to be writing out intake notes, treatment plans, progress notes, contact notes, cancelation notes, termination notes, and more. If you are scheduled for an 8-hour shift at your internship site, it is likely not feasible to plan on seeing eight clients. You will need to dedicate a portion of your time to your note writing (which will get easier as you get accustomed to it), and be prepared to spend some time agonizing over your notes when you first start. Is this too much detail? Too little? Is my voice coming across as professional and clinical or does this sound too casual?

For many new clinicians, there will be a learning curve. You will likely have notes returned to you or rejected by your supervisor, although they will also hopefully have feedback for you to incorporate into your note writing. Keep a list for yourself with feedback that you receive more than once and refer back to it until the correction comes naturally. Additionally, consider investing in one of those squishy mouse pads for your desk. Your wrists and elbows will thank you.

If your favorite graduate school activity wasn’t already reading, congratulations - your new favorite internship activity is going to be reading! In addition to writing all of your notes, you will also be reading and re-reading them.

You are most likely not an expert on every DSM disorder that you will encounter in session, so plan on spending a significant chunk of your time researching the best treatment options for each of your clients. Connect with your supervisor, other clinicians, and other interns at your clinical counseling internship to see if they have recommendations for books to read, workshops and lectures to attend, or additional trainings that may be useful. Other clinicians at your internship site will also have access to great resources for worksheets that you can give your clients during your sessions.

The Wonderful World of Supervision

Welcome to the next phase of your professional life: supervision. Supervision is not only limited to your time in internship, as you will continue to seek supervision as you work toward your license and furthering your career. So, what exactly is it? Typically, you will have a direct supervisor who reviews your cases and guides your clinical growth. You will meet with your supervisor once a week or more for individual supervision, and you may also attend group supervision with other interns and clinicians.

Supervision is a wonderful tool where everything is about you – your experience, your questions, your concerns, your learning. Some days, you may feel on top of the world when your supervisor suggests an intervention you were already planning for your next session (or already implemented in your last session) or compliments a particular skill, and that’s great.

However, your supervision will also be challenging. This is a space where you can and should bring your mistakes and your failures. Your supervisor may highlight a phrase that you used in a session over which you are brimming with pride, and tell you that it was bad - your client actually failed to come back because you said X, Y, and Z to them. You missed an important detail while you were conceptualizing a case and now need to rethink your treatment plan. You didn’t introduce an intervention properly, or the intervention you chose wasn’t the best fit for a client’s needs. These moments will, naturally, be uncomfortable - but they are also the moments in which you will grow and become better.

Your Emotional Landscape

Whenever you begin to see your own clients (either individually or in group), the transition from student to student-clinician can be difficult. After spending your day with your clients, you may feel drained and struggle to stay present with your own loved ones when they try to vent about their lives. This is normal – you are flexing your emotional muscles in a new and different way compared to before. You will not have the same emotional energy for your personal relationships after being present with client experiences and trauma all day. Your friends and family may struggle to understand this change at first, so consider talking to them beforehand so you can prepare together.

Set aside time to process your own emotions after your internship. Some of what is shared with you in session may be particularly heavy – treat yourself the same way that you would a client and give yourself space to feel whatever is coming up for you. You may be especially impacted by a client’s story or find yourself struggling with countertransference. Schedule time, preferably right after your internship, to check in with your emotional state and be present with it. Remember, you cannot share the details of this experience with the people in your life. You are bound both ethically and legally to protect your clients’ confidentiality, so your processing will need to be done SOLO. Bring strong reactions to your supervisor, and consider seeking out your own personal therapy during this time to address possible countertransference.

In addition to setting aside time for your own emotions, you will want to etch out time for self-care. While it is a wonderful learning experience, your clinical counseling internship will be exhausting.You may inadvertently find yourself psychoanalyzing yourself or your loved ones, questioning your own behaviors and motives, or recognize concerns that your clients bring into treatment in yourself. Monitor yourself for signs of burnout, such as a loss of motivation and energy, a sense of detachment or of self-doubt, and increased negativity. Other common symptoms of burnout include finding yourself being increasingly impatient, finding it difficult to stay present in session, or noticing that your stress levels are interfering with your daily functioning, either in or out of the counseling room. Burnout doesn’t go away on its own, and it builds up progressively over time. Connect with your supervisor and discuss any concerns you may have about burnout as soon as you notice them; your supervisor will help you access your caseload and brainstorm ways for you to lighten it, if needed. There is no weakness in knowing when you need help and being comfortable asking for it, and both you and your clients will be better off if you address potential burnout issues early on.

Make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating well, and doing things that make you happy. Your clinical counseling internship is going to be exciting, rewarding, and joyful in so many ways. While much of your growth will come from your mistakes, don’t discount your achievements throughout your internship. Celebrate your development as a counselor just as you would celebrate your clients’ accomplishments - be proud of yourself!

Your first clinical counseling internship is an experience in which you will be rapidly growing. There will be times when you will be uncomfortable, overwhelmed, or even lost. You may feel as clumsy as a puppy whose legs are too long for its body. Those feelings are real, and they are valid. The day will come where an intake feels like second nature and your notes are easy to write. Give yourself time and be patient. You are just beginning your journey. Enjoy it.

The Center for Growth offers a First and/or Second Year Graduate Student Counseling Internship as well as a Post-Masters/Doctoral Degree Training program. If you’re interested in applying for either position, please fill out the application and call Alex Caroline Robboy at (267) 324-9564 to schedule an interview.

You can self schedule an in-person or virtual couples therapy session at the Center for Growth by calling (215) 922-5683 x 100.

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· Art Museum / Fairmount Therapy Office

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Just name some of the Mental Health issues that we work with. Our goal is to help you C hange and Achieve Your Dreams

We decided to run a mini experiment. . . . . how do human therapists compare to computer generated responses. In this case we asked the computer to respond to the prompt:

What to expect in your first clinical counseling internship

A clinical counseling internship is a supervised learning experience that provides students with the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in a real-world setting. During an internship, students will typically have the opportunity to observe and participate in therapy sessions, conduct assessments, and work on case studies under the supervision of a licensed therapist.

During the first internship, students can expect to:

• Learn about the different types of therapy and the theories behind them
• Observe experienced therapists in action and gain insight into the therapy process
• Learn about the ethical and legal considerations involved in counseling
• Develop their therapeutic skills, such as active listening, empathy, and providing feedback
• Understand the role of a therapist and the responsibilities of the profession
• Learn how to work with diverse populations and in different settings (schools, community centers, hospitals, etc.)
• Understand the administrative and technical aspects of running a private practice

It's important to note that the internship will be a supervised experience and the student will be closely monitored by the supervisor to ensure that the student is applying their knowledge and skills appropriately. The student may be asked to submit case notes, attend supervision sessions, and complete other assignments to demonstrate their understanding of the material.

As with any learning experience, it is important for the student to take an active role in their own learning, ask questions, and seek out feedback from the supervisor. It is also important to find a supervisor that is a good fit and that aligns with the student's learning objectives and career goals.

The Center for Growth Locations

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We offer virtual therapy in Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

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Art Museum Therapy Office - Pennsylvania

2401 Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 1A2 Philadelphia PA 19130

Society Hill Therapy Office - Pennsylvania

233 S. 6th Street, Suite C-33 Philadelphia PA 19106

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360 West Ave, Floor 1

Ocean City, NJ 08226

Providence Therapy Office - Rhode Island

173 Waterman St. Providence, RI 02906

Mechanicsville Therapy Office - Virginia

9044 Mann Drive,

Mechanicsville Virginia, 23116

Fayetteville Therapy Office - Georgia

101 Devant Street #606, Fayetteville Georgia, 30214

Santa Fe Therapy Office - New Mexico

2204 B Brothers Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505

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4 Ways to Make the Most of your Counseling Internship Experience

by Deanna Richards, EdM | Oct 19, 2012 | Student & Intern Resources

The process of finding an internship can be daunting. Perhaps you had to find one on your own, or maybe you were assigned a site by your school. In my case, I had to find my own internship and I needed it to coordinate with my full-time work hours. Hard? Yes! Impossible? Not at all.

Reflecting back on the internship experience brings me to this series of posts. Check out tips on securing your internship , and once you’ve secured one, here are some ways that you can make the best of your experience.

1. Try It On

Internships are not just a degree requirement; they’re a great way to try on your new role as a Mental Health Counselor .

Convinced you want to work with adolescents? Try it on for size in your internship. Internship sites might have a defined role for you, but there’s no harm done in citing your interests.

Conversely, try challenging yourself by working with a population you are not familiar with . Not only will you broaden your skill-set but working with a different population may open you up to new interests and aspirations.

2. Do the Prep

When I learned that I got the internship I wanted, the first thing I did was yelp with joy and relief.

Hooray, I get to counsel offenders! Ummm…what does that mean exactly? I trotted right on over to my school’s library and checked out a few books/ articles on exactly that subject.

Preparing is not about mastering a subject before you start it (and if you think you’ll master anything during your internship, think again!); instead it’s about coming to the table with a level of understanding that will ultimately help you better comprehend what you learn at your site and help you better facilitate conversations with the site’s staff and supervisor. It also does a world of good in relieving the first client jitters.

3. Fill the Gaps

Want to make an impression? Good interns follow the rules and do their work well. Great interns do all of that and find ways to enhance the agency .

Are you good at organizing? Maybe you can recommend a new filing system that will help staff and other interns do their work more effectively. Or create a new orientation manual to help future interns begin their work at the agency. Or create a library where articles and books are readily available for interns and staff.

Many of my fellow classmates started brand new groups and workshops for clients. They recognized a gap, a need, and took initiative to create something new (I should also mention that many of those classmates were offered positions post-graduation.)

4. Ask Away

Wherever you are, don’t forget that you are there to learn. What better way to learn than to ASK QUESTIONS?

Ask them of your supervisor, of your peers, and of the site staff. As an intern, I was full of questions. At least 30% of my supervision consisted of me rattling off a list I’d prepared.

What I found was that I started to get answers and a deeper understanding of the work of counseling. I also found that other interns had the same questions (and those that are less vocal appreciate when their unasked question gets answered!) Be fearless – ask away!

What are some ways other interns have enhanced their internship experience? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

• Recent Posts
• Obtaining a Mental Health Counseling Internship or Fieldwork Placement - November 5, 2012
• 4 Ways to Make the Most of your Counseling Internship Experience - October 19, 2012

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Training Based Internship in Counseling Psychology

Immerse yourself in the field of Counseling Psychology through our dynamic training-based internship. This program offers a comprehensive learning experience, blending theoretical knowledge with practical application. Participants engage in supervised counseling sessions, case studies, and role-plays to develop proficiency in various therapeutic approaches. With guidance from experienced mentors, interns learn to assess client needs, develop treatment plans, and facilitate meaningful therapeutic interventions. Gain confidence and skills to make a positive impact in the lives of others as a competent and compassionate counseling psychologist.

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• Experience a dynamic and collaborative learning environment in our vibrant virtual classroom through live classes.
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• Participate in 10 additional case studies and roleplays, enriching your learning experience with practical insights and hands-on application.
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A curriculum curated by industry experts with quality education and experience in their respective fields. By using case studies, role-plays, practical assignments along with audio and visual aids we provide the best in the world class experience.

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Century Skills

Total Hours

Case Studies Minimum

• Communication
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• Probing skills
• P araphrasing skills,
• Reflective skills,
• Empathy skills,
• Nonverbal skills 
• Usage and Types of Counselling and Different Perspectives on Counselling.
• Importance of counseling.
• Difference between counseling, psychotherapy, and guidance
• Disorder (both psychotic and neurotic)
• Case history and MSE

All Topics of 60 Hours Are Covered  Additionally

Understanding counseling and different schools of thought.

Skill of Counsellors

• Empathy skills
• Communication skills
• Reflective skills
• Paraphrasing skills

Case Formulation, Case Histories, MSE

Understanding Neurotic Disorders

• Personality Disorder
• Eating Disorder
• Behavioral Disorders
• Learning Disorders

Application of Cognitive behavioral therapy, family Therapy and play therapy in different setups

Abnormal Psychology: DSM

Psychoeducation

All Topics of 120 Hours Are Covered  Additionally

• Relaxation technique
• Psychological testing
• Life skills
• Ethics in counseling and Psychotherapy
• Mental health programs in schools
• Crisis intervention
• Group therapy basics
• Taking soft skill training

Program Instructors

From whom will you learn.

Ayesha Narmawala

PGDRP (Post graduate diploma in Rehabilitation Psychology) (RCI CRR- A85502), M.A (Clinical psychology), B.A (Psychology)

Lisha Khatri

M.A. (Counselling Psychology), B.A. Hons. (Applied Psychology), Art Therapist & Artist

Details About the Program

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6 pm to 7 pm

Timings 07th August Batch

7pm to 8 pm

Timings 26th August Batch

Monday to Saturday

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Google Meet

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• Duration 1 Month
• 8 Hours Of Supervision
• Daily Time Dedication 2 Hours
• Monday To Saturday (16)
• Live Sessions with Trainers
• Curriculum Aligned with National Education Policy (NEP)
• Digital Certificate
• 12 Hours Of Supervision
• Daily Time Dedication 4 Hours
• Monday To Saturday
• Duration 2 Months
• 24 Hours Of Supervision
• 1 Month Live Classes + 1 Month Self Paced

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On successful completion of the program by scoring a minimum of 50% scores you become eligible to obtain a strong certificate which will make your profile shine among the rest.

Learning from Program

Key Takeaways Upon Program Completion

Our program provides a comprehensive understanding of counseling, including its fundamental principles, ethical considerations, and legal guidelines. Participants gain insight into the distinction between counseling and psychotherapy, as well as essential counseling skills and techniques. They also acquire a basic understanding of psychological disorders, therapeutic modalities, and the development of psychoeducational materials. Through detailed exploration of various disorders, interns deepen their knowledge and develop skills in conceptualization and treatment planning. Additionally, participants learn to create life skill modules and deliver effective training, enhancing their ability to support individuals in achieving personal growth and well-being.

About Internship Program

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Cognizavest offers courses that integrate practical exposure aligned with the latest National Education Policy (NEP) curriculum. Our programs blend industry and academic elements for a comprehensive learning experience.

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Standing strong since 2018 and trained 40000+ students in the field of psychology and have proven to be the epitome of excellence.

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• Are the classes conducted live? Absolutely! Our classes simulate the experience of a dynamic virtual classroom, fostering real-time interaction. And that’s not all – in addition to live sessions, we ensure convenience by recording each session for your reference.
• Will my certificates have international recognition? Absolutely! Our certificates hold global acclaim, serving as passports to showcase your expertise worldwide. Prepare to shine brightly as a recognized professional wherever your journey takes you.
• Can I enroll in the training program? Certainly! Our programs cater to psychology students, with select programs open to all. Embrace the opportunity to explore the captivating realm of psychology, available to everyone.
• Can I request a Letter of Recommendation from your institution? Absolutely! If you require a Letter of Recommendation, simply reach out to us. We’re dedicated to assisting and bolstering your educational endeavors every step of the way!
• What are the basic criteria for completing the program? Certainly! To ensure the integrity of the course and certification, our team adheres to several criteria for qualification. The primary requirements include maintaining a minimum attendance of 60% and achieving a minimum of 50% marks for successful completion. Participants who meet these criteria will be awarded a completion certificate, while those with attendance of 10% and above will receive a participation certificate.
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Case conceptualization: Key to highly effective counseling

By Jon Sperry and Len Sperry

December 2020

I n their first session, the counseling intern learned that Jane’s son had been diagnosed with brain cancer. The therapist then elicited the client’s thoughts and feelings about her son’s diagnosis. Jane expressed feelings of guilt and the thought that if she had done more about the early symptoms, this never would have happened to her son. Hearing this guilt producing thought, the intern spent much of the remaining session disputing it. As the session ended, the client was more despondent.  

After processing this session in supervision, the intern was no longer surprised that Jane had not kept a follow-up appointment. The initial session had occurred near the end of the intern’s second week, and she had been eager to practice cognitive disputation, which she believed was appropriate in this case. In answer to the supervisor’s question of why she had concluded this, the intern responded that “it felt right.”

The supervisor was not surprised by this response because the intern had not developed a case conceptualization. With one, the intern could have anticipated the importance of immediately establishing an effective and collaborative therapeutic alliance and gently processing Jane’s emotional distress sufficiently before dealing with her guilt-producing thought.

This failure to develop an adequate and appropriate case conceptualization is not just a shortcoming of trainees, however. It is also common enough among experienced counselors.

What is case conceptualization?

Basically, a case conceptualization is a process and cognitive map for understanding and explaining a client’s presenting issues and for guiding the counseling process. Case conceptualizations provide counselors with a coherent plan for focusing treatment interventions, including the therapeutic alliance, to increase the likelihood of achieving treatment goals.

We will use the definition from our integrated case conceptualization model to operationalize the term for the purposes of explaining how to utilize this process. Case conceptualization is a method and clinical strategy for obtaining and organizing information about a client, understanding and explaining the client’s situation and maladaptive patterns, guiding and focusing treatment, anticipating challenges and roadblocks, and preparing for successful termination.

We believe that case conceptualization is the most important counseling competency besides developing a strong therapeutic alliance. If our belief is correct, why is this competency taught so infrequently in graduate training programs, and why do counselors-in-training struggle to develop this skill? We think that case conceptualization can be taught in graduate training programs and that counselors in the field can develop this competency through ongoing training and deliberate practice.

This article will articulate one method for practicing case conceptualization.

The eight P’s

We use and teach the eight P’s format of case conceptualization because it is brief, quick to learn and easy to use. Students and counselors in the community who have taken our workshops say that the step-by-step format helps guide them in forming a mental picture — a cognitive map — of the client. They say that it also aids them in making decisions about treatment and writing an initial evaluation report.

The format is based on eight elements for articulating and explaining the nature and origins of the client’s presentation and subsequent treatment. These elements are described in terms of eight P’s: presentation, predisposition (including culture), precipitants, protective factors and strengths, pattern, perpetuants, (treatment) plan, and prognosis.

Presentation

Presentation refers to a description of the nature and severity of the client’s clinical presentation. Typically, this includes symptoms, personal concerns and interpersonal conflicts.

Four of the P’s — predisposition, precipitants, pattern and perpetuants — provide a clinically useful explanation for the client’s presenting concern.

Predisposition

Predisposition refers to all factors that render an individual vulnerable to a clinical condition. Predisposing factors usually involve biological, psychological, social and cultural factors.

This statement is influenced by the counselor’s theoretical orientation. The theoretical model espouses a system for understanding the cause of suffering, the development of personality traits, and a process for how change and healing can occur in counseling. We will use a biopsychosocial model in this article because it is the most common model used by mental health providers. The model incorporates a holistic understanding of the client.

Biological: Biological factors include genetic, familial, temperament and medical factors, such as family history of a mental or substance disorder, or a cardiovascular condition such as hypertension.

Psychological: Psychological factors might include dysfunctional beliefs involving inadequacy, perfectionism or overdependence, which further predispose the individual to a medical condition such as coronary artery disease. Psychological factors might also involve limited or exaggerated social skills such as a lack of friendship skills, unassertiveness or overaggressiveness.

Social: Social factors could include early childhood losses, inconsistent parenting style, an overly enmeshed or disengaged family environment, and family values such as competitiveness or criticalness. Financial stressors can further exacerbate a client’s clinical presentations. The “social” element in the biopsychosocial model includes cultural factors. We separate these factors out, however.

Cultural: Of the many cultural factors, three are particularly important in developing effective case conceptualizations: level of acculturation, acculturative stress and acculturation-specific stress. Acculturation is the process of adapting to a culture different from one’s initial culture. Adapting to another culture tends to be stressful, and this is called acculturative stress. Such adaptation is reflected in levels of acculturation that range from low to high.

Generally, clients with a lower level of acculturation experience more distress than those with a higher level of acculturation. Disparity in acculturation levels within a family is noted in conflicts over expectations for language usage, career plans, and adherence to the family’s food choices and rituals. Acculturative stress differs from acculturation-specific stresses such as discrimination, second-language competence and microaggressions.

Precipitants

Precipitants refer to physical, psychological and social stressors that may be causative or coincide with the onset of symptoms or relational conflict. These may include physical stressors such as trauma, pain, medication side effects or withdrawal from an addictive substance. Common psychological stressors involve losses, rejections or disappointments that undermine a sense of personal competence. Social stressors may involve losses or rejections that undermine an individual’s social support and status. Included are the illness, death or hospitalization of a significant other, job demotion, the loss of Social Security disability payments and so on.

Protective factors and strengths

Protective factors are factors that decrease the likelihood of developing a clinical condition. Examples include coping skills, a positive support system, a secure attachment style and the experience of leaving an abusive relationship. It is useful to think of protective factors as being the mirror opposite of risk factors (i.e., factors that increase the likelihood of developing a clinical condition). Some examples of risk factors are early trauma, self-defeating beliefs, abusive relationships, self-harm and suicidal ideation.

Related to protective factors are strengths. These are psychological processes that consistently enable individuals to think and act in ways that benefit themselves and others. Examples of strengths include mindfulness, self-control, resilience and self-confidence. Because professional counseling emphasizes strengths and protective factors, counselors should feel supported in identifying and incorporating these elements in their case conceptualizations.

Pattern (maladaptive)

Pattern refers to the predictable and consistent style or manner in which an individual thinks, feels, acts, copes, and defends the self both in stressful and nonstressful circumstances. It reflects the individual’s baseline functioning. Pattern has physical (e.g., a sedentary and coronary-prone lifestyle), psychological (e.g., dependent personality style or disorder) and social features (e.g., collusion in a relative’s marital problems). Pattern also includes the individual’s functional strengths, which counterbalance dysfunction.

Perpetuants

Perpetuants refer to processes through which an individual’s pattern is reinforced and confirmed by both the individual and the individual’s environment. These processes may be physical, such as impaired immunity or habituation to an addictive substance; psychological, such as losing hope or fearing the consequences of getting well; or social, such as colluding family members or agencies that foster constrained dysfunctional behavior rather than recovery and growth. Sometimes precipitating factors continue and become perpetuants.

Plan (treatment)

Plan refers to a planned treatment intervention, including treatment goals, strategy and methods. It includes clinical decision-making considerations and ethical considerations.

Prognosis refers to the individual’s expected response to treatment. This forecast is based on the mix of risk factors and protective factors, client strengths and readiness for change, and the counselor’s experience and expertise in effecting therapeutic change.  

Case example

To illustrate this process, we will provide a case vignette to help you practice and then apply the case to our eight P’s format. Ready? Let’s give it a shot.

Joyce is a 35-year-old Ph.D. student at an online university. She is white, identifies as heterosexual and reports that she has never been in a love relationship. She is self-referred and is seeking counseling to reduce her chronic anxiety and social anxiety. She recently started a new job at a bookstore — a stressor that brought her to counseling. She reports feeling very anxious when speaking in her online classes and in social settings. She is worried that she will not be able to manage her anxiety at her new job because she will be in a managerial role.

Joyce reports that she has been highly anxious since childhood. She denies past psychological or psychiatric treatment of any kind but reports that she has recently read several self-help books on anxiety. She also manages her stress by spending time with her close friend from class, spending time with her two dogs, drawing and painting. She appears to be highly motivated for counseling and states that her goals for therapy are “to manage and reduce my anxiety, increase my confidence and eventually get in a romantic relationship.”

Joyce describes her childhood as lonely and herself as “an introvert seeking to be an extrovert.” She states that her parents were successful lawyers who valued success, achievement and public recognition. They were highly critical of Joyce when she would struggle with academics or act shy in social situations. As an only child, she often played alone and would spend her free time reading or drawing by herself.

When asked how she views herself and others, Joyce says, “I often don’t feel like I’m good enough and don’t belong. I usually expect people to be self-centered, critical and judgmental.”

Case conceptualization outline

We suggest developing a case conceptualization with an outline of key phrases for each of the eight P’s. Here is what these phrases might look like for Joyce’s case. These phrases are then woven together into sentences that make up a case conceptualization statement that can be imported into your initial evaluation report.

Presentation: Generalized anxiety symptoms and social anxiety

Precipitant: New job and concerns about managing her anxiety

Pattern (maladaptive): Avoids cl oseness to avoid perceived harm

Predisposition:

• Biological: Paternal history of anxiety
• Psychological: Views herself as inadequate and others as critical; deficits in assertiveness skills, self-soothing skills and relational skills
• Social: Few friends, a history of social anxiety, and parents who were highly successful and critical
• Cultural: No acculturative stress or cultural stressors but from upper-middle-class socioeconomic status, so from privileged background — access to services and resources

Perpetuants: Small support system; believes that she is not competent at work

Protective factors/strengths: Compassionate, creative coping, determined, hardworking, has access to various resources, motivated for counseling

Plan (treatment): Supportive and strengths-based counseling, thought testing, self-monitoring, mindfulness practice, downward arrow technique, coping and relationship skills training, referral for group counseling

Prognosis: Good, given her motivation for treatment and the extent to which her strengths and protective factors are integrated into treatment

Case conceptualization statement

Joyce presents with generalized anxiety symptoms and social anxiety (presentation) . A recent triggering event includes her new job at a local bookstore — she is concerned that she will make errors and will have high levels of anxiety (precipitant) . She presents with an avoidant personality — or attachment — style and typically avoids close relationships. She has one close friend and has never been in a love relationship. She typically moves away from others to avoid being criticized, judged or rejected (pattern) . Some perpetuating factors include her small support system and her belief that she is not competent at work (perpetuants) .

Some of her protective factors and strengths include that she is compassionate, uses art and music to cope with stress, is determined and hardworking, and is collaborative in the therapeutic relationship. Protective factors include that she has a close friend from school, has access to university services such as counseling services and student clubs and organizations, is motivated to engage in counseling, and has health insurance (strengths & protective factors) .

The following biopsychosocial factors attempt to explain Joyce’s anxiety symptoms and avoidant personality style: a paternal history of anxiety (biological) ; she views herself as inadequate and others as critical and judgmental, and she struggles with deficits in assertiveness skills, self-soothing skills and relational skills (psychological) ; she has few friends, a history of social anxiety and parents who were highly successful and critical toward her (social) . Given Joyce’s upper-middle-class upbringing, she was born into a life of opportunity and privilege, so her entitlement of life going in a preferred and comfortable path may also explain her challenges with managing life stress (cultural) .

Besides facilitating a highly supportive, empathic and encouraging counseling relationship, treatment will include psychoeducation skills training to develop assertiveness skills, self-soothing skills and relational skills. These skills will be implemented through modeling, in-session rehearsal and role-play. Her challenges with relationship skills and interpersonal patterns will also be addressed with a referral to a therapy group at the university counseling center. Joyce’s negative self-talk, interpersonal avoidance and anxiety symptoms will be addressed with Socratic questioning, thought testing, self-monitoring, mindfulness practice and the downward arrow technique (plan-treatment) .

The outcome of therapy with Joyce is judged to be good, given her motivation for treatment, if her strengths and protective factors are integrated into the treatment process (prognosis) .

Notice how the treatment plan is targeted at the presenting symptoms and pattern dynamics of Joyce’s case. Each of the eight P’s was identified in the case conceptualization, and you can see the flow of each element and its interconnections to the other elements.

Tips for writing effective case conceptualizations

1) Seek consultation or supervision with a peer or supervisor for feedback on your case conceptualizations. Often, another perspective will help you understand the various elements (eight P’s) that you are trying to conceptualize.

2) Be flexible with your hypotheses and therapeutic guesses when piecing together case conceptualizations. Sometimes your hunches will be accurate, and sometimes you will be way off the mark.

3) Consider asking the client how they would explain their presenting problem. We begin with a question such as, “How might you explain the (symptoms, conflict, etc.) you are experiencing?” The client’s perspective may reveal important predisposing factors and cultural influences as well as their expectations for treatment.

4) Be OK with being imperfect or being completely wrong. This process takes practice, feedback and supervision.

5) After each initial intake or assessment, jot down the presenting dynamics and make some guesses of the cause or etiology of them.

6) Have a solid understanding of at least one theoretical model. Read some of the seminal textbooks or watch counseling theory videos to help you gain a comprehensive assessment of a specific theory. Knowing the foundational ideas of at least one theory will help with your conceptual map of piecing together the information that you’ve gathered about a client.

We realize that putting together case conceptualizations can be a challenge, particularly in the beginning. We hope you will find that this approach works for you. Best wishes!

For more information and ways of learning and using this approach to case conceptualization, check out the recently published second edition of our book, Case Conceptualization: Mastering This Competency With Ease and Confidence .

Jon Sperry is an associate professor of clinical mental health counseling at Lynn University in Florida. He teaches, writes about and researches case conceptualization and conducts workshops on it worldwide. Contact him at [email protected] or visit his website at drjonsperry.com .

Len Sperry is a professor of counselor education at Florida Atlantic University and a fellow of the American Counseling Association. He has long advocated for counselors learning and using case conceptualization, and his research team has completed eight studies on it. Contact him at [email protected] .

Knowledge Share articles are developed from sessions presented at American Counseling Association conferences.

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The Lived Experiences of Clinical Mental Health Counseling Internship Students Providing Home-Based Therapy

• ORIGINAL ARTICLE
• Published: 02 March 2022
• Volume 44 , pages 337–355, ( 2022 )

Cite this article

• Denise M. Walker 1 ,
• Joy Teles Oliveira   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0415-9399 2 &
• LaVelle Hendricks 2  

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Home-based therapy has become an ongoing trend within the mental health field. This transcendental phenomenologically designed study explored the lived experiences of clinical mental health counseling internship students (N=8) who provided home-based therapy as their primary method of gaining required clinical experience for the completion of their master’s degree. The overall personal and professional development of the students providing therapy in this setting was explored. Insights of the internship students regarding their experiences and challenges in providing home-based therapy were revealed. Recommendations based on the experiences of the students providing home-based therapy were offered. Implications to students, counselor educators, and supervisors have also been provided.

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Walker, D.M., Teles Oliveira, J. & Hendricks, L. The Lived Experiences of Clinical Mental Health Counseling Internship Students Providing Home-Based Therapy. Int J Adv Counselling 44 , 337–355 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-022-09464-2

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Plan your Career: Ayesha’s Real Life Case Study

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Today, I bring to you a real-life and a true case study. This is Ayesha’s story. Ayesha was a bright student and scored well in her exams in the 9th and 10th grade. She was also highly creative and won accolades in many inter-school competitions on writing and art. Both her parents were Engineers, doing well in their corporate careers and were very proud of their daughter.

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During the course of her senior secondary studies, Ayesha did not quite enjoy her studies the way she did earlier. She lagged behind her friends. Her parents often compared her with the class topper Riya. The subjects that were a cakewalk for Riya seemed to complex and difficult to understand for Ayesha. Being the strong and determined girl she was, Ayesha did not give up and worked even harder. She burnt the midnight oil and gave up all her interests and extracurricular activities.

Finally, Ayesha managed to get average scores in her subjects and enrolled in an Engineering college as per her parent’s expectations. Ayesha entered college with a lot of pressure from friends and family on performing well. Well, she needed to get that well-paying corporate job following her parent’s footsteps. The moment of truth arrives, Ayesha tried her best to get accustomed to her new field of study. But her inner calling for something more satisfactory and acceptable to her self-consciousness rather than the study of engineering, could not be stopped.

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We all agree that parents are the best advisors and well-wishers for their children. However, we should also recognize that we may be limited in our exposure and constrained in our thinking and recognition of our children’s aspirations and aptitude.

In today’s world, students are spoiled for Career options, therefore Career Counselling has become a necessary intervention. A simple stream selector assessment in Ayesha’s 10th grade could have helped her parents and herself understand her interests and aptitude to steer in the right direction.

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