Case Conceptualization

Case Conceptualization 
Diagnosis, case conceptualization and treatment planning 
(1) Complete the “Case Conceptualization in Counseling” assignment. This assignment involves reading the article entitled, “Characteristics of Optimal Clinical Case Formulations: The Linchpin Concept” and answering a series of questions contained. 
American journal of psychotherapy 52(3):287-300 · June 1998 
1.    According to the author, what is a “linchpin”? 
2.    Why is it important for a therapist to understand the meaning of a linchpin? 
3.    What does a clinical case formulation embody? 
4.    In therapy what is the job of the assessing clinician? 
5.    What is not the concept of a “linchpin”? 
6.    What formulate facts in terms of factors? 
7.    How does sharing case formulation with the client benefit the therapeutic 
process? 
8.    In the 2nd case illustration, what factors undergrid the therapist to 
hypothesize Fran’s linchpin as suppressed anger towards her parents? 
9.    List the procedures that ought to be considered to construct a linchpin. 
2.    (2)  Submit one diagnostic and treatment plan report (approximately 4 – 6 pages in length) to the instructor pertaining to one (1) client using the following format: 
1.    Identifying information (i.e., client name – use a fake name such as “Fred 
Flintstone” as a
protection of client privacy, age, date of birth, sex, education level, date of interview) 
2.    Reason for referral/presenting concerns (a one to two sentence statement) 
3.    Psychosocial history (several paragraphs outlining the client’s developmental 
history, who resides in family, quality of client’s relationships with family members, client’s educational progress and problems/successes in school, nature and quality of friendships, history of mental health problems & treatment for these problems) 
4.    Mental status (how the client looks, feels, and behaves when you interview them taking into consideration the following: (1) general appearance, level of attention, and amount of activity; (2) mood/affect; (3) flow of speech; (4) content of thought; (5) cognition and intellectual resources; (6) insight and judgment. 
5.    Symptoms & associated emotional/behavioral problems (i.e., a more detailed explanation as to why the client is coming in for treatment; a description of current symptoms/problems and how these have affected client and others in his/her social environment) 
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(3) Conceptualization (i.e., Based on the information you’ve obtained in the interview, why do think the client is experiencing his/her problems? What are the various pieces of the puzzle you have to take into consideration when you think of why the client is experiencing his/her problems? You may want to consider writing your conceptualization within the framework of a particular theory.) 
1.    Diagnosis 
2.    Treatment plan (Come up with at least two goals – short term and/or long term 
– as well as two treatment recommendations to help the client address his/her problems. Provide justification as to why your chosen recommendations are appropriate/would be the most effective way of helping the client his/her problem.)