Ever felt like you should ask these questions if you are in therapy-
- ‘Where exactly my therapy is going? Is there any direction in which I am progressing or I am clueless.’
- ‘What are the issues I am working on in the therapy?’
- ‘Did my therapist asked me about the goals or agendas of what I would like to overcome through therapy?’
- 'Did my therapist explained me the reasons to why I am facing this ?'
- ‘Just knowing the diagnosis of what I am facing currently is enough or the therapeutic plan should be also discussed with me?’
The answer to all your questions is ‘A CASE FORMULATION OR CASE CONCEPTUALIZATION’ which your therapist shares in initial sessions. If you are looking for a Diagnosis, then just knowing the diagnosis at a times might not be helpful for you as it might not help you in understanding the psychological mechanisms behind that.
Case formulation can fill this gap between diagnosis and treatment. Case conceptualizations provide therapists and the client with a plan for focusing treatment interventions, also helps in the therapeutic alliance between client and therapist which ultimately helps in achieving the goals sets by client
‘A case formulation is a hypothesis about the psychological mechanisms that cause and maintain an individual’s symptoms and problems (Kuyken et al., 2009; Persons, 2008).’
As outlined by Persons (2008), a case formulation can be useful when:
- A client has several disorders or problems.
- No treatment manual exists for a particular disorder or problem.
- A client has numerous treatment providers.
- Problems arise that are not addressed in a manual—nonadherence or therapeutic relationship ruptures.
At a times Case conceptualization is generally overlooked by your therapist because of these misconceptions-
- that only long-term cases require case formulation.
- case formulation can be elaborate and time consuming.
- the concern that the focus on formulation may shift the therapist focus from the actual communication of the patient.
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. Many researchers point towards the idea better the case conceptualization better is the therapeutic alliance between the therapist and client.
So, next time make sure that you ask your therapist what they have conceptualized after your initial sessions and how they will be able to help you through the issues you are facing. Case conceptualizations can be given orally or by describing a model to you. If you relate with the conceptualization that means that you and your therapist are good to go ahead in your therapy session.
(BE INFORMED and MAKE SURE YOU ASK YOUR THERAPIST FOR A CASE CONCEPTUALIZATION.)
author : Kanishka
Clinical and Forensic Psychologist .