Assignment 1: Assessing Clients With Addictive Disorders

Addictive disorders can be particularly challenging for
clients. Not only do these disorders typically interfere with a
client’s ability to function in daily life, but they also often manifest
as negative and sometimes criminal behaviors. Sometime clients with
addictive disorders also suffer from other mental health issues,
creating even greater struggles for them to overcome. In your role, you
have the opportunity to help clients address their addictions and
improve outcomes for both the clients and their families. For this
Assignment, as you examine the Levy Family video in this week’s Learning Resources, consider how you might assess and treat clients presenting with addiction.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Assess clients presenting with addictive disorders
• Analyze therapeutic approaches for treating clients with addictive disorders
• Evaluate outcomes for clients with addictive disorders

To prepare:

• Review this week’s Learning Resources and consider the insights they provide.
• Review the Levy Family video Episodes 1 through 5.

The Assignment

In a 2- to 3-page paper, address the following:

• After watching Episode 1, describe:
  • What is Mr. Levy’s perception of the problem?
  • What is Mrs. Levy’s perception of the problem?
  • What can be some of the implications of the problem on the family as a whole?
• After watching Episode 2, describe:
  • What did you think of Mr. Levy’s social worker’s ideas?
  • What were your thoughts of her supervisor’s questions about her suggested therapies and his advice to Mr. Levy’s supervisor?
• After watching Episode 3, discuss the following:
  • What were your thoughts about the way Mr. Levy’s therapist responded to what Mr. Levy had to say?
  • What were your impressions of how the therapist worked with Mr. Levy? What did you think about the therapy session as a whole?
  • Informed by your knowledge of pathophysiology,
    explain the physiology of deep breathing (a common technique that we use
    in helping clients to manage anxiety). Explain how changing breathing
    mechanics can alter blood chemistry.
  • Describe the therapeutic approach his therapist
    selected. Would you use exposure therapy with Mr. Levy? Why or why not?
    What evidence exists to support the use of exposure therapy (or the
    therapeutic approach you would consider if you disagree with exposure
    therapy)?
• In Episode 4, Mr. Levy tells a very difficult story about Kurt, his platoon officer.
  • Discuss how you would have responded to this revelation.
  • Describe how this information would inform your therapeutic approach. What would you say/do next?
• In Episode 5, Mr. Levy’s therapist is having issues with his story.
  • Imagine that you were providing supervision to this therapist, how would you respond to her concerns?
• Support your approach with evidence-based literature.