Week 3: Assignment 1: Practicum – Assessing Client Families

Learning Objectives

Students will:

· Assess client families presenting for psychotherapy

· Develop genograms for client families presenting for psychotherapy

To prepare:

· Select a client family that you have observed or counseled at your practicum site.

· Review pages 137–142 of Wheeler (2014) and the Hernandez Family Genogram video in this week’s Learning Resources.

· Reflect on elements of writing a comprehensive client assessment and creating a genogram for the client you selected.

The Assignment

Part 1: Comprehensive Client Family Assessment

Create a comprehensive client assessment for your selected client family that addresses (without violating HIPAA regulations) the following:

Demographic information

Presenting problem

History or present illness

Past psychiatric history

Medical history

Substance use history

Developmental history

Family psychiatric history

Psychosocial history

History of abuse and/or trauma

Review of systems

Physical assessment

Mental status exam

Differential diagnosis

Case formulation

Treatment plan

Part 2: Family Genogram

Develop a genogram for the client family you selected. The genogram should extend back at least three generations (parents, grandparents, and great grandparents).

Required Readings

American Nurses Association. (2014). Psychiatric-mental health nursing: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

· Standard 5B “Health Teaching and Health Promotion” (pages 55-56)

Nichols, M. (2014). The essentials of family therapy (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

· Chapter 8, “Experiential Family Therapy” (pp. 129–147)

· Chapter 13, “Narrative Therapy” (pp. 243–258)

Wheeler, K. (Ed.). (2014). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-to guide for evidence-based practice. New York, NY: Springer.

· “Genograms” pp. 137-142

Cohn, A. S. (2014). Romeo and Julius: A narrative therapy intervention for sexual-minority couples. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 25(1), 73–77. doi:10.1080/08975353.2014.881696