Therapy Techniques

Question 1

Communication techniques (5)

Answer 1

ACTIVE LISTENING
SILENCE
OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
REFLECTION
RESTATING

ACTIVE LISTENING

Hearing, processing and purposely comprehending client‘s words. Client needs to feel a social worker cares about what they are saying.

SILENCE

encourages client to express thoughts and emotions clearly. Maintain eye contact, observed the behavior of the client while sitting quietly.

OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS

When and why questions. “Tell me about your friends versus how many friends do you have?”

REFLECTION

Brings focus to the feelings attached to the clients words. Should I tell the doctor I stopped taking my meds? Do you feel that would benefit you in anyway?

RESTATING

Repeating or paraphrasing. Client opportunity to provide further info.

Question 2

Substance abuse assessment (6)

Answer 2

acute intoxication/withdrawal potential

Biomedical conditions, and complications

Emotional/behavioral conditions, i.e. psych evaluation

Treatment acceptance or resistance

Relapse potential

Recovery/living environment

Question 3

Endless list of behavioral mod techniques space (13!)

Answer 3

Systematic desensitization – pair anxiety response with calming response

In vitro desensitization more pairing with anxiety, but it’s a “real “situation

Aversion therapy

Shaping - training, new behavior through prompting and reinforcing

Flooding - like exposure therapy

Modeling – what it sounds like

Assertiveness training

Contingency contract – an actual contract to change behavior – complete with pos/neg consequences built-in

Sensate focus – en vivo desensitization with communication enhancement thrown out. Use sex therapy to desensitize couples to performance anxiety, central massage along with graded “pleasuring “. Think masters and Johnson.

Squeeze technique – ouch! Procedure to delay ejaculation

Timeout

Token economy - like a gold star system

Self instructional training – client discreetly runs through a script on behavior to carry out that will reduce anxiety

Question 4

CBT works well with… (4)

Answer 4

Phobias
Depression
Anxiety
Addiction

Question 5

Styles of communication used by SW (4)

Answer 5

Clarification
Summarization
Confrontation
Education

Clarification: SW having client repeat/restate/make clear something already said.

Summarization: SW reflects back to client what they said, highlighting main points

Confrontation: doesn’t have to be a bad thing! Informing, challenging, pointing out inconsistencies, bringing something already on the table into focus

Education: SW providing client with info, they might not be aware of. Example cycle of violence. 

Question 6

Barriers to functional therapeutic communication (21!)

Answer 6

Too many shoulds and oughts

Instant advise or solutions

Blaming

Judging

Assuming

Lecturing

Winning by logic

Arguing

Glib interpretations

Too much professional jargon

Unearned reassurance

Sarcasm

Pushing client to defensiveness

Too many questions at once

Too many interruptions

Too many “you know “etc.

Dominating conversation

Excessive chitchat to point of avoiding the real stuff

SW must provide structure and guidance to conversation - can’t be too passive

Obvious effort to “fish” for info

Focusing too much on past takes away from conversation about the hear and now

Question 7

Meta communication (4)

Answer 7

A form of communication that conveys meaning beyond any words that might be used.

Examples:

A heavy sigh
A look of annoyance
Angry body language
Saying “just kidding” after telling an offensive joke

Question 8

Behavior modification works best for the following disorders
(5)

Answer 8

ADHD

Sexual dysfunction

Compulsive disorders, such as over eating and smoking

Phobic disorders

Kids with autism or mental retardation

Question 9

High risk factors for suicidality (5)

Answer 9

History of prior attempts (#1 indicator of risk)

Depressed person suddenly cheers up

Just being released from hospital

Just starting regime of antidepressants (may now have energy to carry out a plan.)

Access to firearms 

Question 10

Techniques that encourage expression of feeling or emotion (3)

Answer 10

Making observations
Clarification
Reframing

Making observations: “you seem sad today”

Clarification: “what do you mean by disappointed?”

Reframing: help client see an issue from a different perspective. “Let’s look at this in a different way“

Question 11

Techniques that help a client take a step back to make a change (4)

Answer 11

Confrontation
Limit setting
Advising
Probing

Confrontation: pointing out to clients directly and without disapproval, discrepancies inconsistencies, etc. “You were smirking when you gave that last answer” client: “I don’t know why I am like this”. Social worker: “if you feel you have a problem, maybe you should name it so we can talk about it. You must have already built rapport with a client to use this technique.

Limit setting: SW: “it sounds like you aren’t sure if you can trust me.” Client: “why do you say that?” SW: “because you were asking me personal questions”

Advising: if client asked her direct question, SW can make a suggestion or recommendation – they should always convey that client can accept or reject the advice

Probing: this is not therapeutic! Probing clients to satisfy S W‘s curiosity is invasive, uncomfortable, and threatens rights to confidentiality.

Question 12

Verbal cues to help clients focus (4)

Answer 12

Exploring
Focusing
Summarizing
Partializing

Exploring: “tell me more about how you feel when you are by yourself”

Focusing: questions that help client develop or expand on an idea. “You said you became angry when…”

Summarizing: should be done at the end of a topic, or overall session.

Partializing: breakdown complex issues into more manageable units

Question 13

Minor consent law in Hawaii

Answer 13

Allows minors, 14 years and older to consent to outpatient mental health services without consent, knowledge or participation of parents or legal guardian, upon consultation and agreement of their licensed therapist.

Question 14

Empathy versus sympathy

Answer 14

Sympathy: feeling the emotions of others with them. Feeling sorry for someone. Pitying them.

: Understanding emotions without necessarily sharing in them. Being empathetic doesn’t mean relinquishing emotional control. Empathy is the job description of social work.

Question 15

Stages of change (5)

Answer 15

Precontemplation
Contemplation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance

Question 16

, Behavior: people who have experienced trauma are inclined to… (8)

Answer 16

Use harmful substances
Keep to oneself
Overwork
Eating problems
Lethargic, fatigued,
Need to do certain things over and over
Engage in strange or risky behavior
Have insomnia 

Question 17

Circular questioning

Answer 17

Technique to help resistant clients open up – especially in group therapy

Questions that prompt you to look beyond the available facts – consider another person’s perspective

Examples:

If your dad didn’t show up when he was supposed to, how do you think your mother would have felt?

How do you think your sister feels when she sees your mom crying like that?

Question 18

Symmetrical versus complementary communication

Answer 18

Symmetrical – a conversation between equals

Complementary – one person has more power than the other.

SW/client communication is typically complementary – as SW is sharing expertise. The client does not have