The Six Stages of the Helping Process
Box 1.1 Case Study: Elisa
Elisa is a 30-year-old Latina. She and her two sons moved from Mexico to New York City two years ago. She and her children are now living with her sister and her three children in a small apartment. Last week, Elisa’s 14-year-old son, Antonio, was arrested for drug possession. This incident with Antonio has caused Elisa to question whether she wants to remain in New York. In addition to Antonio’s involvement with the legal system, Elisa has just been laid off from her position as a housekeeper at a Manhattan hotel. She anticipates going back to work but in the meantime has been receiving a very small unemployment check. She is now feeling hopeless and overwhelmed and is unable to figure out what she needs to do next. She made a comment to the court services social worker that she has thought about running away and never coming back.
Client Introduction/Greeting:
Question 1: Provide a short narrative of how you would welcome the client and get them ready for the counseling session. (This could include small talk, directions, and/or some ice breaker questions.)
“Hello, Elisa? My name is Alicia. I am from family services, it’s nice to meet you. I brought some fruit and baked good for you and your family.”
(I assume Elisa would then invite me into her home).
“I understand how overwhelming this all may be for you but I thank you for meeting with me today. I have a lot of experience with helping families find resources for food and counseling services. Can you tell me more about your family and current living situation? “
Stage 1: Intake and Engagement
When considering the level of strength and perseverance Elisa had to amass when she moved her family to the United States (leaving behind her community, country, and family; learning a new language; navigating in a completely unknown environment; getting a job; and enrolling her children in school), the current “small” series of life events do not appear to be insurmountable from a social worker’s perspective. However, to effectively engage Elisa, the social worker must be able to understand how Elisa is experiencing these events.
Question 2: Imagine you are the counselor who is meeting with Elisa for the first time. What would you say to her? (Provide at least three questions that would allow you to engage Elisa and identify the challenges she faces.)
Stage 2: Assessment
Question 3: Based on Elisa’s case narrative, what would you say are the potential problems that need addressed through counseling service? Additionally, what are some of Elisa’s strengths that can aid her in addressing her problems?
Stage 3: Planning
Question 4: What are some short term goals that both you (the counselor) and Elisa could set that would Help her in addressing her problems? Please provide at least four goals. (For example: Elisa will sign up for the online job notifications through the job site Indeed.com.)
Stage 4: Treatment/Intervention
Question 5: What are some of the resources that you could provide or inform Elisa about that could Help her in achieving her short-term goals? (For example: Letting Elisa know about the Indeed.com job site.)
Stage 5: Assessment
Question 6: Based on the short-term and long-term goals you have set for Elisa, what changes have been accomplished? This could be behavioral, attitudes, beliefs, etc. (Note: Please record what changes you desire to see during your time with Elisa).
Stage 6: Termination
Question 7: Elisa has accomplished her short-term and long-term goals. With this in mind, how would you terminate the relationship with
The Six Stages of the Helping Process
Question 1
“Hello, I am Alicia. I work with family service. I believe you are Elisa. It is nice meeting you. I came along with some snacks and coffee for your family.”
“I have assessed your situation, and I feel and understand what you are going through is so overwhelming, especially for a mother. Your acceptance to meet me is important for both your boys and family and I would do my best to help you and your family. I have worked with a lot of families, and I believe I shall be able to work together to ensure you get enough resources to sustain a standard life. Now, I will start by describing to me your current living situation and any other difficulties you are facing as mother and family.”
Question 2
During the first meeting with Elisa, the three questions that would allow engaging Elisa and identifying the challenges she faces include:
• What is the problem from your viewpoint?
• Who or what is most important to you in your life?
• What do you think causes the problem to worsen?
The three questions will enable Elisa to describe the challenges she is facing, her ambitions or what she considers to be her life target that she consider accomplishing, and the causes or things that make the problems she is facing to worsen. With such information, the counselor can structure away from helping Elisa solve the challenges (O’Grady, 2018).
Question 3
The narrative indicates that Elisa’s condition involves a struggling mother financially with a child that is increasing her agony. That makes a problem that needs to be addressed through counseling. However, some of Elisa’s strengths are that she is hardworking and has remained ambitious and optimistic, which might boost her ability to stand the problems she is facing.
Question 4
• Elisa will conduct the Juvenile facility to enroll his son to help him with the problems he is facing as a juvenile.
• Elisa will enroll in online job platforms such as LinkedIn, where she can access available jobs in New York.
• Elisa would find daily paid jobs to support the small unemployment check.
• Elisa can consider sending the children to foster care until she becomes stable to support them (Riopel, 2020).
Question 5
To accomplish her short-term goals, Elisa can access the LinkedIn job platform through the internet. The counselor informs her on how to access the platform and how to look for specific jobs within New York. The counselor can also provide Elisa with conducts to specific juvenile facilities that deal with an adolescent with drug-related issues. The counselor can conduct the facility and set up a meeting for Elisa or refer her to the facility. The counselor can also consult job agents around the city that facilitate daily paid jobs and refer or provide Elisa with such conduct, which will boost her financial status before resuming her housekeeping job at the Manhattan hotel.
Question 6
The changes that are expected to be accomplished during the time with Elisa include the change in beliefs, whereby Elisa will be more motivated than her family can have a normal and happy life like any other American family. Her attitude towards life is expected to change, and she would be in a better position to handle her son’s adolescent behavior with an understanding of what most juveniles undergo.
Question 7
The termination process will involve preparing Elisa to end the sessions after the accomplishment of both short-term and long-term goals. The termination will be conducted when the client is no longer benefiting from the counseling, in this case when the goals have been accomplished (Kress & Marie, 2019).
References
Kress, V., & Marie, M. (2019). Counseling termination and new beginnings. Counseling Today. Retrieved from https://ct.counseling.org/2019/10/counseling-termination-and-new-beginnings/
O’Grady, D. (2018). Introductory Questions Therapists Commonly Ask. PsychCentral. Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com/blog/10-introductory-questions-therapists-commonly-ask/
Riopel. L. (2020). Goal Setting in Counseling and Therapy (Incl. Workbooks & Templates). Positive Psychology. Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-counseling-therapy/
