Psychoanalytic Treatment Plan
Build client/therapist relationship. A good and positive therapeutic relationship between the patient and the client is essential for effective therapy. Establishing rapport s important in a therapeutic relationship for effective therapy. It involves development and maintaining a constructive relationship and full of trust (Knapp, 2007).
Assessment. Assess the client’s problem (major depression). In psychoanalytic therapy, probing the client’s history will be essential. Psychoanalytic therapy includes an in-depth talk between the client and the therapist with the aim of making the client become aware of his/her unconscious thoughts and feelings (Postorino & Doyle-Portillos, 2015).
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Goal Setting. The key goal of psychoanalytic therapy will to assist the client increase his/her understanding of the unconscious factors that contribute to the current emotions and feelings leading to major depression. By the end of the treatment, the patient should be have an improved function of the ego and become less influenced by biological drivers or the needs of superego.
Intervention. Intervention include free association and interpreting resistance situations and transference. Free association enables clients to better learn their feelings and thoughts.
Follow-up. Follow-up period will be agreed upon by both the patient and the therapist. It will help establish the progress made by the client
Termination Evaluation. Evaluation involves reviewing of the therapy process and the impact on the client. The patient will be prepared for termination in a competent and ethical way.
Humanistic Therapy Plan
Develop Therapeutic Relationship. Establish trust with the client to ensure that the process is effective and runs smoothly.
Assessment. A humanistic therapy approach pays attention to the strengths of a person and provides counselling that is not judgmental (Palacios, 2018). The patient’s strengths will be assessed because what an individual is able to do is the focus of this approach. From a humanistic approach, major depression is a disturbance in the ability of a client to realize his/her full potential.
Goal Setting. The goals of humanistic therapy is to assist the patient gain a strong and healthier sense towards oneself. In addition, the client is able to understand his/her feelings which gives meaning to life. The ultimate goal of the therapy is to help the patient realize his or her full potential
Intervention. Focus on the client’s current thoughts and feelings instead of the underlying causes is an intervention that will be used with the client.
Follow-up. Both the client and therapist will agree on a follow up plan.
Termination and Evaluation. The client will be evaluated to determine termination. He/she will be prepare for termination of the therapeutic relationship in an effective way.
Behavior Therapy
Develop a therapeutic relationship. The initial step is creating a therapeutic relationship between the client and the therapist. It helps create a supportive environment and mutual trust.
Assessment. Behavior therapy sees depression as an outcome of the absence of positive reinforcement ( Postorino & Doyle-Portillos, 2015 ). Assessment will involve examination of the client’s behaviors related to major depression and identification of negative reinforcement.
Goal Setting. The main goal of behavior therapy in the treatment of major depression are:
To help the client with major depression symptoms learn how to cope with the associated negativity.
Improve positive awareness by re-developing personal goals in the short, medium and long term goals (Reeves, 2018).
Intervention. Behavioral therapy interventions for major depression will include assisting the patient plan or do things they love doing, help the client develop social skills, and monitor/manage emotions. The aim of the behavior therapy interventions is to target the behaviors that cause depression, eliminate them, and reinforce the positive ones (Reeves, 2018).
Follow-up. Both patient and client develop a follow up to monitor and track progress.
Evaluation and Termination. After evaluation of the client’s progress, termination of the therapeutic relationship will be determined.
Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive therapy is explains depression as a consequence of negative events in life combined with an individual’s perception or response to the situations ( Postorino & Doyle-Portillos, 2015 ). These in turn affect development and retention of major depression symptoms. The cognitive therapy plan for major depression is as follows.
Establish a therapeutic relationship with the client
Assessment. Assessment includes evaluation of the client’s thinking and behavior in relation to the disorder.
Goal setting. Both the client and patient identify the goals of treatment. The main goals of cognitive therapy is to relieve depressive symptoms and issues, equip the client with coping strategies and skills, and help the client change cognitive aspects in order to avoid a relapse.
Intervention. Cognitive behavior therapy intervention for depressive symptoms will include learning stress management skills such as relaxation methods, help the patient learn coping strategies, and help the patient identify circumstances in most cases avoided and slowly approach the feared ones.
Follow-up. Create a follow up plan with the client to monitor the patient’s progress and address any challenges that may arise.
Evaluation and termination. Terminate the therapeutic relationship if evaluation allows.
Summary
I think the most effective therapy is cognitive therapy. A number of studies indicate that cognitive therapy is the most effective psychotherapy in the treatment of major depression. Psychoanalysis therapy does not provide long term solution to depressive symptoms and is less focused. Behavior therapy on the other hand focuses on changing behaviors while the focus of a humanistic approach is on strengths. The three approaches do not address cognitive functions which to a great extent in influence depression. Cognitive therapy addresses thoughts/cognitive aspects which cause depression and it offers long term solutions to the disorder.
References
Knapp, H. (2007). Therapeutic communication: Developing professional skills. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Palacios, A. F. (2018). An idealist's view of humanistic psychotherapy. The Journal of Humanistic Counseling , 57 (3), 223-231. https://doi.org/10.1002/johc.12084
Pastorino, E., & Doyle-Portillos, S. (2015). What is Psychology? Foundations, Applications, and Integration . Boston: Cengage
Reeves, A. (2018). An introduction to counselling and psychotherapy: From theory to practice . SAGE.
