5-3 Final Project Milestone Two: Submit Outline of Final Project Submit an outline of the final project for approval. This outline is not graded separately from the final project but should be submitt

Adlerian Therapy Applied to the Case of Gwen

Katherine Alexandre

Southern New Hampshire University

May 22, 2024

Adlerian Therapy Applied to the Case of Gwen

Gwen is a 45-year-old African American woman who presents with symptoms of burnout, feeling overwhelmed, and a sense of loss of self. From childhood, she grew up as the oldest child and was forced to take up many responsibilities at a tender age, including denying herself what she wanted and pleasing others. This trend has followed her in her adulthood, and she is a woman who has the responsibility of caring for her husband, mother, siblings, and grown-up children besides working (Corey, 2016). Despite such efforts, Gwen feels she is never in charge of her life and is suffering from depression and poor concentration. Specifically, Adlerian therapy is appropriate for the treatment of Gwen because it encompasses the concept of the individual in their social surroundings and revolves around the goal and the style of living. This approach is a systematic and interpersonal one, attempting to grasp the historical and conceptual contexts of Gwen's life. Specific features of Adlerian therapy, including family constellation, early memories, and the social frame of reference, will assist Gwen in understanding her patterns of behavior and the cause of her current state.

During the first few sessions, the therapist assures Gwen that it is okay to be tired and frustrated because she has so much on her plate as a black woman juggling family and work. This validation is useful in establishing rapport and assisting Gwen in feeling heard and secure. The therapist aims to make Gwen understand how childhood experiences and cultural expectations have shaped her life (Corey, 2016). The therapist determines Gwen’s lifestyle by enquiring about her family setting as a child, where she was the firstborn, her responsibility towards her siblings, and her molestation by an elder cousin. This self-assertion reveals Gwen’s core values, where she strongly believes that it is necessary to sacrifice herself for everyone, which has resulted in overload and losing herself.

In Adlerian therapy, the therapist employs strategies like "The Question" to assist Gwen in developing a life without the current concerns and discovering what she wants. This assists Gwen in the process of learning to assert herself and fight for her rights and dreams, which she has been deprived of. The therapy also addresses Gwen's issues of assertiveness, self-empowerment seeking, boundaries, and self-care (Corey, 2016). Furthermore, the therapist discusses the social identities of oppression that Gwen has to confront, namely racism and sexism. In this way, the therapist assists Gwen in understanding the structural causes of her problems and builds up her strength and agency. As Gwen goes further in her therapy, attention is paid to issues such as how she can fulfill all her roles and responsibilities without compromising her self-identity. The therapist helps Gwen build more appropriate relationships, communicate better with her husband, and have personal and social activities. In these interventions, Gwen slowly takes back control of herself and finds a path toward a healthier and more meaningful existence.

Reference

Corey, G. (2016). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Cengage learning.