Analysis of Tina’s case study use

Based on the case study of Tina, students will use theory and other evidence-based support to analyze the situation, create an action plan, develop safeguards, practice implementation, and follow-up procedures. The essay will be written in APA format to include: title page, minimum of 8 pages of content, and reference page for a total of 10 pages.  The assignment is worth 200 points.

Name: Tina Nguyen

Age: 41

Sex: Female; heterosexual

Children: 2 (boy age 10, girl age 9)

Marital Status: Divorced/Single 

Tina was married to her husband for ten years and they have two children together.  Tina’s husband supported a close relationship between a female co-worker and his wife after starting a new job.  The two women became very close after spending every weekend, holiday, and many vacations together as a family.  Within 4 years of the friendship, an affair started between Tina’s husband and her best friend, which continued for the next three years.  As a result, both families were shattered by divorce, joint custody of the children, and a new marriage together between Tina’s ex-husband and her best friend.

Tina describes her relationship with her ex-husband as hostile and volatile a year after the divorce.  Tina describes the communication between the two as difficult. Tina’s ex-husband is still very bitter about the divorce/custody arrangements and continues to make threats of returning to court, asking for primary custody of their children.  Tina’s ex-husband requested primary custody of the children, but was denied during their court hearing for the divorce.  Her ex-husband has also become very manipulative with their son, discussing every detail of their divorce decree.  

He has been tracking her and the children’s whereabouts through the children’s cell phone.  He moved .55 miles from Tina’s home with his new wife in an effort to “be close to the kids” and to keep tabs on what is going on in Tina’s home.  He stops by her home unannounced on a regular basis. Tina is flooded with emails and texts every day questioning her decisions with the children.  If Tina does not answer the door or respond to his text messages, her ex-husband calls the police to do a “welfare check”.  One incident he was to return the children to her home after his visitation, to only drop off their daughter, but not their son.  Tina had to call the police to have him return the son to her home.  

Tina has recently started to take her children to counseling to help them process the divorce.  Her ex-husband does not agree.

Tina is focusing on the following:

·        Lives in fear of losing custody of her children.

·        Feels harassed daily with texts, calls, and emails from her ex-husband.

·        Feels she’s being monitored (stalked) by her ex-husband driving by her home on a daily basis and tracking her whereabouts through the children’s’ cell phones.

·        In fear she may not ever be able to have a future relationship because of her ex-husbands actions.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------See personal journal entry by Tina is below.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

It’s the night before school starts for Kevin and Kylie. They have been with their dad since Thursday; he is supposed to bring them back to my home by 6pm tonight. He’s late as expected. I’ve tried calling a few times and there is no answer. He shows up at my door with Kylie about 6:30pm and says that Kevin is in the car and doesn’t want to get out. I asked Kylie to go inside. She goes to my room and turns on the t.v. I walk outside to Dan's car and open the back seat door to his Explorer to speak with Kevin. He is hiding in the trunk area, so I think he is playing with me. I go around and open the trunk door to the Explorer and try to get him. He climbs into the back seat, I grab is toes and begin tickling him. I still think he is playing games with me. Then I tell him ok let’s go inside and he says “no” that he wants his dad to take him to school tomorrow for the first day of school. I tell him to go inside the house and we will talk about it. Kevin responds saying that he wants to talk about it now before he gets out of the car. Meanwhile Dan is standing next to me outside the care and Amy is in the front passenger seat. I tell Kevin that his dad can meet us at the school in the morning and we can all walk into school together but that he needs to come inside at this time. Dan starts to argue with me in front of Kevin that I never “listen” to what the kids want, why don’t I give him 50/50 custody, starts listing all the things in my home that he wants (we are divorced and have already gone to mediation for division of property). I tell Dan this is inappropriate to be discussing in front of Kevin at this time. Kevin starts to repeat all the things his dad is saying, I tell Kevin that this is an adult conversation that his dad and I will have at another time but he needs to come into the house now. I start to climb into the back of the Explorer and reach for Kevin when Dan blocks me with his arm across my neck to prevent me from climbing any further or from being able to reach for Kevin. At this point I told Dan that I was going in to make a phone call. I did not want to say in front of Kevin that I was calling the police. I am an emotional mess at this time. I know that Dan has put Kevin up to this. I know he has told him to refuse to get out of the car so that he can take him to school the next day. If he would have had a private conversation about the issue prior to this all happening we could have worked something out. He could meet us at the house or school in the AM for us all to walk in together. I hate how manipulative Dan is with Kevin. I feel bad for Kylie; he isn’t the same with her. I’m glad that he isn’t but what is she thinking right now. I wonder sometimes if she feels left out by her dad, can she tell the difference in the way he treats them. He is always so obsessed with Nathan putting all kinds of things in his head and telling him all about the details of our divorce, it is so wrong.

So, I come into the house and am shaking and crying by what is going on. I don’t know what to do, I call my attorney first and he tells me to call the police. I call and stay on the line with them until they arrive. I do not want to go back outside and have another with Dan. I am on the phone with the police when I look out the window and see that Dan’s car is gone. I am crying on the phone and telling the dispatcher that he left with my son. I can’t believe he actually drove away with Kevin! Allison (my attorney) shows up along with the police and tells the police the history and about how controlling and manipulative he is. The police try and call him on his cell to speak with him but he is not answering. I give them his address so that they can go by his apartment to get Kevin. He finally returns him after the police tell him to. I’m thankful the police officer speaks to Kevin and tells him to not worry about the adult issues to just focus on school, friends and kid stuff. It’s what I tell him all the time but it’s good that it is also coming from someone else. After everyone leaves I don’t address the issue at all. Kevin seems fine and is not visible upset. It’s the night before school and I don’t want my kids to think about all of this when they should be excited about starting a new year at school. We go through the rest of the night getting lunches made, picking out our clothes, etc.

I’m not sure what Dan was thinking by pulling this stunt tonight but I am extremely concerned by what he is doing to our son. It always takes a couple of days for Kevin to be his self again after returning from his dad’s house. I usually get some defiance and attitude for a few days but then he comes around only to return to his dad’s again the next week. Thankful to have my kid’s home tonight and hoping that all this can come to an end one day. I would like to just be able to get along and communicate for the sake of the kids. Why can’t he just accept the way things are?