Here you’ll find a case analysis I completed for my Advanced Clinical Practice course.

The Case Analysis is used as an embedded measure for the following CSWE competencies:
3. Advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
6. Engage with individuals, families, and groups
7. Assess individuals, families, and groups.
8. Intervene with individuals, families, and groups.

The case vignette is below. The pdf of the paper is attached here.

“Helga” is a 35-year-old female with a graduate degree in sociology who describes herself as a “black woman who is very spiritual, but not religious.” She was born and raised in Germany but came to live in NC during her late teens. She relates that she has never felt “at home” since she left Germany, but that there is now nothing there for her to return to. She frequently mentions how lonely and isolated she feels. There are no friends in her life except one person who lives nearby, no intimate relationships, and she feels a deep sense of rejection. She is currently employed as a part-time instructor at a local community college.

Helga has a history of multiple inpatient behavioral health hospitalizations due to marked feelings of worthlessness, self-injurious (cutting) behaviors, and several attempts to end her own life. Her last hospitalization was one year ago and since discharge she has regularly attended outpatient individual and group therapy but its been about a month since she has been to her group.

Helga also describes an onset of acute anxiety when a lump was discovered in her throat approximately eighteen months ago. This was an extremely stressful period as the medical consequences of the lump were initially unknown, although the lump was later removed and found to be benign. She describes a continued intense fear of making mistakes and being responsible for “something bad happening.” For example, she worries that her cat will go missing should she leave the door open. She reluctantly shares with you that she is engaging in a variety of behaviors such as repeatedly checking doors, locks, and windows before she leaves the house or goes to bed to make sure that they are secured.

Helga relates the following to you: “I just dread getting up every morning. Everything seems like such a chore. I’m afraid that anything I do will turn to failure. I see no real sense in going on. I have constant thoughts of ending my life, but I am not sure how I would do that or if I really even want to. I’m surely no use to anyone around me. I just feel so worthless, rotten, and full of guilt and hatred for myself. I hear a voice in my head, like my consciousness, telling me that I’m “no good” over and over again. No matter what I do or try, I just can’t see any light at the end of that long, dark, cold, scary tunnel. I look forward to death, because then I won’t have to suffer anymore.” Helga tells you that she has one good friend that lives near her but otherwise she has few supports. She does tell you that she goes to church on occasion. She says that she enjoys listening to music and that she really like eating German foods. She cooks sometimes but doesn’t like to do that just for one person. She does not like going to the hospital and does not want to go back. She gets along well with her therapist and says that the group she attends is “okay.” She has a hard time feeling connected to others.