Counseling Case Analysis: John Smith

Smith already realizes that he needs assistance, and he could attend counseling if his mother is not as overacting as he thinks she is. He is thus resisting consenting. As a counselor, I would start by explaining to him that the benefits that he is likely to attain and emphasize to him that he has been bearing the idea before as it is evident in the case. I would assure confidentiality, and then ask what had made him convinced that he needed counseling (Gondolf, 2004). I would also explain the essence of the questions I would ask so that he understands I am well-intended and exclusively purposed to assist. Some of the questions would be: are you happy about the way you become highly aggressive? Do you think the aggressiveness has made you lose some value in life? What are the issues that invoke your anger? If Smith is not compliant, I would initiate questions that would make him reflect more on his personal life. Do you think your interpersonal skills would be better if you were not that aggressive? What do you think about your financial stability if the aggression would not have cost you several jobs? Would you like to live like this for the rest of your life? The provoking but polite questions will help him cooperate.

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The next step would be starting the Primary Care Plan. I would explain to him why his mother would be crucial in the process given that she takes care of him. However, the ultimate decision on whether to include with his mother will be solely on him. After consenting in writing, I would then reassure my credibility and give confidence that I can handle the case successfully (Horne, Stoddard, & Bell, 2007). The other step would be having him accept the condition in which he is, and that it is avoidable. We would then have regular meetings, and at the appropriate time, I can introduce him to a person who has survived aggression.

Even if Smith would not like his mother to be engaged, I would still do so separately without the knowledge of Smith. Since they live together, I would ask her about his progress. Moreover, during the sessions, I would enquire if Smith would like to stay independent. Owing to the fact that he is aggressive to his mother, staying independently would be better but I would not force it (Scholer et al., 2012). If he is willing and the mother has the capacity to finance him, then I can collaborate so that Smith states his favorite place, and using the information I would have gathered about him analyze if it would be a place that facilitates his improvement or otherwise. If he is unwilling to live independently but still continues with hostility against his mother, then I would seek for supportive services that would assist morally and financially in settling him elsewhere.

Lastly, since Smith as well wishes to give up aggression, I would be optimistic that with all the steps so far, he would have cooperated. However, in the case that he is still defiant, I would educate him about the repercussions of aggression, starting by informing him how it has already affected his personal life and that of others. I would then extend to inform him the legal implications on some of the aggression behaviors, where he can be jailed.

References

Gondolf, E. W. (2004, September). Evaluating batterer counseling programs: A difficult task showing some effects and implications. Aggression and Violent Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2003.06.001

Horne, A. M., Stoddard, J. L., & Bell, C. D. (2007). Group Approaches to Reducing Aggression and Bullying in School. Group Dynamics, 11(4), 262-271. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2699.11.4.262

Scholer, S. J., Reich, S. M., Boshers, R. B., & Bickman, L. (2012). A Brief Program Improves Counseling of Mothers With Children Who Have Persistent Aggression. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(6), 991-1004. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260511424501