Case Study

Positive Psychology and Resilience

What makes one person ‘bounce back’ following adversity and another person seem to ‘crumble in a heap’? This question has always posed a fascination for me. I have often wondered whether individuals are simply born with the skills to cope with the difficulties that life often presents or whether there are a set of stress-coping […]

Drug Addictions and Group Work

A Support Group had been advertised on the display board of the local Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre in the City where the Counsellor had been seeing each of the members for private counselling prior to the start of the programme. Ten clients enrolled in the group but by 7:15pm only 5 of the ten […]

Counselling Case Study: Using REBT

Thomas is a 33 year old married man, who has recently become a father. He explains that he feels his self-esteem has been gradually deteriorating ever since he was married. He says that he can’t find reasons to enjoy life with his wife due to feelings of inadequacy as a husband. In his new role […]

Loneliness, Depression and Negative Thinking Patterns

In the previous post we explored some aspects of both loneliness and depression. The causes of each often have their basic roots in the way that modern life has progressed, particularly where ways of protecting oneself against being alone, feeling down and worthless and so on have been eroded. Isolation from others (geographic, social, emotional), […]

Counselling Case Study: Learning to Let Go

Elizabeth came to counselling because she was experiencing intense anger, and was not coping with her life. She complained of failed relationships with her ex-husband, and with another man whom she left her husband to be with. Elizabeth cannot move on from the anger she feels about her failed relationships and she is feeling isolated […]

Workplace Harassment: Tanya’s Case Study

Tanya is an 18 year old girl who works part time in a shoe store to pay her way through university. The manager is Brad a 29 year old, fit looking man who is a real go-getter can-do sort of personality. Tanya is by contrast quite shy and very well mannered. Tanya asked Brad one […]

Workplace Harassment: Jack’s Case Study

Jack is a 59 year old single male who is a manager in a busy retail firm. Jack feels that life has passed him by a bit. He is regarded as a good manager but he has no ambitions at his stage of life to advance any more. He has worked for the firm for […]

Workplace Harassment: Leanne’s Case Study

The following case study is based loosely around a real story but the people and the circumstances are fictional. Leanne is a 48 year old woman who is one of two product managers in a major computer parts facility. Leanne has excellent qualifications and experience as a manager in the computer sales industry. However she […]

A Case of Using a Person-Centred and Cognitive-Behavioural Approach to Burnout

Brett is a 36 year old man who works as an accountant for a small family business. The business is failing and Brett will probably have to begin the process of “winding it up” in the near future. His commitment to the business and his friends, the business owners, has intensified the level of stress […]