Child and Adolescent Counseling Case Studies

Book excerpt: Includes highly effective creative and expressive interventions This state-of-the-art collection of 30 real-life cases on counseling children and adolescents emphasizes the developmental, relational, and cultural contexts of working with this population, and incorporates innovative techniques across a wide range of approaches. Intended as a companion to child and adolescent counseling texts, it offers counselors-in-training examples of hands-on, concrete, and workable applications that provide opportunities for skill and theory development. These case studies are distinguished by their emphasis on the critical impact of such systematic contexts as family, peers, and school, along with developmental and cultural contexts. The inclusion of creative and expressive interventions—often the most effective strategies in working with this population—make this an outstanding educational resource. The case studies—representing an esteemed variety of contributing authors-- address such ubiquitous themes as abuse, anxiety, giftedness, disability, body image, substance abuse, social media, grief, bullying, changing families, military families, incarcerated family members, race and ethnicity, and sexual identity and orientation. Each case follows a consistent format, comprised of a description of the young person’s presenting issues, a conceptualization of these issues, a description of the counseling process, an outline of desired outcomes, and a detailed discussion that includes systemic contexts, developmental and relational considerations, multicultural perspectives, and options for use of creative interventions. Key Features: Delivers a wide variety of cases covering contemporary issues prevalent among children and adolescents Emphasizes developmental, systematic, and contextual impacts including family, school, peer, and cultural influences Includes such treatment approaches as brief, solution-focused, CBT, reality/choice, narrative, and relational/cultural Includes options for creative interventions with each case and time efficient methods when applicable.