JOURNAL ENTRY
Week 11: Cultural Competence/Awareness, Vulnerable Populations, and Other Special
Considerations
Student Name
College of Nursing-PMHNP, Walden University
NRNP 6645: Psychotherapy with Multiple Modalities Practicum
Faculty Name
Assignment Due Date
This study source was downloaded by 100000853131049 from CourseHero.com on 08-13-2023 08:08:08 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/159201454/WEEK-11-Assignment-Journal-Entry-2docx/
2
Introduction
Anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, compulsive behaviors, and eating disorders
are just a few examples of the vast range of mental health illnesses and disorders that may be
treated with medication and psychotherapy, including what is known as mental illness.
Preceptors in my clinical rotation were excellent, and I learned a tremendous lot from them about
effectively treating patients with mental illness or dysfunctional behavior throughout their lives.
The practicum was a necessary experience to work with clients as they transformed or changed
from the beginning of therapy and advanced positively with some hurdles throughout the
sessions to the completion of treatment with excellent results and satisfaction.
Goals Achieved
During the practicum rotation, I was able to meet my objectives in a big way: I
interviewed many clients and their families and gathered a lot of material that helped with the
treatment of patients. While working with clients and others, I honed my interviewing abilities. I
performed many in-depth psychological or psychiatric histories on individuals, families, and
groups of people—a significant accomplishment during the clinical rotation.
To achieve this goal, it was necessary to identify and recognize each participant’s issues
and perspectives, empower support, encourage participation, listen attentively to each
participant, and address the concerns and worries with positive outcomes. This goal was
accomplished. The fact that I was able to keep lines of communication open, reach consensus on
solutions to difficulties, show compassion to clients, handle interpersonal disputes in my family
and workgroups, and ask open-ended questions to understand better situations was a significant
accomplishment.
Challenging Patients During the Practicum Experience
This study source was downloaded by 100000853131049 from CourseHero.com on 08-13-2023 08:08:08 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/159201454/WEEK-11-Assignment-Journal-Entry-2docx/
3
Many people deal with mental health issues at some point in their lives. Continuous
indications and symptoms, on the other hand, produce unrelenting stress and impair the patient’s
ability to work or function, transforming a mental health problem into dysfunctional behavior.
Mental health issues have many causes, and each patient has a unique set of symptoms and a
unique diagnosis. These people exhibited erratic behavior, lacked interpersonal skills, and
engaged in outlandish emotional outbursts. After a month in the Medical Intensive Treatment
Unit, the family of a therapy group member who had lost his kid in a suicide attempt or self-
destruction attempt withdrew care. Nobody could participate in the group meeting since the
member was so engrossed in the treatment session. I was sympathetic to the member’s plight and
sought to find out whether anybody else in the group had experienced anything similar and, if so,
how they would handle it so that the meeting could continue as planned. It turned out that
everyone had similar experiences and was adept at dealing with them. Thanks to this information
exchange, the member was able to control his emotions and continue with the treatment group
until the end of the meeting session.
A patient suffering from depression, who felt the sessions were insufficient and
ineffective, said that performing exercises and assignments was a waste of time. Adherence to a
treatment plan and completing assigned tasks are linked to improved treatment outcomes and
inspire and motivate patients (Jensen et al. 2020). Non-adherent patients may find it challenging
to progress since tasks aim to reduce symptoms, increase adaptability abilities, behavior
modification, and intellectual or cognitive rebuilding. Tasks or assignments that are completed
promptly enhance learning objectives and facilitate learning transfer outside of therapy sessions.
When siblings and a relative were not getting along at home, and the parents were unable to
come up with a solution, this was my third hurdle with family therapy, and I overcame it. When
This study source was downloaded by 100000853131049 from CourseHero.com on 08-13-2023 08:08:08 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/159201454/WEEK-11-Assignment-Journal-Entry-2docx/
4
things disappeared around the house, the siblings immediately pointed the finger at the relative
who had just moved in with them. Since the mother and siblings did not want to be in the same
room as their brother, the father and a distant relative sought family counseling for the situation.
Many people were encouraged to go, but it did not work out. For the sake of the whole family’s
well-being, each member was personally contacted, interrogated, and persuaded to attend family
therapy.
Lesson Learned
Psychotherapists must have strong interpersonal skills and effectively communicate with
their patients to effectively assess and treat their patients’ relationships and build rapport and
compatibility with them. Therapeutic correspondence encourages patients to express their
feelings and thoughts, making it easier for the practitioner to assess a patient’s indications,
investigate various treatment options, evaluate current best evidence, and inspire patient desire or
need (Areán, Renn, & Ratzliff, 2021). Therapy sessions for individuals, families, and groups
were scheduled for 50 minutes to an hour each, while each session lasted from 90 minutes to two
hour
Available Resources and Evidence-Based Practices
During the practicum, clients had access to other therapists and practitioners who could
offer assistance, leaflets, and other community resources. The Walden University library
provided clinical preliminaries on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral
Therapy, and Trauma-focused Therapy with convenient and evidence-based practice research
articles. This facilitated the clinical rotation by providing the necessary supportive information.
Psychosis symptoms can be managed with the help of a wide range of therapies, including
cognitive-behavioral therapy, person-centered therapy, and correspondence and communication.
This study source was downloaded by 100000853131049 from CourseHero.com on 08-13-2023 08:08:08 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/159201454/WEEK-11-Assignment-Journal-Entry-2docx/
5
What Can Be Done Differently
To perform at one’s best and develop prosperity and healing, psychotherapy may help
alleviate or regulate uncomfortable or disturbing symptoms. This is something I learned so much
about throughout my clinical rotation. I would want to improve the flow of patients and the
amount of time I spend with each of them during treatment sessions. To help the underserved
communities, I would want to improve their healthcare options, as most people in society do not
have access to quality treatment.
Managing Patient Flow and Volume during Therapy
During the practicum, significant time was set aside for patient treatment, including
individual therapy, family therapy, group therapy, and evaluations of new clients. During
admission for therapy, a treatment plan and projected release date were established, and revisions
were made as the patient progressed. It was an effective and strong approach to communication
with excellent and successful results for some patients who were not related or tangential. It
encouraged and empowered clients to engage, acknowledge feelings and thoughts, pay undivided
attention, and refocus patients on the issue.
With the help of this practicum, I have been able to increase my ability to communicate
with people dealing with mental illness. I have also gained a better understanding of mental
disease personally and professionally. I am grateful for the chance to work in this sector and
better understand the problems faced by people with mental disorders or dysfunctional behavior.
I look forward to using what I learn to help others.
This study source was downloaded by 100000853131049 from CourseHero.com on 08-13-2023 08:08:08 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/159201454/WEEK-11-Assignment-Journal-Entry-2docx/
6
References
Areán, P. A., Renn, B. N., & Ratzliff, A. (2021). Making psychotherapy available in the United
States: implementation challenges and solutions. Psychiatric Services, 72(2), 222-224.
https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ps.202000220
Browning, S., & Hull, R. (2018). Utilizing the genogram to integrate systems and psychoanalytic
thinking. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 28(4), 567.
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-24927-001
Jensen, A., Fee, C., Miles, A. L., Beckner, V. L., Owen, D., & Persons, J. B. (2020). Congruence
of patient takeaways and homework assignment content predicts homework compliance
in psychotherapy. Behavior Therapy, 51(3), 424-433.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000578941930084X
McManus, J., Tsivos, Z., Woodward, S., Fraser, J., & Hartwell, R. (2018). Compassion focused
therapy groups: evidence from routine clinical practice. Behaviour Change, 35(3), 167-
173. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/behaviour-change/article/compassion-
focused-therapy-groups-evidence-from-routine-clinical-
practice/14479C591FB202991381514B964D2556
This study source was downloaded by 100000853131049 from CourseHero.com on 08-13-2023 08:08:08 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/159201454/WEEK-11-Assignment-Journal-Entry-2docx/ Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)