GROUP COUNSELING CASE STUDY
You have been an intern for a mental health agency for the last eight months. Your supervisor has informed you that you will both lead a group starting next week. Your supervisor will lead the group while your role is to observe the interactions of the participants. They have already been pre-screened to be part of the group.
The group consists of young adults who have considered but not attempted suicide and have experienced depression sometime in their recent past. The group includes two males and three females in the age bracket of 19-24. This is the background information you are given the week before the group begins:
Lorenzo — 21 years old, Latino background, was arrested at 18 for a minor assault offense and has had gang affiliation at an earlier time in his life. He has a 3 year old son with his ex-girlfriend, Anita.
Brian — 19 years old, Caucasian background, and comes from a wealthy upper class family. He was dismissed from his college after the first year for repeated drug abuse but the details are sketchy. His girlfriend of one year just recently broke up with him.
Tonya — 23 years old, African American background, and has experienced sexual abuse in her childhood. She has resisted authority in the past which has hampered her ability to keep a job for more than 6 months at a time.
Bethanne — 20 years old, Caucasian background, and had an abortion when she was 18 of which her parents do not know about. She has hinted at alcohol abuse but has never really disclosed any information. She has found that her faith is a strong vehicle for catharsis for most of her young adult life.
