Case Study of Lucy: Dealing with Depression

This report focuses on a case study of Lucy, a young student suffering from depression, and explores appropriate techniques for dealing with her vulnerability and improving her mental health.

REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Overview of case study................................................................................................................1
Forensic assessment of Lucy.......................................................................................................1
Understanding of frameworks that forensic psychologist’s work within....................................2
Skills required by psychologist to deal with young people with depression (Lucy)...................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Vulnerability can be defied as inability to withstand efforts of hostile environment or
being suspectable for being exploited in form or another form (Kerns & et.al. 2016). There are
various factors that can increase vulnerability of people and if those factors are not worked upon
then it can result in reduced mental health of people and can experience one of other form of
mental illness. Such kind of vulnerable people require professional help of practitioner so that
their overall mental health can be improved and their vulnerability can be reduced as well this
report will lay emphasis upon case study of Lucy who is having symptoms of depression. This
report will further focus upon evaluating appropriate and inappropriate techniques utilised by the
practitioner in terms of sensitivity of individual’s needs, and will further focus upon providing
suggestion through which improvement within therapist therapies can be made.
MAIN BODY
Overview of case study
Lucy is a young student studying English in University but she is suffering from
depression. She was disturbed as her parents were going through marriage problems, she worked
hard for exams but despite of hard work was not able to person well and started getting
depressed as her parents believe that try best and get best. Due to their personal problem, she did
not talk to them much often and also did not share her feeling with her friends in fact she used to
hide her feeling from them. She felt unmotivated as she did not have anyone to reach out. She
even feels worse as she thinks that she is the reason for her parent’s problems due to this she feel
unworthy, do not deserve to be in university, lethargic and also do not get satisfied sleep at night.
Forensic assessment of Lucy
Forensic assessment can be defied as a way to provide medical or psychological
assessment which is used to aid legal fact finder (Midgley & et.al. 2018). It can help in
developing positive light within people so that they can overcome their mental problems in a
proper and appropriate manner. Asper the assessment Lucy was feeling isolated, sad, lonely,
angry, unworthy and unwanted because of which she was becoming vulnerable and slipped into
depression. He felt that she has no motivation of doing something, being in university, or for
putting efforts in her studies. Asper the psychological forensic assessment it has been identified
that Lucy requires medical professional help. She does require professional help of psychologist
who can understand her issues, her needs and requirements in a proper manner. lucy is suffering
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from depression from past six months due to which she requires highly trained mental health
professional who can help her in overcoming with her depression. Her psychologist has helped
her in pinpointing events or factors that has made her slip into depression, she has also helped
Lucy to identify factors that made her feel hopeless, angry, frustrated and sad. Alternative
solution that can be given to psychologist that can be used by her in order to reduce
vulnerabilities of Lucy so that she feels back to normal again. Currently psychologist used CBT
(cognitive behaviour theory) for identification of behaviour pattern that can cause depression.
Psychologist can also use interpersonal therapy (IPT) that can help Lucy to bring improvement
within her relationship with her parents, friends, and can express her feeling in a more
convenient way with her parents and friends. This will not only help her in building healthier
relationship with her friends and parents but will also help in development of social skills
through which she candela with her parent’s marriage problem and can cope up with her
depression and will further help her in focusing upon her studies in a much better manner.
Understanding of frameworks that forensic psychologist’s work within
There are many different kinds of legal forma; and ethical frameworks that are require
within forensic psychologist work. Some of those frameworks are:
BPS: British Psychological Society has developed some standards or benchmarks that can be
applied or used in psychology as an exercise (Allen & Bond, 2020). As per this framework
psychologist should be able to practise within their legal and ethical boundaries so that their
relationship with their clients can be maintained. This framework has some standards that are
required to be followed by psychologist for maintenance of positive professional relationship
with their clients. They should be able to contribute as a consultant as well under any clinical
settings. They should be able to demonstrate their skills in an appropriate manner should be able
to communicate in English language in an excellent manner.
HCPC: as per this framework standards of proficiency for practitioner psychologists that are
required to be followed by every psychologist. This framework helps them in practising with
fitness within legal and ethical boundaries. This further help psychologist in understanding
importance of confidentiality as well.
Skills required by psychologist to deal with young people with depression (Lucy)
There are many different kinds of skills that are required within psychologist so that they
can help their clients like Lucy who is suffering from depression so that she can overcome from
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depression. Some of the main type of skills are: first and the foremost type of skill required by
psychologist is communication skills so that they can understand reason behind their clients
depression, comfort them, motivated them (Woolfe, 2016). Another important skill is problem
solving skills so that they can understand ways in which they can reduce vulnerabilities because
of which they can suffering from depression. Third type of skill is research skill so that they can
gain understanding of impact, and importance, of diversity and difference on practice so that they
can deal with children, young people, intellectually disabled, cultural minorities and many other
kinds of people.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been identified that there are various kinds of techniques that
can be used by psychologist to deal with sensitivity of people suffering from depression and their
needs can be fulfilled in an appropriate manner. it has also been identified that some of the
techniques are appropriate to be used with vulnerable people and some of the techniques are
highly inappropriate to be used with such people so it becomes important for psychologist to
understand type of techniques they should use with different people.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Allen, B., & Bond, C. (2020). Exploring Psychological Frameworks to Guide Educational
Psychologists’ Practice in Relation to Child Sexual Exploitation. Educational
Psychology in Practice, 1-15.
Kerns, C. M., & et.al. (2016). Adapting cognitive behavioral techniques to address anxiety and
depression in cognitively able emerging adults on the autism spectrum. Cognitive and
Behavioral Practice. 23(3). 329-340.
Midgley, N., & et.al. (2018). Therapists’ techniques in the treatment of adolescent
depression. Journal of psychotherapy integration. 28(4). p.413.
Woolfe, R. (2016). Mapping the world of helping: The place of counselling psychology. The
handbook of counselling psychology, 5-19.
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