Contextual Conceptualization Examples

Contextual Conceptualization
The client’s current symptoms of significant depressed mood, difficulties sleeping, and fatigue could be stemming from the client’s identity confusion as well as experiences of racism, marginalization, invalidation, negative family dynamics, and history of trauma. The client encountered several challenges related to his multicultural background that aversively impacted the development of the client’s identity that individuals who are members of the dominate culture do not face. The client has a Peruvian mother and Puerto Rican father, resulting in the client looking Afro-indigenous. Given that the client attended predominately White schools for the majority of his educational career, the client was continuously

Throughout the client’s educational career, he revealed incidences of being forced to hide his Puerto Rican identity due to the lack of acceptance from the dominate White culture. The client repeatedly encountered aversive racism in the form of microaggressions and negative societal messages from peers. For example, the client reported peers would often tell him, “You don’t act like a Puerto Rican. You’re different…That is why we like you.” These negative societal messages regarding the Puerto Rican culture most likely led the client to believe that his culture is “bad” and “inferior” to the dominate White culture. The client most likely has internalized and integrated these negative societal messages into his identity, therefore solidifying the client’s negative view of the Puerto Rican culture and himself. However, these negative societal messages from peers probably elicited the client’s desire “to do better than the White kids” and “prove to other people that Puerto Ricans can do well and that we are smart,” by excelling academically. These countless experiences with negative societal messages and racism could very well have fostered a mistrust of others and a low self-esteem. The client’s tendency to emotional withdrawal is motivated by the client’s effort to protect himself from

As the treating clinician, listening to the client's repeated experiences of mistreatment and encounters with racism, could elicit the countertransference of frustration, anger, and sadness. Personally, I would experience feelings of frustration, anger, and sadness regarding the reality that racism and discrimination still occurring in society. In addition, I may experience feelings of inadequacy due to my lack of knowledge regarding my ability to understand and empathize with the client experiences as a Puerto Rican. It will be important that I conduct my own research in order to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the client’s Puerto Rican cultural background and struggles this culture group encounters. Moreover, to assist in identifying and processing my countertransference when treating this client, I will seek out supervision to ensure I do not succumb to being controlled by my emotions during sessions which left unchecked which can severely impacted my ability to be an effective therapist for this