1. A 25-year-old woman experiences anxiety and self-doubt after a recent job change.

She
reports feeling overwhelmed by new responsibilities and struggles to assert herself in
meetings. Her manager is supportive, but she fears being seen as incompetent. Apply
cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) principles to address her concerns. (20 marks)

Answer:

Career change is a tremendous life transition that can evoke fear, self-doubt, and fear of
incompetence, especially in the face of new challenges. This client is occupied by worry about
performance, assertiveness problems, and fear of being judged negatively even with a supportive
supervisor. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can assist her in shifting negative self-talk, building
confidence, and learning coping skills to manage stress effectively in the workplace.

The intervention plan is derived from a formal CBT model. It is comprised of four main sections: (1)
assessment and case conceptualization, (2) CBT treatment goals, (3) CBT-informed interventions, (4)
progress monitoring and adjustments, a An in-depth evaluation is required to determine core beliefs,
cognitive distortions, and maladaptive patterns that are causing her self-doubt and anxiety. Cognitive
factors to evaluate are determining negative self-talk regarding competence and self-worth, such as
catastrophizing ("If I make a mistake, they will think I am incompetent") or perfectionism ("I must do
perfectly, or I am a failure").

One of the most vital CBT interventions is cognitive restructuring, where negative automatic
thoughts are discovered and challenged. Anxious thoughts, feelings, and their severity will be
recorded in a thought record by the client. For example, if she thinks, "I don't know what I'm doing;
everyone will be able to tell that I am incompetent," she will evaluate evidence for and against the
thought. She will have to face irrational thoughts by making them balanced beliefs, such as "I am still
learning, and it's okay to ask questions" or "My boss's support proves that I can do it, not that I am
incompetent. To decrease avoidance and increase confidence, she will gradually expose herself to
anxiety-producing situations. This will start with low-risk situations (e.g., offering a question to a
small meeting), move to moderate-risk situations (e.g., offering an idea), and eventually confront
high-risk situations (e.g., chairing a discussion). Following each exposure, she will compare actual
consequences with her feared expectations, which will enable her to become aware of cognitive
distortions and reinterpret her experiences realistically.

Assertiveness Training: Enhancing Workplace Communication. Assertiveness training will increase her
confidence in expressing what she thinks and feels when she is at work. She will be taken through
scenarios by role-playing so that she can acquire skills to speak up in meetings. She will acquire
effective communication through the use of "I" statements (e.g., "I believe that this process can work
because."). She will also acquire skills to use nonverbal assertiveness in the form of eye contact, firm
voice, and assertive posture. With these skills, she will learn how to be assertive in interactions in the
workplace. To control physiological anxiety symptoms, she will be practicing deep breathing exercises
like the 4-7-8 breathing exercise, breathing in for 4 seconds, holding for 7 seconds, and breathing out
for 8 seconds. This will control her stress response prior to meetings. Progressive muscle relaxation
(PMR) will also be useful in which she will tense and relax various muscle groups to eliminate
physical tension. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) will also be included to enable her to
remain present in meetings rather than getting caught up in anxious thoughts.
 2. A 10-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibits challenging behaviors, such
as tantrums and aggression, in the classroom. His teachers report difficulty engaging him in
learning activities. As a psychologist, design a behavioral intervention plan to support his
social and academic development. (25 marks)

Answer:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often struggle with socialization, communication, and emotion
control. These struggle behaviours may result in tantrums and aggression. In this 10-year-old child,
his problem behaviours restrict his teachers from involving him in class activities. A successful
Behavioural Intervention Plan that combines behavioural strategies will eliminate these problem
behaviours and promote his academic and social growth. The intervention program includes
functional behavior assessment, behavioural objectives, proactive classroom strategies, intervention
strategies, reinforcement strategies, and progress monitoring.

The initial part of developing the intervention is conducting a Functional Behaviour Assessment to
determine the causes of his behaviors and how they occur. This involves observing him directly,
interviewing teachers and caregivers, and gathering ABC data. Among the reasons behind the child's
tantrums and aggression are frustration over difficult tasks, being overwhelmed by sounds or images,
resisting the change of activity, and communication issues. Identifying these factors is beneficial in
establishing individualized interventions for preventing and handling difficult behaviors.

Once the triggers are known, individual behaviour objectives are determined. These include
decreasing the frequency of tantrums and assaultive behaviors, promoting self-control using calm-
down techniques, improving communication skills, and improving class participation.

Positive reinforcement is a key way to reinforce behaviour change. Teachers implement specific
compliments (e.g., "Great job using your words to ask for a break!") and immediate rewards to
reinforce desired behavior. Social stories and role-playing also work well to teach the child how to
react to different social and academic situations appropriately. The strategies help the child learn
self-regulation and enhance social competence in a step-by-step supportive process. We track
progress often through behaviour charts and teacher report to ensure that the intervention works.
We indicate something each day to check how frequently tantrums and violence occur and what
their intensity is. We regularly hold parent-teacher meetings in order to reinforce consistency at
school and home. As the child becomes better, we gradually limit the number of visual cues and
rewards so they can have increased independence and control over themselves. Other methods like
shaping can also be employed which is dividing desireable behaviour into small parts and upon
fulfilling each small task lcan be rewarded which can result in the desired goal in this shaping steps
can be incorporated like

In conclusion, this Behavioural Intervention Plan is a individual approach to assisting the 10-year old
boy with his issues at school.

Through identification of triggers, the application of positive strategies, reinforcement of good

3. Describe the key principles and techniques of humanistic therapy. Explain how this approach
fosters personal growth and self-actualization. (20 marks)

Humanistic Therapy's Basic Concepts and Techniques and Their Relevance to Personal Growth. A
client-centered approach, humanistic therapy has a strong focus on personal growth, self-awareness,
and self-actualization. It is grounded in the works of Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow and believes
that individuals are good-hearted and self-motivated to improve themselves. It focuses on subjective
experience, feelings, and free will as opposed to more traditional approaches, focusing on the here
and now instead of past pain or future fears. The journey to one's full potential, or self-actualization,
is a central concept. When physiological needs are met, the highest point of psychological
development is achieved, says Maslow. Unconditional positive regard, empathy, and genuineness are
another core concepts that are needed to create a secure, non-judgmental environment in which
clients feel free to discover their feelings and identity. Gestalt methods such as the empty chair
exercise and active listening, and reflective questioning are employed during therapy to help clients
settle inner conflicts and gain further insight.

In order to foster a sense of purpose, existential methods encourage meaning exploration, freedom,
and responsibility. The approach helps one transcend self-doubt and take control of their life through
the cultivation of self-awareness, emotional resilience, and acceptance of self. Strengths over
dysfunction is encouraged, allowing individuals to find authenticity and personal growth. Self-
actualization is the end goal, whereby individuals live their ideals, experience fulfilment, and
actualize their highest potential

4. When working with individuals experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), what trauma-
informed care strategies can be most effective in promoting emotional regulation and safety?
Provide examples and explain their rationale. (20 marks)

Answer:

When used with PTSD patients, trauma-informed therapy essentially consists of the entire process of
controlling emotions, creating a secure environment, and occasionally addressing the avoidance
behaviours that are unavoidably linked to the effects of trauma. One notable exception in that field is
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), which is generally accepted as an evidence-based best practice. It
is based on the theory of emotional processing, which states that exposing traumatic memories in a
safe setting will lessen their emotional hold. Psychoeducation is the first step in the treatment, where
clients learn how avoidance keeps their PTSD alive, how to be heard, and how to develop a trusting
relationship during the therapy process. An important component of PE is an in vivo exposure where
clients approach objects they had previously avoided, like as the victim of a car accident returning to
driving, altering their perspective so that the impending consequences are no longer significant—just
fears. Another crucial component is imaginary exposure, which involves having clients describe their
trauma in great detail so that their brains can interpret the memories as historical facts rather than
present dangers. This process is further aided by breathing retraining, which keeps them within their
window of tolerance to prevent re-traumatization and aids in physical arousal. As a result, other
methods are used to further improve safety and regulation.
These include grounding techniques, where the five-four-three-two-one exercise counteracts the
effect of flashbacks by diverting the person's attention from their thoughts and bringing them back
to the present moment in distress. Negative beliefs like "I'm broken" are challenged by cognitive
restructuring, which reframes having endured as an example of tenacity. Stability is provided by
safety plans, which include crisis contacts and self-soothing resources for more vulnerable clients.
Neurobiological evidence has demonstrated that PE is effective, as repeated exposure increases
regulation through the prefrontal cortex and decreases fear reactions linked to the amygdala.
Research indicates that symptoms have decreased by just under 80%, and many people have
reported feeling more in control of their lives than they had before. It must, however, be tailored to
the needs of each person; for example, it should be slower for dissociates, modified to account for
sociocultural variables, or made stabilising for complex PTSD. When applied properly, this might truly
have an impact.

5. Explain the concept of "resistance" in psychodynamic therapy. Discuss how a therapist can identify
and work through resistance with a client to facilitate deeper exploration of unconscious conflicts.
(15 marks)

Answer:

The unconscious psychological defences that clients erect to avoid facing up to unpleasant
memories, feelings, or thoughts—of which they may not even be aware—are the focus of resistance
in psychodynamic therapy. According to Freud, resistance serves as the ego's sort of barrier, shielding
it from potentially upsetting content that may surface during treatment. However, by preventing the
examination of the unconscious conflicts that are the cause of the client's distress, this same
resistance may impede the therapeutic process. Therapists employ a few crucial techniques in a
gentle and perceptive manner to successfully overcome this resistance. "I notice you change the
subject when we talk about your father," they say, naming the resistance. What do you suppose that
has to do Without making the client feel guilty, this assists in bringing those unconscious defences to
the surface. "What do you fear would happen if you fully remembered that traumatic event?" is one
of the questions that therapists use to probe into the underlying fears that are causing the
resistance. This aids in identifying the anxiety that maintains those defensive behaviours. Therapists
help clients understand how their past conflicts impact their current behaviour by relating current
resistance to past survival strategies, such as associating a client's reluctance to accept help with
experiences of neglect as a child. For example, a therapist may say, "You seem to expect me to judge
you like your mother did—should we explore that?" This is an example of a transference
interpretation, which can be particularly potent. This can show how relationships from the past can
influence how people interact now. Furthermore,