SAMPLEPLEASECONSULTYOURSITESUPERVISORANDUNIVERSITY

SUPERVISORFORAPPROPRIATEFORM

SessionWriteUp
(CaseConceptualization)

Conductingcounselingsessionswiththesupportandfeedbackofothersisanimportantpartofatrainee's
professionaldevelopment.Inmosttrainingprogramssessionsarerecordedoneitheraudioorvideotape.Oncea
sessioniscompleted,thetraineelistenstotherecording,providinghim/herselfwithfeedbackthatcanleadto
ideasforfuturesessionsandrecognitionofareasinwhichone'sworkcanbeimproved.Advancedcounselors,as
wellastrainees,listentodevelopafullpictureofwhathappenedinthesession:importantclientemotions,
beliefs,andpersonalitycharacteristicsnotfullyseenduringtheactualsession,significantmomentsorturning
points,andsignificantthingsthecounselordidordidnotdo.Receivingorganizedfeedbackfromthesupervisor
andgivingorganizedfeedbacktooneselfaremajorvehiclesbothforimprovingone'sworkwithagivenclient
andforbuildingone'sprofessionalskills.

Thefollowingoutlineisofferedasanaidtoproducingawrittenanalysisofacounselingsession,
especiallyonethathasbeenrecorded.Usedcarefully,theoutlinecanhelpthetraineeorganizethoughtsaboutthe
client,thesession,andthequalityofone'swork.

Backgroundinformation

Demographicinformation,suchasage,gradeinschool,employment,familyunit,andhistorythatseemsrelevant
tothepresentingproblem.

Presentingproblem:Whydidtheclientapproachyou,fromtheclient'sperspective?Orwhydidyouapproach
theclient?

Wasthereaprecipitatingsetofcircumstances?Howlonghastheproblem(s)persisted?

Ifthirdpartiesareinvolved,whatweretheirobservationsandconcerns?

Overviewofthesession

Whatdidyoutalkabout?

Whatwerethedominantissuesandthemesforthissession?

Ifthiswasasessionbeyondtheinitialmeeting,whatwereyourprocessandoutcomegoalsgoingintothe
session?

Observationsandassessment:ConceptualizationofProblem

Describeyourobservationsandimpressionsoftheclient?

Whatisyourviewoftheproblem?Whatarethecommonthemes?

Whataretheclient'sbarrierstogrowthandcopingskills?

Whatistheetiologyoftheclient'spresentpsychologicalcapacityorincapacity?

Whatisshe/hetryingtoaccomplishbyvariousbehaviors?

Whatareyourcounselinggoals?

Observationsaboutself

Describesignificantthemesandpatternsyouobservedinyourownbehavior,notingwhatyoudidthatyou
consideredespeciallyeffectiveandareasthatweretroublesomeforyou.

Describeyourowninternalexperiencingduringthesession,withspecialfocusontimesorplaceswhereyoufelt
confused,tense,angry,orataloss.

Plansforthenextsession

Howdoyouhopetofollowupinsubsequentsessions?

Whatissuesandconcernsdoyouthinkworthwhiletoexplore?

Whatprocessgoalswillyoutrytoaccomplish?

Help

Specificallywhatkindofhelpwouldyoulike,eitherfromyourpracticumsupervisororfromfellowstudents,
aboutthisclient,thissession,andyourhelpingefforts?