The Case of "Grace"-- A Commentary

Authors

  • Kara L. Harmon
  • Michael J. Lambert

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14713/pcsp.v8i2.1497

Keywords:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), systematic case studies, Outcome Questionnaire-45, psychotherapy outcome, clinical case study, case study

Abstract

This commentary focuses on the case of “Grace” treated by Erica Pass (2012) through the use of Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy with writing assignments (the "AEDP-Writing" model) delivered over 40-sessions. Grace was experiencing some PTSD symptoms resulting from a single index trauma and was viewed as having a positive outcome by herself, by her therapist, and by her supervisor. The case study included Grace completing self-report measures at the end of therapy both about her present status at the end of therapy and a retrospective view of her status at the beginning of therapy. The significant limitations of change scores based on such retrospective estimates are discussed as well as the advantages of session-by-session tracking of Grace's mental health and symptomatology as a means of calibrating change over the course of therapy and estimating final treatment status. In addition we discuss fundamental factors for consideration in facilitating trauma-focused treatment for clients with PTSD symptomatology, such as avoidance, approach, and approach-resultant rises in symptomatology, and related recommendations for psychoeducation. 

Author Biography

Kara L. Harmon

Kan Fishman, Ph.D. Editor-in-Chief, Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy Professor of Clinical and Organizational Psychology Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Rutgers University Mailing address: 57 Jaffray Court Irvington, NY 10533 914-693-8549 fax: 603-917-2567 email: dfish96198@aol.com

Downloads

Published

05/22/2012

How to Cite

Harmon, K. L., & Lambert, M. J. (2012). The Case of "Grace"-- A Commentary. Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy, 8(2), 123–138. https://doi.org/10.14713/pcsp.v8i2.1497