Case Study from a Theoretical Approach

Case Study from a Theoretical Approach Name Institutional Affiliation Instructor Course Date Case Study from a Theoretical Approach Case Description Grace, a 37-year-old woman, is working two jobs: her full-time work at the university and her doctoral in psychology. Her parents, both engineering professors, are displeased with her career choice. The parents portrayed a negative attitude toward Grace's schoolwork, were disappointed in her efforts, and objected to her choice to study psychology. The relationship between Grace and her parents shares physical symptoms like insomnia, running thoughts, hair loss, and weight loss. The client gets a diet containing coffee and granola bars. Due to the workload, Grace is getting a poor assessment and is under more strain and social distancing. Finally, losing her job and authority could spoil her chance of a college education. Grace's psychological despair and ineffective behavioral processes reflect more profound matters that are the results of her perfectionism, the expectations from her family, and the lack of emotional support. The hurdles are multi-dimensional and affect her personal and professional life, including her relationships with family members and other people. Grace's case illuminates the dynamic relationship between the influences of family, society's expectations, and the driving purposes of a person. They have all contributed to Grace's current stressful and dysfunctional situation. Applying Humanistic/ Psychodynamic Theoretical Perspective Case Conceptualization Grace's predispositions resulted from her upbringing in a family of top achievers in academics, where engineering was highly appreciated, and anything other than that was disapproved. Being raised by professors in the field of engineering probably resulted in Grace's having a drive to do well academically and achieve the same level of success. However, the fact that she chooses to pursue psychology, which is quite unlike her family's expectations, illustrates her longing for independence and genuine passion in her career choices. The deviation from the ordinary family ordinance might point to the desire for individuality and self-discovery, which may be the fuel that keeps her determined to strive for a Ph.D. in psychology (Spielman et al., 2021). Conversely, Grace’s fear of failure and her tendency towards perfectionism are visible in her unabated endeavour for academic success, which is indicated by the proclamation that she uses “nothing but an A.” The possibility of Grace having internalized the view that her worth is tied to her academic achievement could be based on her parents’ high standards and expectations, which have most probably contributed to her development. Thus, any departure from this standard stands for the most profound inner feelings of inadequacy and fear of failure. This is because of the merging of these two elements. There is a high probability that Grace’s current stress and maladaptive coping mechanisms are a result of her perfectionism as well as her fear of letting her parents down (Sperry & Sperry, 2020). Protective Factors Although Grace is facing hardships at this point in her life, several protective factors put her in an excellent position to prevent the impact of her predispositions and cultivate resilience. Grace, who is full of perseverance and the drive to become a Ph.D. psychologist, is proof of that. This depicts her as self-directed and with strong inner motivation (Sperry & Sperry, 2020). The internal force, which might work for her as a buffer, gives her a sense of purpose and a reason for existence, which can protect against the adverse effects of external stressors. In addition, interactions with colleagues at work that can be seen in Grace's good work relations and previous ratings of her performance that go to the highest standards are a factor that blocks the effects of the feelings of loneliness and underappreciation. The affairs these company members kindle in her heart extend their influence to a sense of belonging and welcome in her world. It also provides her with an excellent emotional support structure that acts as a shield against the shortness in her parents' attitudes (Luyten & Fonagy, 2022). She is in a place of management, which might enable her to take responsibility and authority in her job, giving her a wide range of command over the area she is working in. These buffers are crucial in granting Grace the ability to improve her health and interfere with the consequences of her predispositions, which eventually encourages her to combat any barriers that may come her way. In the case of Grace, the term "perpetuates" refers to factors that appear to maintain or amplify the symptoms she already has, as well as methods of coping with these symptoms that are not healthier. Nevertheless, what mainly facilitates the continuation of the issue is Grace's persistent struggle with perfectionism, which is precipitated by her fear of falling short of her parents' expectations and making them unimpressed. Due to her perfectionist view of the world, Grace prefers academic achievements over her health and well-being. It contributes to the corresponding problem of stress and pressure that increases over time (Sperry & Sperry, 2020). To meet the objectives of her study as well as professional goals, Grace is engaging in several maladaptive coping habits, like ignoring her health and her social life. Through this, she can accomplish her aims and plans. The third element that aggravates the whole circumstance is the lack of emotional support and affirmation from Grace's parents. Psychology is not considered necessary for Grace's parents as the engineering subject they belong to. Being brushed off with a dismissive attitude, Grace feels her e...