The Client's Problem: Joe Has Been Married For Eight Years ✓ Solved

The client's problem: Joe has been married for eight years.

The client’s problem: Joe has been married for eight years. Mary, his spouse, was his high school sweetheart. They married right after high school and had their first child. Four years ago, they had a second child. Both Joe and Mary believe they made a mistake in getting married so early. But they do still love each other. Lately they have found themselves talking about what it would have been like if they had dated other people before getting married. They have even considered a marital separation to test the strength of their love. Develop an outline of questions that would assist you in identifying the following: A. Client feelings B. Client thoughts C. Client behaviors D. Client physical/somatic complaints E. Client interpersonal aspects

Paper For Above Instructions

Introduction

This document provides a structured clinical intake outline with sample questions and brief rationales to help identify Joe’s feelings, thoughts, behaviors, physical/somatic complaints, and interpersonal aspects given the couples’ concerns about long-term relationship satisfaction and consideration of separation. The questions are designed for initial sessions with Joe (and where appropriate, joint sessions with Mary), and are informed by best practices in clinical interviewing, couple therapy, and assessment of somatic complaints (Sommers‑Flanagan & Sommers‑Flanagan, 2018; Gottman & Silver, 1999).

General guidance for the interviewer

Begin with open, neutral invitations to speak and use reflective listening to validate emotion (Sommers‑Flanagan & Sommers‑Flanagan, 2018). Use a blend of individual and conjoint questions to differentiate personal experience from relational dynamics (Nichols & Davis, 2020). Be cautious with therapist self‑disclosure and follow professional ethical guidance; avoid disclosures that shift focus away from the client (Henretty & Levitt, 2010; ACA, 2014).

A. Questions to identify client feelings

Purpose: Elicit primary and secondary emotions, emotional intensity, patterns, and triggers.

  • “How do you feel, in the moment, when you and Mary talk about separation or about what life might have been like if you’d waited to marry?” (Emotion identification; open invitation) (Johnson, 2004).
  • “Can you describe the emotions that come up most days related to your marriage—sadness, anger, regret, relief, loneliness?” (Differentiates emotional palette).
  • “When you think about your children and the future of the family, what physical sensations or feelings arise in your body?” (Links affect with somatic cues; somatic anchoring) (Kroenke et al., 2002).
  • “How long do these feelings last, and how often do they occur?” (Duration and frequency to assess persistence and distress).
  • “Are there times you feel affection or closeness with Mary? Tell me about those moments.” (Assesses presence of positive affect and ambivalence) (Gottman & Silver, 1999).

B. Questions to identify client thoughts

Purpose: Elicit cognitive appraisals, beliefs about the relationship, self‑concept, and anticipatory thinking.

  • “What thoughts run through your mind when you imagine being separated from Mary?” (Catastrophic vs. realistic appraisals).
  • “Do you have specific beliefs about what it means that you married early—about yourself, your identity, or your abilities?” (Core beliefs and self‑blame) (Beckian cognitive framework).
  • “What do you think your options are? What outcomes do you expect if you separate versus staying together?” (Decision‑making cognitions).
  • “Are there recurring ‘what if’ thoughts about alternative pasts or lost opportunities? How intrusive or distressing are they?” (Rumination and counterfactual thinking) (Amato, 2010).
  • “How do you interpret Mary’s comments about regret or separation—do you see them as criticism, a wake‑up call, or something else?” (Attributions and partner intent) (Gottman & Silver, 1999).

C. Questions to identify client behaviors

Purpose: Map observable actions, coping strategies, communication patterns, and parenting behaviors.

  • “What do you do when conversations with Mary become tense? Do you withdraw, argue, seek distractions, or try to repair the interaction?” (Interaction styles assessment).
  • “How much time do you and Mary spend together doing shared activities? Has this changed recently?” (Behavioral engagement vs. avoidance).
  • “Describe a typical argument: who initiates, where it occurs, and what usually happens afterward.” (Sequencing of behaviors) (Nichols & Davis, 2020).
  • “What coping behaviors do you use when you feel distressed—work more, drink alcohol, spend time with friends, use technology, or other strategies?” (Risk behaviors and adaptive strategies).
  • “How do you approach parenting when marital stress is high? Have routines, discipline, or emotional availability changed?” (Parenting behavior impacts) (Gottman & Silver, 1999).

D. Questions to identify physical/somatic complaints

Purpose: Screen for somatic symptoms linked to stress and mood, and determine need for medical referral.

  • “Have you noticed changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, headaches, stomach upset, or other bodily symptoms since these relationship concerns began?” (Direct somatic symptom screening) (Kroenke et al., 2002).
  • “Do physical symptoms increase during or immediately after conflicts with Mary?” (Assess symptom reactivity and stress linkage).
  • “Have you sought medical care for any new physical complaints? Were medical causes identified?” (Medical history and red flags).
  • “Do physical symptoms affect your ability to work, parent, or engage socially?” (Functional impairment assessment).
  • “On a scale from 0–10, how much do these physical symptoms interfere with daily life?” (Quantify severity to guide treatment planning).

E. Questions to identify interpersonal aspects

Purpose: Explore relational history, patterns, communication, support networks, and potential safety/ethics issues.

  • “Tell me about your relationship history with Mary—how did you meet, what drew you together, and how has your connection changed?” (Narrative history) (Nichols & Davis, 2020).
  • “How do you and Mary typically resolve conflicts? Are there recurring topics or cycles?” (Identify negative interaction cycles, e.g., demand–withdraw) (Gottman & Silver, 1999).
  • “Who do you rely on for emotional support outside the marriage? How do they influence your thinking about separation?” (Social support and external influences).
  • “Are there any safety concerns in the relationship (intimidation, controlling behavior, threats, or violence)?” (Ethical/safety screening—mandatory) (ACA, 2014).
  • “What are the shared values and priorities (parenting, finances, religion, goals)? Where is the most disagreement?” (Area of mismatch and leverage points for therapy).

Brief assessment plan and next steps

Use these questions to form a collaborative case formulation. Combine individual sessions with joint sessions to triangulate reports and observe interactional patterns (Johnson, 2004; Nichols & Davis, 2020). If somatic symptoms are significant or unexplained, coordinate with primary care or refer for medical evaluation (Kroenke et al., 2002). Throughout, maintain boundaries and avoid therapeutic self‑disclosure unless it serves a clear clinical purpose and is ethically justified (Henretty & Levitt, 2010; ACA, 2014).

Conclusion

The proposed outline organizes assessment into emotional, cognitive, behavioral, somatic, and interpersonal domains to provide a comprehensive picture of Joe’s experience and the couple’s dynamics. This structure supports targeted interventions—emotionally focused therapy to address attachment emotions, behavioral strategies to change interaction patterns, and somatic or medical referrals as indicated (Johnson, 2004; Gottman & Silver, 1999).

References

  • American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA Code of Ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author.
  • Amato, P. R. (2010). Research on divorce: Continuing trends and new developments. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), 650–666.
  • Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (1999). The seven principles for making marriage work. New York, NY: Crown Publishers.
  • Henretty, J. R., & Levitt, H. M. (2010). The role of therapist self‑disclosure: A critical review. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(1), 63–77.
  • Johnson, S. M. (2004). The practice of emotionally focused couple therapy: Creating connection. New York, NY: Brunner‑Routledge.
  • Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W. (2002). The PHQ‑15: Validity of a new measure for somatic symptom severity. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 17(9), 632–637.
  • Nichols, M. P., & Davis, S. D. (2020). Family therapy: Concepts and methods (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
  • Sommers‑Flanagan, J., & Sommers‑Flanagan, R. (2018). Clinical interviewing (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
  • Baucom, D. H., Snyder, D. K., & Wetchler, J. L. (2015). Cognitive‑behavioral couple therapy in Handbook of Couple and Family Therapy. New York, NY: Guilford.
  • Grych, J. H., & Fincham, F. D. (1990). Marital conflict and children’s adjustment: A cognitive‑contextual framework. Psychological Bulletin, 108(2), 267–290.

Related Assignments