Rivera family case study
Build upon your case presentation from Week 6. Incorporate what you have learned about grief, loss, and trauma. Think about and discuss the ways in which you might mitigate impacts to yourself and your clients into your case presentation.
Write a case presentation of the Rivera family.
Use the Rivera family case study and Interactive Learning Module: Riverbend City: Rivera Family Case Study Part II to assess, identify, and diagnose grief and loss.
Explore cycles of grief and different types of grief and loss.
Consider cultural and ethical considerations when identifying which type of systemic intervention you might choose in this situation (family therapy, therapy group, or support group [if beneficial]).
Write to the scoring guide for this assignment to address all of the requirements for this assignment.
Sample Solution
The Rivera family case study provides an example of how grief and loss can manifest in different ways for each member of the family. In this case, the primary source of their grief is the recent death of Mrs. Rivera’s mother, Maria (Khan Academy, 2021). However, each person in the family has experienced it differently due to their individual relationships with her. Miguel was close to his grandmother and shared a special bond since he was her first grandchild; he expresses his grief through anger and avoidance while struggling to accept her death (Khan Academy, 2021). Meanwhile, Mrs. Rivera also has difficulty accepting that she will never get to see or talk with her mother again but instead chooses to focus on positive memories they have shared together as a coping mechanism (Khan Academy, 2021). Lastly Mr. Rivera tries not to think about it too much since it brings up difficult emotions that are hard for him express openly although deep down he feels overwhelmed by sadness over losing his mother-in-law (Khan Academy, 2021).
As outlined in the interactive learning module Riverbend City: Rivera Family Case Study Part II there are five stages of grief which include denial/isolation; anger; bargaining; depression/despair and acceptance/hope (McLeod , 2020). Each one is a normal reaction that someone may go through when dealing with loss however not everyone experiences them in order or at all depending on their individual circumstances . Furthermore certain types of loss such as those caused by trauma or unexpected events can be more challenging for some people to process than others resulting in longer periods spent stuck in one stage or another (McLeod , 2020). The impact that loss has on someone also depends on its meaning for them as well as other factors such as age and gender so it is important for clinicians provide tailored support based on these specific needs rather than relying solely on general models of grief and bereavement (Cameron et al., 2008). By exploring cycles of grief along with different types of losses clinicians can better understand how individuals cope after traumatic events like deaths so that they can offer appropriate interventions that address both physical and psychological symptoms associated with them.
