Continuous Internal Assessment-2

Counseling Theories and Techniques

Sanjana Singh (23223337)

Department of Psychology, Christ University- Delhi, NCR

Masters in Counselling Psychology

Dr Sabu John

16th November, 2023

Case Description:

Name (Pseudonym or initials): Ann Varghese

Gender: Female

Age: 21

Education: Bachelors of Arts

Religion: Christian

Ethnicity/Domicile: South Indian

Language: English/Hindi

Socio-economic Status: Middle Class Background

Marital Status: Unmarried

Referral: Friend

Presenting Problem: Difficulty managing academic and personal life at the same time because
of adjusting in the new environment.

For the mock counseling session, the client was a female client who is 21 years old and is
currently pursuing an MBA.

She came up with a presenting problem of difficulty managing her personal and professional life
i.e. her college life at the same time. She is stressing a lot because of her academics and the stress
is also showing up in some physical symptoms, like not being able to sleep properly. Upon
exploration, I came to know that some major life transitions are going on in her life. She has
recently moved out of her home and started living in a PG away from her family. Also, her social
circle has also changed as she has moved forward to pursue her MBA. She is extremely worried
about which specialization she has to take in her next semester as she and her family, particularly
dad is also a bit skeptical about the specialization she has finalized. They are giving her constant
suggestions out of concern for her future, but these suggestions have become a cause of worry
for her. Thus, she is worrying a lot about her future.

In addition to this, some personal life crisis is also going on in her life. Her peer circle has also
changed recently, where she is not feeling comfortable and a sense of security is missing. Earlier,
she used to have a small social circle but now, she is constantly interacting with a lot of people
which takes up a lot of energy of hers and she is not able to form a strong enough bond with any
one person. It also gives her a feeling that everyone around her is judging her which is further
making her insecure. All of these things are causing personal distress that is feelings of stress and
anxiousness, academic distress as well, where she indulges in procrastination, not paying
attention to work etc and even physical symptoms of distress where she is is not able to sleep
properly and witnessing some sort of emptiness in her personal space.

Case Conceptualization:

Existential Therapy:

The existential tradition aims to strike a balance between appreciating the opportunities and
possibilities of human life, and the limitations and tragic aspects of human existence. It began as
a desire to support people in addressing the problems of modern life, like loneliness, alienation,
and meaninglessness. This approach focuses on a person's experience of being alone in the world
and dealing with the anxiety that comes with it. The existential perspective emphasizes that:

• Everyone is capable of becoming self-aware.

• Every individual has a distinct identity that can only be discovered via interpersonal
relationships.
• Because life's meaning is ever-changing, people are constantly having to reinvent
themselves.
• Anxiety is a natural aspect of being human.

1. Freedom and Responsibility- According to existentialism, humans are inherently free.

This freedom is a deep and fundamental part of being human, not just the lack of outside
restrictions. It suggests having the capacity to decide, take action, and mold one's own
life. But there are drawbacks to this freedom. The responsibility for the results of one's
decisions follows freedom of choice. Existentialists contend that people are accountable
for their deeds as well as the significance they give to their experiences and the effects
they have on other people as well as on themselves.
In this case,
Existential freedom:
o Client's Transition: moving away from her family and enrolling in an MBA
programme are two major life transitions the client is going through. This change
signifies a discovered sense of independence. She has the freedom to design her
own life and is no longer constrained by the comfortable surroundings of her
family's home.
o Academic Pursuit: her decision to pursue an MBA is indicative of her
independence in selecting her professional and educational trajectory. Her
decision to pursue this academic path is a manifestation of her freedom to
investigate uncharted territory.
Existential responsibility:
o Pressure to Make Decisions: This freedom carries a heavy responsibility. The
client must make decisions under pressure, especially in relation to her MBA
specialization. She feels more responsible for selecting a path that is in line with
her goals because of the expectations and advice from her family, particularly her
father.
o Personal and Social Life: In addition to her studies, the client must take care of
her personal and social obligations. Relocating to a different social circle, making
 new friends, and living independently in a PG all call for making responsible
decisions and accepting the consequences of those choices.

Existential Anxiety:

o Anxiety and Uncertainty: The client experiences both existential anxiety and
anxiety related to realizing her freedom. Existential anxiety is exacerbated by
uncertainties regarding one's academic specialization, familial expectations,
and the difficulties of making new social connections. It can be very
overwhelming to be aware of all the options available to you and to have to
make a decision.
o Fear of Judgement: Her existential anxiety is heightened by her fear of being
judged by her new social circle. It's possible that the client is experiencing
anxiety because she feels pressure to present herself honestly but is afraid of
other people's opinions.

2. Isolation and Connection: According to existentialism, people are essentially alone in

their subjective experiences. This feeling of existential isolation implies that some parts
of our ideas, feelings, and experiences stay exclusively private and occasionally
inaccessible to other people, even when we are surrounded by other people.
Existentialism recognises the human need for connection at the same time. People may be
innately solitary, but they have a strong need to form meaningful relationships with other
people. This need for connection includes a sense of shared human experience or
belonging to a larger community in addition to interpersonal relationships.

Existential Loneliness in the Case:

o Impact of Transition: The client's move from her family home to a PG and her
change from a close-knit social group to a wider, more impersonal one both add to
her existential loneliness. She might experience a profound, personal aloneness
even though she is surrounded by people.
o Peer Circle Discomfort: She struggles to build meaningful connections and feels
uneasy in her new peer group, which emphasises the existential loneliness she
 feels. Her sense of isolation is heightened by her incapacity to establish genuine
connections with others.

Interpersonal Connections in the Case:

o Changing Social Dynamics: The importance of meaningful interpersonal connections is

highlighted by the client's changing social dynamics, particularly with a larger and more
diverse peer group. This case highlights how difficult it can be to build genuine r
elationships in a foreign setting.
o Effect on Well-Being: The client's well-being may be impacted by the absence of a robust
social support network, which could lead to feelings of insecurity and emptiness. One
possible avenue for exploring how meaningful connections can help reduce existential
loneliness is through existential therapy.

Social Sphere versus Authenticity in the Case:

o Conforming Pressures: The client's genuineness and the expectations of the social circle
clash, particularly when it comes to the MBA specialisation, because of the pressure from
peers and family to live up to certain standards. One tactic to lessen existential loneliness
could be to live up to others' expectations.
o Genuine Expression: A client's capacity for genuine self-expression in social situations
would probably be examined in existential therapy. In order to promote sincere
connections, the therapist might advise her to resolve the conflict between her actual self
and society expectations.

3. Meaning and Meaninglessness

Search for Academic Meaning:
o MBA Specialisation: The client is having difficulty deciding which MBA
specialisation to pursue. She made an academic decision that clearly reflects the
existential proposition of meaning and meaninglessness in her search for
significance. To find out what would make the client's academic endeavours
meaningful, the therapist might investigate her values and goals.
 o Family Expectations: Her father in particular puts a lot of pressure on her, which
adds another level of significance. The client is complicating the existential
investigation of meaning by juggling the demands of her family with her own
needs for fulfilment.

Personal and Social Meaning:

o Social Interactions: The client's search for social meaning is reflected in her difficulty
making lasting relationships and her sense of judgement in her new social circle.
Existential therapy could explore her ability to interact with people in an authentic way,
building relationships that support her values and give her a feeling of community.
o Emptiness and Insecurity: Her experiences may not always have a clear purpose or
meaning, as evidenced by her feelings of insecurity and emptiness in her personal space.
The client's relationship with her surroundings, her values, and the ways in which she can
give her personal life purpose could all be explored in existential therapy.

Existential Crisis and Meaninglessness:

o Procrastination and Lack of Focus: The client's lack of focus, procrastination, and
academic distress could be signs of a sense of purposelessness or meaninglessness in
her current endeavours. Examining the facets of her academic career that align with
her values and make her life meaningful could be part of existential therapy.
o Anxiety and Uncertainty: A feeling of meaninglessness may be exacerbated by
existential anxiety brought on by future uncertainties. In order to help the client make
sense of uncertainty, the therapist may collaborate with her to help her negotiate these
doubts.

4. Authentic vs Inauthentic Living:

As the client works through her personal and academic obstacles, the existential idea of
authenticity and inauthentic living is clearly seen in the case. She faces pressure from
friends and family to live up to expectations, especially with regard to her MBA
specialization, which creates a conflict with being authentic. The client might be
 struggling with living an inauthentic life, where her true goals and desires may be
overshadowed by familial and societal pressures. In this sense, existential therapy would
explore the client's genuine values, interests, and sense of self. Supporting authenticity
entails assisting the client in realizing how crucial it is to make decisions that are
consistent with her fundamental values, even in the face of outside influences. The
therapeutic process might entail unraveling societal expectations, clarifying her own
values, and fostering a space where she can express herself authentically, ultimately
contributing to a more meaningful and fulfilling existence.

5. Existential Givens:
The existential claim, which recognises a number of "givens" of life, including
uncertainty, loneliness, and the necessity of making decisions, is extremely pertinent to
the case. The client is going through a lot of changes in her life, including moving away
from her family to pursue an MBA, which has increased her sense of loneliness and
uncertainty. Her struggles to build strong relationships in a new social setting and the
pressure to make important choices regarding her academic specialisation are framed by
this existential given. The client's experiences capture the essence of the inevitable
encounter with existential givens, wherein life is essentially about negotiating unknowns
and making decisions that determine one's course. In addressing this claim, existential
therapy would help the client recognise and accept these existential givens as
fundamental characteristics of the human experience. This entails investigating ways in
which the client can find meaning and resilience in the face of uncertainty, encouraging a
sense of agency in her decision-making, and, in the end, supporting her in overcoming
the obstacles presented by these existential realities. The goal of the therapeutic process
would probably be to assist the client in developing a stronger framework for facing life's
uncertainties, accepting that decisions must be made, and seizing the chances for personal
development that arise from doing so.

6. Awareness of Death and Non-being:

The client's general sense of existential anxiety and sense of urgency in making decisions
may be influenced by the underlying awareness of mortality, even in the absence of
 explicit mentions of death. The big life changes, like leaving her family and beginning an
MBA programme, can be understood as reactions to the realisation that life is limited and
that decisions she makes now could have a big impact on her later years. She might feel
under pressure to choose the "right" course of action because she is aware of how little
time she has, especially given her academic specialisation. It's possible that an underlying
awareness of the transience of social bonds has an impact on her fear of being judged by
her new social circle and her struggle to build meaningful connections. In addressing this
claim, existential therapy may entail examining the client's attitudes and anxieties
regarding death, supporting her in accepting the present, and assisting her in making
decisions that are consistent with her values and lead to a more genuine and meaningful
life, taking into account the existential reality of human existence's finiteness.

In the context of this client's case, we can explore the distinctions between neurotic, normal, and
existential anxiety:

Neurotic Anxiety: Irrational fears or unresolved conflicts can be the source of neurotic anxiety,
which is frequently exaggerated in comparison to the real threat. In this instance, the client's
extreme worry and stress over her academic choices and the pressure to live up to family
expectations may be signs of neurotic anxiety. Underlying irrational beliefs or unresolved
conflicts related to the client's need for approval may be the source of her fear of making the
"wrong" decision, which is motivated by her desire to please her family.

Normal Anxiety: An appropriate and common reaction to daily stressors and challenges is
normal anxiety. The client's major life transitions, like moving away from her family and
adjusting to a new social environment, may be the cause of her typical anxiety. Uncertainty about
her personal and academic decisions, as well as the difficulties in making new friends, are valid
stresses that may cause typical anxiety responses.

Existential Anxiety: The awareness of basic human concerns, such as the nature of life, death,
freedom, and choice, is the foundation of existential anxiety. In this instance, the client's battles
with future uncertainty, making meaningful connections, and feeling pressured to make
important life decisions could all be signs of existential anxiety. The client may experience a
deeper level of existential anxiety as a result of being aware of life transitions and existential
givens like the finite nature of life, which may force her to consider more expansive questions
regarding the meaning and purpose of her life.
The potential conflict between the client's true desires and the outside pressures from her peers
and family, particularly with regard to her MBA specialization, is blatantly inauthentic in this
instance. The client becomes inauthentic when she feels pressured to live up to the expectations
and recommendations placed upon her, which causes her to deviate from who she really is and
what she stands for i.e. her true self and values. This also causes problems in her personal life,
where she experiences conflict in adjusting to a new place and with new people.

To reach authenticity, the therapeutic process in existential therapy can involve the following
steps:

• Clarifying Personal Values: In existential therapy, defining one's values is a critical

component of dealing with inauthenticity. Personal values are the fundamental
convictions and tenets that form the basis of a person's behaviour, decisions, and sense of
direction in life. Clarifying personal values in this client's situation entails determining
what matters to her most of all, regardless of expectations or pressures from others.
Making her personal values more clear aids the client in realising what matters to her
most. This self-awareness serves as a guide for making sincere decisions. The client can
make decisions about her MBA specialisation and personal life based on these defined
values, which lessens the possibility that she will make decisions that are not authentic
and are only influenced by other people. The client can determine whether external
expectations or pressures are in line with her values by outlining them clearly. This clarity
contributes to a more congruent and authentic way of living by helping to resolve
conflicts between the client's authentic self and outside demands.
• Confronting Fear of Judgement: One important part of treating inauthenticity in therapy
is facing the fear of judgement, especially in light of this client's experiences. Fear of
being judged can prevent people from expressing themselves authentically, which can
compromise their true identities by forcing them to live up to social norms. The client can
gain from facing this fear in the following ways: The client gains the confidence to
express herself authentically. She can begin to overcome the self-imposed limitations that
may have resulted in inauthentic behaviours by admitting and confronting her fear. The
client is encouraged by this process to express and embrace her actual ideas, emotions,
and goals. The client can interact with people more freely by facing her fear of being
 judged. She might establish closer, more meaningful relationships with people who value
and accept her for who she really is as a result of this. In addition to this, the client will
also recognize that authentic living involves making choices based on her values rather
than succumbing to the fear of how others may perceive those choices.
• Setting Boundaries: Help the client establish clear boundaries between external
expectations and her authentic self. This involves empowering her to make decisions that
align with her values, even if they differ from the suggestions and expectations of others.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT):

Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) was the first of the cognitive behavior therapies,
and today it continues to be a major cognitive behavioral approach. REBT has a great deal in
common with the therapies that are oriented toward cognition and behavior as it also
emphasizes thinking, assessing, deciding, analyzing, and doing. A basic assumption of REBT
is that people contribute to their own psychological problems, as well as to specific
symptoms, by the rigid and extreme beliefs they hold about events and situations. REBT is
based on the assumption that cognitions, emotions, and behaviors interact significantly and
have a reciprocal cause-and-effect relationship. REBT has consistently emphasized all three
of these modalities and their interactions, thus qualifying it as a holistic and integrative
approach.

Emotional disturbance is frequently viewed in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

as the consequence of irrational beliefs, which are inflexible and unrealistic views that people
have about the world, other people, and themselves. This client's emotional distress may be
caused by a number of illogical beliefs:

• Irrational Demands-
 Irrational Belief: The client may have unreasonable expectations for her academic and
personal choices, such as "I have to pick the ideal MBA specialization" or "I have to
win over my family and all of my new friends."
Emotional Disturbance: Anxiety, fear of making the wrong decision, and an excessive
sense of pressure can result from the unreasonable need for perfection and the need to
please everyone. Because of the excessive expectations she places on herself, the
client may feel more stressed than usual.
• Awfulizing or Catastrophizing-
Irrational Belief: If the client doesn't live up to expectations from others or doesn't
make the "right" decisions, she may have catastrophic thinking and imagine the
worst.
Emotional Disturbance: Fear of the possible bad outcomes of her choices, extreme
anxiety, and a sense of impending doom can all be exacerbated by catastrophizing.
This illogical notion could cause people to put off making decisions and
procrastinate.
• Low Frustration Tolerance-
Irrational Belief: The client may think that receiving criticism, condemnation, or
disappointment from others—especially her family—would be intolerable or
unbearable.
Emotional Disturbance: The client may become excessively sensitive to other
people's opinions due to their low threshold for frustration, which can also increase
their anxiety and fear. She might refrain from expressing her true preferences out of
concern for possible unfavourable responses.
• Evaluation of Self-worth-
Irrational Belief: The client might base her entire sense of value on getting approval
from others and living up to their expectations, including those of her peers and
family.
Emotional Disturbance: This illogical belief can lead to a delicate sense of self-worth
where the client feels that their value is dependent on the approval of others. Any
perceived inability to live up to these standards could make one feel inadequate,
guilty, or ashamed.
 • Personalization and Blaming-
Irrational Belief: The client may exaggerate the significance of the situation by
blaming her discomfort in her new social circle entirely on her own perceived
shortcomings. On the other hand, she could overly attribute her distress to outside
forces.
Emotional Disturbance: Excessive blaming can cause frustration and a sense of
helplessness, whereas personalization can result in guilt, self-blame, and feelings of
inadequacy. Both have a role in causing emotional disruption.
• Should Statement-
Irrational Belief: The client might adhere to strict "should" statements about her life
choices, like "I should have the ideal social life" or "I should choose a specialisation
that everyone approves of."
Emotional Disturbance: She may feel frustrated, disappointed, or like a failure due to
the disparity between these inflexible "should" statements and the reality of her
experiences.

The A-B-C framework is central to REBT theory and practice. This model provides a useful tool
for understanding the client’s feelings, thoughts, events, and behavior. A is the existence of an
activating event or adversity, or an inference about an event by an individual. C is the emotional
and behavioral consequence or reaction of the individual; the reaction can be either healthy or
unhealthy.

In this instance, the client's emotional distress is exacerbated by a number of external pressures
and major life changes that are included in the activating events (A). It is characterised as:

Change of Direction and Place: As she pursues her MBA, the client recently moved out of her
family home and into a PG (Paying Guest) flat. She is moving from her family's comfortable and
safe home to a more independent living arrangement, which is a significant life transition.

Academic Interest: Getting an MBA is a challenging academic programme in and of itself. It is

probable that the client is encountering difficulties with adjusting to the demanding nature of
academics, fulfilling obligations, and handling the workload involved in her studies. Her general
stress level is exacerbated by this academic pressure.

Changes in Social Circles: The client's social circle has changed; it is now bigger and more
diverse, connected to her MBA programme, from a smaller, more intimate group. This shift
brings with it new social norms, dynamics, and the requirement to build relationships with a
wider variety of people.

Peer and family pressure: The client's family, especially her father, is showing a lot of concern
for her future, which somewhere is creating a sort of pressure on her to choose an MBA
specialization. She struggles to balance meeting her family's expectations with making choices
that are in line with her own goals, and the frequent advice and worries they voice add to the
stress.

Personal life crisis: The client is going through a personal life crisis in addition to academic and
relocation difficulties. She feels uneasy and doesn't feel secure because of changes in her peer
group. Emotional distress is exacerbated by the difficulty she has making meaningful
connections and the sense of judgement she gets from people around her.

From the perspective of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), the client's emotional and
cognitive responses to the activating events are the beliefs (B) in this instance. Here's a thorough
explanation:

Fear of Failure and Perfectionism: The client might have unrealistic expectations about
perfection and a strong desire to succeed in both her personal and academic endeavours. She
might experience increased anxiety and tension because she fears failing and sees any errors or
setbacks as disastrous.

Need for Approval and Validation: The client may harbour the illogical belief that she requires
continuous validation and approval from her family—particularly her father—regarding her
decision to specialise in MBA studies. This requirement for outside approval can add to decision-
making stress and anxiety.
Fear of Being Judged: The client might have illogical fears that people in her new social circle
will always be critical of her. This fear of being judged can make it difficult for her to build
trusting relationships and could make her feel insecure and self-conscious all the time when she's
around other people.

Excessive Focus on other’s opinion: It's possible that the client has an unreasonable belief that
her success and value are entirely based on what her peers and family think of her. An excessive
reliance on outside approval may result in a weakened sense of independence and value.

Intolerance for uncertainty: The client may suffer from an unreasonable belief that she cannot
tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity in her personal and academic lives. This might exacerbate
anxiety and the need for complete certainty when making decisions.

Comparing and self-worth: The client might make unreasonable comparisons to her former
social group because she feels inadequate or unsuccessful in her current, more expansive social
environment because she can't seem to build solid relationships there. Her sense of worth and
self-esteem may be affected by this.

The emotional and behavioural effects of one's beliefs about activating events (A) are referred to
as the Cs in REBT. The feelings or emotions that arise from the beliefs are known as the
emotional consequences (C1), and the actions or behaviours that follow from those beliefs are
known as the behavioural consequences (C2).

Emotional Consequences (C1):

Anxiety and Stress: It is probable that the client is going through periods of increased anxiety
and stress. Irrational beliefs like the need to select the ideal MBA specialisation or the fear of
disappointing other people may be the cause of this emotional reaction.

Guilt and Inadequacy: Feelings of guilt and inadequacy may be exacerbated by pressure to live
up to expectations from others and a fear of being judged. These feelings may be the result of
unreasonable convictions that one's value depends on fulfilling the expectations of other people.
Behavioral Consequences (C2):

Procrastination: The client brings up the behaviour, which may be a behavioural result of the
tension and anxiety associated with making decisions. It's possible that procrastination is a
coping strategy used to momentarily avoid the discomfort of having to make decisions.

Avoiding making decisions: Avoiding decision-making entirely could be another behavioural

outcome. The client may put off making decisions out of a sense of stagnation or fear of making
the "wrong" decision or pressure to please others.

Seeking Constant Approval: The client may develop a behavioural pattern of continuously
seeking approval from others as a result of their focus on outside validation and their fear of
being judged. This could show up as the client constantly looking for validation or following
advice from others even when it doesn't match her true desires.

Isolation or Withdrawal: The inability to establish deep connections and the fear of being judged
can lead to negative behavioural outcomes, like withdrawing from social situations. The client
may withdraw in order to shield herself from possible criticism or unfavorable comments from
her new social group.

Challenging the Perfectionist Tendencies:

This lies under the D, disputing irrational beliefs of the client (from REBT perspective). Here,
we need to challenge the various perfectionist tendencies of the client by emphasizing on the
idea that mistakes are a inevitable part of learning and it is absolutely okay to be not perfect. This
will help her dispute her irrational belief that everyone around her is judegemental and she will
gain a more realistic perspective. Through challenging the unreasonable notion that each choice
needs to be perfect, the therapist assists the client in adopting a more pragmatic and
understanding perspective.

The client's emotional and behavioural results may be significantly impacted by adopting a more
realistic and logical mindset. Letting go of the unachievable need for perfection and accepting
the flaws in decision-making may lead to decreased anxiety. The client may see increased
productivity and a stronger sense of control over her studies with a better focus on her
academics. Furthermore, cultivating realistic views about social interactions can support a more
laid-back and genuine method of creating lasting relationships. (New Effect E)

Teaching the client useful stress management techniques is a crucial part of promoting healthier
coping mechanisms. Developing effective time management skills, establishing reasonable
objectives, and practising self-care can all help you cope with the demands of both your personal
and professional life. Furthermore, encouraging assertiveness in interactions with peers and
family gives the client the confidence to voice her choices and decisions, which lessens the need
to fit in with social norms. (New behavior NB)

A change in the client's emotions could happen as their illogical beliefs are questioned.
Acceptance of flaws and uncertainties may also lead to less anxiety. As the client realises that she
can make decisions that are true to who she is, she might feel more confident. Having more
control over her life can help her feel more emotionally well. (New Feelings NF)

Together with the client, the therapist cultivates adaptive beliefs regarding errors and
uncertainties. This entails developing the mindset that mistakes are a necessary component of life
and a chance for improvement. Supporting the client to separate her value from other people's
perceptions fosters resilience and self-acceptance. The formation of these new beliefs is
consistent with REBT principles and leads to a more adaptable and optimistic mindset. (New
Belief NB)
Critical Analysis of these Therapeutic Approaches:

The approach of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) to treating psychological distress
has various advantages. Its goal-oriented and structured approach is one of its main advantages;
it gives clients a well-defined framework for recognising and disputing illogical beliefs. The
focus of REBT is on cognitive restructuring, which helps people alter their thought processes and
make noticeable adjustments to their emotions and behaviours. Furthermore, REBT is well
supported by empirical data, which adds to its legitimacy and efficacy in treating a range of
psychological conditions. However, some clients may view its cognitive intensity as a
disadvantage, especially if they find the process intellectually taxing or are reluctant to critically
examine deeply held beliefs, which somewhere happened in my client’s case. The approach's
overemphasis on rationality may also limit its ability to capture the depth of subjective
experiences that clients in existential distress frequently struggle with by undervaluing the
significance of emotional expression and exploration. Despite these drawbacks, when used
carefully and customised to meet the needs of each client, the structured and evidence-based
nature of REBT makes it an effective therapeutic tool.

The client's case is a great fit for rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT), considering the
particular emotional and cognitive difficulties she is dealing with. The goal-oriented and
structured nature of REBT fits in nicely with the client's need for doable techniques to deal with
illogical beliefs, manage stress, and make decisions. The cognitive restructuring methods at the
heart of REBT can effectively address the client's issues with procrastination, perfectionism, and
fear of judgement. Together, the therapist and the client can question and replace illogical beliefs
to encourage more adaptive thought patterns. Additionally, REBT is a good fit for addressing the
client's academic and personal distress because of its emphasis on evidence-based interventions.

In spite of this, the client might at first find the cognitive demands of REBT difficult, particularly
if she is not used to questioning her beliefs. The therapist must handle this process delicately so
that the client feels encouraged rather than overburdened. Throughout the cognitive restructuring
process, the therapist has an ethical obligation to guarantee that the client's autonomy and values
are upheld. For every intervention, the therapist should actively seek the client's consent and
establish a secure, judgment-free environment for exploration.
On the other hand, Existential therapy is a valuable approach to comprehending and resolving
psychological issues. Its comprehensive examination of people's subjective experiences, which
enables a deeper comprehension of meaning, purpose, and the existential aspects of human
existence, is one of its key strengths. Existential therapy places a strong emphasis on individual
accountability and liberty, enabling patients to accept personal responsibility for their decisions
and face life's uncertainties with genuine courage. Because of its adaptability to different cultural
and individual contexts, therapists can tailor interventions to meet clients where they are in their
existential journey. The abstract nature of existential concepts, however, could provide
difficulties for certain clients, who might find it hard to relate to or understand these
philosophical ideas completely. One disadvantage of existential therapy may be its possible lack
of structure, particularly for those clients who would benefit more from a more directive and
goal-oriented approach. Notwithstanding these difficulties, existential therapy is an invaluable
resource for people trying to make sense of their lives, find purpose, and deal with existential
issues because it places a strong emphasis on delving into the more profound aspects of human
experience.

The client's situation is likewise suited for existential therapy, especially when it comes to
addressing the more profound existential issues of meaning, purpose, and identity. Significant
life changes, social circle shifts, and feelings of isolation experienced by the client are indicative
of existential themes that may not be fully captured by more cognitive approaches. The client can
explore her subjective experience holistically in existential therapy, which can also assist her in
understanding the larger existential aspects of her distress. Existential therapy places a strong
emphasis on individual accountability and freedom, which is in line with the client's need to take
charge of her decisions and live her life on her terms. By combining existential exploration with
REBT, a more thorough and client-centered strategy that tackles both pressing stressors and more
profound existential issues can be offered.

The therapist must carefully strike a balance between the client's need for workable solutions and
the abstract nature of existential concepts. A client with high levels of anxiety may find the lack
of structure difficult, and some adaptation may be necessary to provide a more balanced
approach. The therapist has an ethical responsibility to make sure that the client is comfortable
and prepared to explore existential themes during the existential exploration process. In order to
explore these abstract ideas in an ethical manner, consent and cooperation are necessary.

Goals and Treatment Plan:

The therapeutic goals can be organised to address the irrational beliefs and emotional and
behavioural consequences that were identified during the session, based on the client's rational
emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) case conceptualization. The objectives are as follows, clearly
in line with the ideas and methods of REBT:

1. The client's ability to refute and question perfectionistic tendencies in relation to

academic and personal decision-making is the goal.
Alignment with REBT: Use cognitive restructuring strategies to disprove illogical notions
like "I have to choose the best option" and promote a more reasonable outlook that
acknowledges flaws as a necessary component of decision-making.
2. By embracing a more grounded viewpoint on the perceived continual criticism from
others, the client hopes to lessen the fear and anxiety that come with outside assessments.
Alignment with REBT: Apply cognitive restructuring to disprove and displace illogical
beliefs about the all-perceivable judgement, promoting a more flexible perspective that
recognizes the limitations of precisely estimating the opinions of others.
3. The client will create plans to cut down on procrastination, improve decision-making
abilities, and move more assertively towards both personal and academic objectives.
Alignment with REBT: Use cognitive restructuring and behavioral interventions to
address the irrational beliefs that lead to procrastination and replace them with thoughts
that are rational and help make decisions quickly and effectively.
4. The client will feel more in control of their personal and academic lives, have less
anxiety, and have more self-confidence.
Alignment with REBT: Challenge and replace illogical beliefs about one's own value and
need for outside approval through continuous cognitive restructuring, cultivating an
outlook that supports emotional stability and self-assurance.
 5. The client will create and use healthier coping techniques, like goal-setting, time
management, and self-care routines.
Alignment with REBT: Incorporate useful behavioral interventions into the therapeutic
process, stressing the value of flexible coping mechanisms for stress management and
improving general health.
6. The client will develop the assertiveness skills necessary to share her choices and
decisions with peers and family.
Alignment with REBT: Develop more rational and self-affirming beliefs to support
assertive communication by using cognitive restructuring to address irrational beliefs
related to the fear of disappointing others.

Treatment Plan:

1. Evaluation and Goal Explanation:

Intervention: Perform a thorough evaluation to investigate the client's thought processes,
feelings, and behavioural inclinations. Establish a shared understanding of the therapeutic
focus by working together to clarify and prioritise the identified goals.
Justification: Targeted interventions are based on a clear understanding of the client's
cognitive, emotional, and behavioural interplay. Clarifying goals improves client
commitment to the therapeutic process and increases client engagement.

2. REBT Principles-Based Psychoeducation:

Intervention: Explain to the client the ABC model (Activating event, Beliefs,
Consequences) and the part irrational beliefs play in emotional and behavioural
outcomes. Provide psychoeducation on the fundamentals of REBT.
Justification: Increasing the client's understanding of the relationship between ideas,
feelings, and actions prepares the way for cognitive restructuring. The client gains the
ability to recognise and confront illogical beliefs when they comprehend the ABC model.

3. Identifying and Disputing Irrational Beliefs:

 Intervention: Focus on perfectionism, fear of being judged, and the need for approval
from others as you collaborate to uncover specific irrational beliefs that are causing the
client's distress. When engaging in cognitive restructuring, apply the ABCDE model
(Activating event, Beliefs, Consequences, Disputation, New Effect). Challenge illogical
beliefs by scrutinising their reasoning, supporting data, and practical applications.
Justification: Identifying erroneous beliefs sheds light on the cognitive distortions that
underlie emotional and behavioural problems. For focused intervention and cognitive
restructuring, this step is essential. One of the main strategies in REBT is disputing
illogical beliefs. The therapist assists the client in replacing their illogical beliefs with
more adaptive and rational ones by directly challenging the irrational beliefs causing the
distress.

4. Cognitive Restructuring:
Intervention: Use cognitive restructuring strategies to actively question and dispute
illogical beliefs. To replace irrational ideas with more flexible, adaptive, and rational
beliefs, employ Socratic questioning, logical analysis, and empirical challenges.
Justification: The foundation of REBT is cognitive restructuring. The therapist helps the
client make a mental pattern shift by challenging unrealistic beliefs, encouraging more
positive feelings and realistically based behaviours. A potent cognitive tool in REBT,
socratic questioning encourages self-discovery and casts doubt on the veracity of illogical
beliefs. Through an analysis of the evidence, the client can start to recognise the illogical
nature of some thought processes.

5. Behavioural Interventions:
Intervention: Use behavioural strategies to deal with particular issues, like
procrastination. Create and put into practise time management techniques, goal-setting
techniques, and the division of work into digestible steps.
Justification: By combining cognitive restructuring with useful behavioural therapies,
adaptive responses are reinforced and the client is helped to break the pattern of
unreasonable thoughts leading to maladaptive behaviours.
6. Utilising Humour:
Intervention: Use humour as a cognitive-emotive strategy to help the client see their
problems from a new angle. Urge the client to laugh at the absurdity of some of their
beliefs.
Justification: Using humour can subtly but effectively break through inflexible thought
patterns. The client can start to emotionally distance themselves and approach situations
more adaptably by realising how ridiculous unreasonable their beliefs are.

7. Frequent Assignments for Homework:

Intervention: Give students homework assignments that require them to recognise and
refute illogical beliefs in between sessions. Urge the client to practise new behaviours in
authentic settings and to use cognitive restructuring techniques.
Justification: Consistent assignments help clients apply therapy concepts to their
everyday lives, strengthening the techniques they acquire in sessions and encouraging
self-directed change.

8. Techniques for Acceptance and Mindfulness:

Intervention: To assist the client in being present, tolerating uncertainty, and lowering
anxiety related to making decisions, teach acceptance and mindfulness practises.
Justification: By encouraging acceptance of the current moment and lessening the
emotional impact of illogical beliefs, mindfulness enhances REBT. It improves the
client's capacity to negotiate ambiguity and reach more sincere decisions.
References
Corey, G. (2015). The theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy tenth edition. Cencage
learning.

Existential Therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from Psychology Today :

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/therapy-types/existential-therapy