Cultural Formulation Interview
The cultural formulation interview provides questions that help to clarify key components of a current clinical problem from the client’s point of view. This may include the meaning of the problem, potential sources of help, and expectations for services (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Therefore, based on the case scenario, the cultural formulation interview will help formulate specific questions that I would ask Flo to understand better her fears about terminating counseling.
Before proceeding to the question, I would first go through the milestones we have achieved throughout our sessions. In most cases, clients tend to forget the major achievements they have made or sometimes neglect to appreciate and give themselves credit for the goals they have accomplished. Therefore, this approach will help to develop her confidence and also give her a positive perspective of how counseling has been of significance to her. The three specific questions that I would ask Flo in our session would be:
- What have you learned from our previous counseling sessions?
The rationale for asking this question is to help Flo realize what she has learned or achieved during the sessions. As stated earlier, clients often forget what they have learned and fail to give themselves credit for their major achievements. In this case, Flo is experiencing a condition known as client termination anxiety. This condition manifests in clients in various ways. According to Erford (2013), clients with termination anxiety usually develop a new and critical problem as they anticipate the end of their relationship with their therapist. This results in feelings of insecurity and the fear of falling back to their old dysfunctional behavior patterns that would need constant counseling from a therapist. This is clear in Flo’s case, as she states, “I have come so far, and I may not make it on my own! Why can’t I continue in weekly counseling just in case I develop problems that I can’t handle alone.” Additionally, clients may develop sadness and grief for the loss of their relationship with their therapist. However, it is natural for clients to struggle with termination even though they are aware of its benefits. Therefore, the question will give Flo the confidence she needs through the termination period.
- What have you found helpful in our sessions so far?
The second question would be to ask Flo what she found helpful and her general feelings about the entire process. This question will help to remind Flo how far she has come since we started our sessions. Additionally, she will be able to realize the accomplishments that she has achieved and acknowledge that she is ready to terminate the sessions. Also, understanding her strengths will significantly help to deal with her anxiety. Also, based on her answer, I will be able to identify the additional resources and materials that Flo would need to promote her personal growth. Similarly, this question will be geared towards improving Flo’s confidence through the termination period.
- What do you intend to do with what you have gained or learned from the sessions?
The third question would be to ask Flo what she has gained and identify areas of success that she believes will have a significant impact on her life. The rationale for this question is to remind her of what has worked for her so far. Based on the case scenario, Flo is afraid of failure and thinks that she might go back to her old patterns because I will not be there to offer her support. I will advise Flo always to come back whenever she has an issue, and I would set up follow up appointments. According to Erford (2013), When a therapist attends to the needs of a client and creates follow up meetings, the chances of the client to naturally end the relationship increases. In this way, closure is also established. A therapist needs to review the progress of a client even after termination. In addition, celebrating the success and achievements of the counseling process is essential in acknowledging the client’s efforts and growth. Therefore, the question will help to understand how Flo will handle future challenges and if there is a possibility of her coming back for counseling.
In conclusion, based on the cultural formulation interview, I would be able to formulate questions that would help to clarify Flo’s fear of terminating the sessions from her point of view. The three questions would significantly help to eliminate Flo’s termination anxiety and give her the confidence she needs. Additionally, the questions would help Flo to recognize her success and accomplishments she has made through the counseling sessions.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Cultural formulation interview (CFI). 1-3.
Erford, B.T. (2013). Orientation to the counseling profession: Advocacy, ethics, and essential professional foundations (2nd Ed.). Pearson Education.
