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Case Studies

Our Narrative Therapy Case Studies & Success Stories

#1

Stuck in a Flipped Car

Adult – Trauma Management-Counselling and Art Therapy

Client Profile

“Nira”, Female in her 40s, Iranian background looking to overcome her PTSD symptoms, referred to us by her ICBC lawyer, victim of a serious car crash

The Challenge

  • Emotional and physical pain hindered her ability to function to the point that she was unable to work or engage with her family.
  • She felt severely traumatized and depressed.
  • She constantly felt like something bad was about to happen.
  • When her physical symptoms became more manageable, Nira was scared of driving in her car and she did not know where to start.

The Solution

  • Nira was seen for 16 sessions
  • Personalized assessment was conducted with Nira on her PTSD symptoms
  • A treatment plan was formed and sent to ICBC for approval
  • Initiated the treatment with a self-care schedule to elevate Nira’s mental health
  • Nira was introduced to art therapy as a way of expressing her feelings
  • Integrated mindfulness techniques into therapy
  • Introduced Nira to various self-regulation tools
  • Assessed triggers and coping methods on an ongoing process
  • Nira was able to start processing her the trauma story in a safe space
  • Integrated Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Growth Mindset modalities into therapy, helping the client to stay focused on her progress
  • Implemented Exposure Therapy with Nira in order for her to gradually get exposed to her car and driving

The Outcome

  • Nira changed her lifestyle and made self-care an integral part of her life
  • She was able to regulate when she was exposed to her triggers
  • She became more in control of her mental health rather being at mercy of her mood shifts
  • She changed focus towards her passion instead of going back to her pre-Motor Vehicle Accident job, which she found unsatisfying
  • She was able to experience joy and calm after being able to work through her depression and trauma
  • She started driving her car again

#2

Battling the Inner Bully

Adult – Depression Relief – Counselling

Client Profile

“Joshua”, Male in his 30s, Caucasian, highly educated, high performing in his career

The Challenge

Feelings of not being “good enough” made the client to invest his energy in pleasing everyone else rather than doing what made him happy

The Solution

  • Joshua was seen for 8 sessions
  • Personalized assessment and treatment plan
  • He was introduced to mindfulness techniques
  • Joshua became mindful of his emotions and learned a new emotional vocabulary
  • Therapist used Dialectical Behavioural Therapy to help him to make wise decisions, mediating between his logical draws and emotional needs
  • He was introduced to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) thinking traps in order to recognize his negative thinking patterns
  • He was given journaling homework in order to practice reframing his negative thoughts

The Outcome

  • Joshua became familiar with his emotions
  • He refocused his energy on what gave him meaning and purpose rather than focusing on pleasing others
  • He learned to reframe his negative thinking patterns on an everyday basis
  • He was able to reframe some deep rooted negative core beliefs about himself
  • He felt more confident in himself and started believing in his own potential
  • Joshua started investing time in what made him happy

#3

It Was Not My Fault

Adult – Trauma Management – Counselling

Client Profile

“Maryam”, Female in her 40s, Middle-Eastern background looking to overcome her PTSD symptoms in relation to her car accident, grieving the loss of her job after the accident, referred by her ICBC lawyer.

The Challenge

Feelings of overwhelm hindered her ability to function to the point that she was unable to work or engage with her family. Feelings of intense guilt and shame made her feel depressed and stuck.

The Solution

  • Maryam was seen for 6 sessions
  • Carried out a personalized assessment of her PTSD symptoms
  • Formed a treatment plan that was sent to ICBC for approval
  • The therapy started with a self-care schedule to elevate the client’s mental health
  • She was given a safe space to talk about the story of her trauma and the day that she lost her job
  • The therapist used narrative therapy techniques combined with art therapy technique to retell the story of the client to her
  • The therapist reframed the negative beliefs that the client was carrying as a result of her trauma and losing her job
  • She was given tools to communicate with her family in order to connect back with them

The Outcome

  • Maryam was able to reframe some deep rooted negative core beliefs about herself
  • She achieved a new sense of pride in her life story
  • She was able to look into the future with hope and start looking for jobs

#4

Allergy Panic Attacks Be Gone

Child – Anxiety Regulation and Trauma Management – Counselling and Art Therapy

Client Profile

Sophia, Female, nine years-old, Caucasian, experience reoccurring panic attacks about having an allergy attack.

The Challenge

She was unable to self-regulate when she felt triggered, she would run around the house and helplessly ask her family members for help when triggered, her family members were at a loss and did not know how to help her

The Solution

  • Sophia was seen for 12 sessions
  • Carried out a personalized assessment
  • Formed a treatment plan
  • She was given psychoeducation about panic attacks and anxiety
  • The therapist taught Sophia about different zones of regulation, green for when she is calm and happy, yellow for when she is stressed and uneasy, red for when she is in a fight, flight or freeze mode
  • The therapist used her relationship to ask Sophia to do her best to catch herself in the yellow zone
  • The therapist also provided her with multiple sensory and grounding tools to regulate herself from yellow to green when feeling triggered
  • The therapist also worked with the family and gave them tools for helping Sophia

The Outcome

Sophia was able to prevent her panic attacks by staying mindful and using her tools when she got into the yellow zone

#5

Ivy Leaguer or Nothing

Youth –Depression Relief – Counselling

Client Profile

Sara, female, seventeen years old, low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety.

The Challenge

  • She was a high-level soccer player, she was adjusting to the challenges of being a new student, she found it hard to self-regulate after making an “error” in her play or when her team would lose, she was hoping for a scholarship to an Ivy League university, she felt like if she did not get the scholarship then her time with her efforts have been “a waste”
  • She displayed a draw towards perfectionism which made her feel even worse
  • She felt like she would be a “failure” unless she would get into Ivy League

The Solution

  • Sara was seen for 16 sessions
  • Carried out a personalized assessment
  • Formed a treatment plan
  • She was introduced to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) thinking traps in order to recognize her negative thinking behaviors
  • She was given CBT tools for revising her thoughts
  • The therapist worked with Sara on the concept of self-compassion
  • The therapist carried out a family counselling session with Sara and her parents to help Sara to communicate her feelings to her father and also set some emotional boundaries
  • The therapist and Sara came up with self-care strategies for the game days to help Sara with her anxiety
  • The therapist and Sara talked about Sara’s life story for her to be able to process her grief in regards to the potential of not getting into an Ivy League school

The Outcome

  • Sara was able to develop flexible thinking patterns
  • She was able to regulate after her team’s losses She was able to develop more confidence and self-esteem
  • She was able to set realistic and flexible goals
  • She was able to start feeling “good enough” and place her value on her internal qualities

#6

Child – Anxiety (Selective Mutism)

Depression Reduction – Counselling and Play Therapy

Client Profile

Tara, six years old, her parents recently separated, she experiences anxiety in social situations, she speaks very little with her peers.

The Challenge

Tara was witness too many verbal arguments and domestic abuse between her parents

The Solution

  • Tara was seen for 16 sessions
  • Carried out a personalized assessment
  • Formed a treatment plan
  • She used the dollhouse and sand tray to replay and process her family’s separation
  • She used the dollhouse and sand tray to roleplay attending social situations
  • Carried out parent meeting sessions with both parents, giving them tools to support Tara with her big grief and her social anxiety
  • The therapist followed her play and guided her process when needed

The Outcome

  • Tara was able to process her grief through the play therapy process
  • Tara’s parents developed more tools to support Sara and meet her needs
  • Tara started feeling more comfortable in social situations and initiating friendships

#7

Overcoming Infidelity

Client Profile

“Alex” and “Natalie”, married for 10 years and have two children, the couple is in their late 30s, Caucasian background, looking to overcome infidelity in the marriage.

The Challenge

Alex committed the adultery in the relationship and the overwhelming hurt on both sides of the relationship was leading up to a breaking point in the relationship that neither wanted to happen, but felt at a loss on how to prevent it

The Solution

  • Alex and Natalie were seen for 12 sessions
  • The therapist spent two sessions with them together, then had a session with each of them alone to understand the full dynamic
  • The therapist explored the raw emotions on both sides to help each partner understand what the other is going through
  • Introduced light mindfulness exercises to help the couple start the process of connecting with one another again
  • When conflict arose, the therapist gave the couple the space to unpack it in session; those tools were used to help them when conflict came up at home
  • Once the couple felt ready, the therapist integrated sex therapy techniques to help the couple connect more intimately
  • The therapist focused on the here-and-now and helped them stay mindful of the present
  • The couple was able to understand each other’s triggers and were able to communicate how they were feeling in the moment
  • The therapist integrated Cognitive Behavioral, Mindfulness, and Emotionally Focused Therapy into their sessions, helping them both to stay present about themselves and their partner in the relationship

The Outcome

  • Over time, Alex and Natalie were able to get past the infidelity that happened
  • They were able to connect once again with each other and they began to “date” one another once again
  • They became more in control of their feelings and were able to communicate them in a healthy way

#8

Dealing with Heartbreak

Client Profile

“Lori”, Female in her 30s, moved to Vancouver for work and living alone, recently single

The Challenge

Raw emotions and overwhelming feelings from her recent break-up. Troubles eating, sleeping, and wasn’t engaging in any self-care that she used to do. Lori felt lost in terms of not knowing who she was without her ex-partner

The Solution

  • Lori was seen for 8 Sessions
  • Personalized assessment
  • She was given the space to tell her story and unpacked her feelings around the break-up
  • The therapist introduced Lori to mindfulness techniques and getting her back into a self-care routine
  • Lori became more mindful of her emotions and triggers and started to recreate her own identity and finding independence without her partner
  • The therapist introduced to Emotionally Focused Therapy to Lori to recognize her emotional patterns and behaviors
  • The therapist gave Lori homework, revolving around expressing her emotions through journaling and taking time for herself to actively move forward from the breakup

The Outcome

  • Lori became comfortable with her emotions and was able to focus on her growth and starting taking pride in her own unique identity
  • She learned to channel her energy into the activities that she used to love and incorporated them into her daily life.
  • She felt more confident in herself and started achieving her personal goals

#9

PTSD from Sexual Assault

Client Profile

“Jenny”, Female in her late 20s, moved to Vancouver to escape her past, victim of rape on multiple occasions

The Challenge

Severe post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of her histories of sexual assault. Frequent flashbacks before sleep and nightmares kept her from focusing at work and living her life properly. Jenny had a severe fear of dating men due to her sexual assault history as a teen. Jenny felt afraid for her life daily and incapable of re-connecting with other people and forming new romantic relationships.

The Solution

  • Jenny was seen for 5 100-minute sessions
  • Personalized assessment was conducted with Jenny on her PTSD symptoms
  • Jenny and her counsellor filled out the treatment assessment for the first, worst, and most recent time that Jenny’s boundaries were violated
  • The therapist introduced Jenny to EMDR treatment to recollect her feelings, body sensations, and negative beliefs about herself in relation to the traumatic experiences
  • After hours of EMDR treatment, those events lost their intensity and then transformed those negative thoughts into more pleasant ones
  • The therapist gave Jenny homework, revolving around expressing her emotions through journaling during the EMDR process.

The Outcome

  • Jenny began to heal from her past trauma thanks to EMDR
  • She stopped having nightmares and flashbacks
  • She became more comfortable with her ability to set boundaries and create safety for herself
  • She was able to go on dates without having panic attacks
  • She felt empowered and freed from her negative past

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