NR605
Scenario 1
A 15-year-old client presents to the PMHNP for therapy. She reports persistent feelings of
sadness for the last year. She has trouble sleeping and has lost 12 pounds in the last few
months. She used to enjoy participating in choir and drama club at her school, but no
longer enjoys her favorite activities. She is experiencing problems in her social
relationships due to difficulty making friends and often feels lonely.
Identify the client's ICD diagnosis.
The diagnosis is Major Depressive Disorder.
Identify and discuss one psychotherapeutic approach to address the client's problem.
Provide an evidence-based rationale with support from at least one scholarly source
for your choice of therapy.
One psychotherapeutic approach to address the client's problem is cognitive-behavioral
therapy (CBT). CBT is a well-known effective treatment method for Major Depressive
Disorder and has been recommended in most guidelines as a first-line treatment. (Karrouri
et al., 2021)
Describe at least three therapeutic techniques commonly used with the selected
, therapeutic approach.
Identifying and challenging negative thoughts: This technique involves helping the client
to become aware of their negative thoughts and to examine the evidence for and against
these thoughts. This can help the client to see that their negative thoughts may not be
accurate and to develop more realistic and positive ways of thinking.
Developing healthy coping mechanisms: This technique involves helping the client to
identify and use healthy coping strategies to deal with stress and difficult emotions. This
can help the client to manage their symptoms and to improve their overall well-being.
Increasing positive activities and experiences: This technique involves helping the client
to identify and add more positive activities and experiences into their life. This can help
the client to feel more enjoyment and satisfaction and to reduce their symptoms of
depression.
Discuss whether you would include psychopharmacology as part of the
treatment plan. If yes, describe which medication(s) you might prescribe. If no,
explain why not. Provide rationale from at least one scholarly source.
I would prescribe Sertraline for this patient. According to Liu et al, (2021), “Sertraline
combined with CBT is more effective in treating Major depressive disorder in the
pediatric population and can significantly reduce the incidence of depressive symptoms,
anxiety, and adverse reactions in patients.” Therefore, this combination therapy is
recommended for the clinical treatment of adolescent depression. A trial done by Vale-
cabrera et al (2018),to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sertraline compared with
placebo
Scenario 1
A 15-year-old client presents to the PMHNP for therapy. She reports persistent feelings of
sadness for the last year. She has trouble sleeping and has lost 12 pounds in the last few
months. She used to enjoy participating in choir and drama club at her school, but no
longer enjoys her favorite activities. She is experiencing problems in her social
relationships due to difficulty making friends and often feels lonely.
Identify the client's ICD diagnosis.
The diagnosis is Major Depressive Disorder.
Identify and discuss one psychotherapeutic approach to address the client's problem.
Provide an evidence-based rationale with support from at least one scholarly source
for your choice of therapy.
One psychotherapeutic approach to address the client's problem is cognitive-behavioral
therapy (CBT). CBT is a well-known effective treatment method for Major Depressive
Disorder and has been recommended in most guidelines as a first-line treatment. (Karrouri
et al., 2021)
Describe at least three therapeutic techniques commonly used with the selected
, therapeutic approach.
Identifying and challenging negative thoughts: This technique involves helping the client
to become aware of their negative thoughts and to examine the evidence for and against
these thoughts. This can help the client to see that their negative thoughts may not be
accurate and to develop more realistic and positive ways of thinking.
Developing healthy coping mechanisms: This technique involves helping the client to
identify and use healthy coping strategies to deal with stress and difficult emotions. This
can help the client to manage their symptoms and to improve their overall well-being.
Increasing positive activities and experiences: This technique involves helping the client
to identify and add more positive activities and experiences into their life. This can help
the client to feel more enjoyment and satisfaction and to reduce their symptoms of
depression.
Discuss whether you would include psychopharmacology as part of the
treatment plan. If yes, describe which medication(s) you might prescribe. If no,
explain why not. Provide rationale from at least one scholarly source.
I would prescribe Sertraline for this patient. According to Liu et al, (2021), “Sertraline
combined with CBT is more effective in treating Major depressive disorder in the
pediatric population and can significantly reduce the incidence of depressive symptoms,
anxiety, and adverse reactions in patients.” Therefore, this combination therapy is
recommended for the clinical treatment of adolescent depression. A trial done by Vale-
cabrera et al (2018),to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sertraline compared with
placebo
