Ella Joyce Marie M.

Hernandez
BS PSYCHOLOGY 3-2
INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELING

Name: Joyce Seng

Age: 25
Occupation: Office worker
Status: Single
Presenting Case:
Joyce is a 25-year-old woman who struggles with social anxiety. She finds social situations very
stressful and often avoids them.
When Joyce knows she has to attend a social event, like a party or work function, she becomes
very anxious in the days leading up to it. She worries a lot about doing or saying something
embarrassing that will make people judge her. On the day of the event, Joyce’s anxiety gets even
worse. Her heart races, her palms sweat, and she has trouble making conversation with others.
She tends to stand alone, hoping no one will come talk to her.

Presenting symptoms:
Rapid heartbeat when anticipating a social event
Sweating and shaking when interacting with others at the event
Difficulty making conversation due to anxiousness
Intense fear and worry about being judged negatively by others at the event
Avoidance of social situations like parties and work functions out of fear of embarrassment

Types of counseling approach/ technique:

Relaxation/meditation technique
Exposure therapy
First session (60 mins.)
*Knocks on the door and enters the counseling room*

Counselor: Hi Joyce, it’s nice to meet you. Please have a seat. How are you feeling today?

Client: * Fidgets nervously* I’m…I’m doing okay, I guess. I’m just really anxious about being
here.
(Stage 1: Rapport Building)
Counselor: Hey now Joyce, there’s nothing to worry about okay? I understand this can feel
uncomfortable at first. But I want you to know that this is a safe space where you can be open
and honest with me. My role is to listen without judgment and help you work through what
you’re experiencing. Would you tell me how have you been lately?
Client: *Nods* Okay, that’s good to hear. I’ve just been struggling a lot with social situations
lately. It’s been really hard for me.
(Stage 2: Clarification of the Presenting Problem)
Counselor: Can you tell me more about what you’ve been experiencing? I’d like to get a better
understanding of the specific problems you’ve been facing.
Client: Well, it started a few months ago. Anytime I know I have to go to a social event, like a
party or work function, I just get so anxious. My heart starts racing, my palms get sweaty, and I
have trouble even making small talk with people. Even here, I was feeling a bit hesitant before
going here. I’m too scared to be judged.
(Stage 3: Structure/ Contract for the helping relationship)
Counselor: I see. My role here is to provide a safe, supportive space for you to explore your
feelings and work towards positive change at your own pace, okay? You won’t be judged here.
Client: *Nods* *slightly smiles*
(Stage 4: Intensive exploration of the problem)
Counselor: Okay. And Joyce, would you tell me how have these symptoms been impacting your
daily life and relationships?
Client: It’s been really tough. I’ve started avoiding a lot of social situations altogether because
the anxiety is just too much. And I feel like I’m missing out on a lot. Plus, I’m worried it’s
hurting my relationships with friends and coworkers.
Counselor: Okay, thank you for sharing that with me. It sounds like it’s causing a lot of distress
and disruption in your life and I know that it’s tough. Now, Joyce, I’d like to work with you to
develop some goals for our counseling sessions. What would you like to achieve or improve on?
Client: I’ve been feeling these symptoms lately and I’m hoping counseling can help me feel
better. I want my social anxiety to go away and to start a better life. I am hoping maybe you
could fix me. I want a solution right away before my relationships get worsen.
Counselor: I understand the desire for a quick fix, but healing from depression often takes time
and consistent effort. While medication can sometimes provide relief, counseling is more about
equipping you with coping tools and helping you gain insight into the root causes of your
depression. It’s an ongoing process of self-discovery and growth. I’ll be here to support you
every step of the way, but the real work has to come from you. Does that help explain my role a
bit more?
Client: I guess so. I am just really hopeless right now. I want to change.

Session 2 (60 mins.)

(Stage 5: Establishing goals and objectives)
Counselor: Okay, Joyce, I understand. Let’s start with small steps and then we can climb your
way up afterwards, okay? Would you like to tell me what do you want to improve first? What do
you want to do?
Client: I guess my main goal would be to feel more comfortable and confident in social
situations. I want to be able to go to events without feeling so anxious and self-conscious all the
time.
Counselor: That’s a very reasonable goal. Being able to participate in social gatherings with less
anxiety would make a big difference in your life. What else would you like to work on?
Client: Yes, I think it would be really helpful to develop some effective coping strategies for
when I start feeling anxious. Right now, I just try to tough it out, but that usually makes it worse.

Counselor: Absolutely. Now that we have your main goals in mind, let’s talk about how we can
achieve them step-by-step. While counseling can certainly help provide support and strategies for
managing your anxiety, I want to be upfront that I can’t guarantee you’ll feel better after a certain
number of sessions. Everyone’s journey is different. My role is to provide a safe, supportive
space for you to explore your feelings and work towards positive change at your own pace. Does
that make sense?
Client: Okay, I’m ready. What’s the plan?

Counselor: Well, one key strategy that I suggest is practicing mindfulness and relaxation
exercises. This will help you stay grounded and calm your mind and body when anxiety strikes.
Client: Mhm, sounds good.
Counselor: We’ll also work on gradually exposing you to social situations, starting small and
working our way up. This will help desensitize you to the anxiety triggers.
Does this sound like a good plan for how we’ll structure our sessions and what we’ll focus on? I
want to make sure we’re both on the same page before we get started.

Client: *Nods* Yes, that all sounds good to me. I’m ready to start working on this.

Counselor: Wonderful. I’m glad we were able to get clear on the presenting issue and set some
initial goals.
(Stage 6: Dealing with resistance during the counseling process)
Client: *starts to get worried and hesitant* Honestly, I just don’t see how it’s going to make a
difference.
Counselor: Mhm, I hear you. What is it that makes you hesitant?
Joyce: It feels like a waste of time to me. I don’t even know how or where to start. Everything
feels impossible to improve and change, even myself.
Counselor: I understand your skepticism. It’s important to me that we’re working on things that
feel meaningful and helpful to you. What is it that you’re hoping to get out of our sessions?
Client: I guess I just want to feel better about myself and be able to be more social without
feeling so anxious all the time.

Counselor: Okay, that’s really helpful for me to understand. Let’s think together about small,
manageable steps we could try that might move you in that direction.

Client: I don’t know, I just feel like I’m never going to be able to change. It’s been this way for
so long.
Counselor: I hear the frustration and sense of hopelessness. But I believe you have the capacity
to make progress, even if it’s gradual. Okay, can you identify one small thing you could try this
week?

Client: I guess I could try talking to the cashier at the grocery store instead of just avoiding eye
contact. That feels a little less intimidating than a bigger social situation.

Counselor: That’s a great first step. Practicing small interactions like that can really help build
your confidence over time. Let’s try to focus on what feels doable for you right now.

Client: Okay, I’m willing to give the cashier thing a try this week. I appreciate you not just
pushing me to do something I’m really uncomfortable with.

Counselor: You’re very welcome. I’m glad we were able to set some realistic expectations. I look
forward to working with you and supporting you on this journey. Remember, you’ve got this. I’ll
be here every step of the way.