Running head: INTERVENTION AND IMPLEMENTATION
Case Consultation Model Intervention and Implementation
Jocelyn Williams
Wake Forest University
1
INTERVENTION AND IMPLEMENTATION
2
Case Consultation Model Intervention and Implementation
The consultee, a new counselor at an outpatient facility, reports having difficulty forming
effective therapeutic relationships with clients with a military service background. Her difficulty
in joining with her clients has been resulting in the early termination of counseling services. The
consultant will utilize the Mental Health Consultation Model, with a consultee-centered case
consultation approach.
Data Collection
Data collection was conducted by the consultant and included interviews with the
consultee to understand her point of view and hypotheses regarding the problem, and ideas for
potential solutions; an interview with the consultee’s temporary supervisor to get their
professional opinion of the consultee’s performance based on their professional experience with
the population; preliminary outcome and session rating scale with the consultee’s clients, those
with military experience and those without, to ascertain consultee’s baseline level of competency;
and a needs assessment geared toward the consultee’s exposure and prior experience to the
military lifestyle and population, knowledge of military history, and any associated biases (Strom
et al., 2012) such as personal beliefs regarding gun use, military service, political belief system,
etc. The information was presented to the consultee in print form.
The agreed-upon overarching goal for consultation was to increase the consultee’s ability
to build more effective therapeutic relationships with clients with a military service background.
This goal will be met by addressing two related concerns –
1. Increasing knowledge of the military as a culture within a culture and our associated duty
to multicultural competence as set forth by the American Counseling Association (ACA);
and
INTERVENTION AND IMPLEMENTATION
3
2. Examining counselor bias and increasing self-awareness of belief patterns that may
unintentionally influence the consultee’s relationship with clients.
Intervention
The intervention will be a multifaceted approach including several types of educational
tools designed to address the goals collaboratively set by the consultant and consultee during the
data collection phase. The consultant has taken into account time availability and budgetary
limitations of the consultee in the creation of this intervention. It is the job of the consultee to
implement the suggested interventions.
To address issues related to military cultural knowledge, the consultant suggests several
didactic learning interventions, to include the Department of Defense (DOD) Dictionary of
Military and Associated Terms, Military Culture Online Training from the Center for
Deployment Psychology, and the Iraq War Clinician Guide (Strom et al., 2012). Additionally,
the consultant suggests, depending on budgetary constraints, attending regional, state, and/or
national counseling conventions for more detailed, interactive presentations on the topic. Lastly,
the consultant encourages the consultee to visit a military base and gather information about
available resources to active duty military personnel, their families, and service veterans.
To address issues related to counselor bias and its potential impact on her therapeutic
relationships, the consultant recommends engaging in self-awareness activities to better
understand how her cultural background informs her attitudes, beliefs, and values (Vargas &
Wilson, 2011), such as an exercise provided by the Center for Deployment Psychology exploring
social views; beliefs about war and national security; and beliefs about the military, military
members, and their families (Center for Deployment Psychology). Additionally, the consultee
should engage in direct supervision with a mental health professional specializing in military
INTERVENTION AND IMPLEMENTATION
service members, veterans, and families. Supervision will be most helpful if consultee is able to
provide audio and/or videotaped samples of intakes and clinical treatment (Strom et al., 2012).
Intervention Evaluation and Termination
Evaluation of the effectiveness of the intervention will be measured using outcome and
session rating scales to fulfill pre- and post-test examinations that began with the data collection
phase (Scott, Royal, & Kissinger, 2015). In preparation for termination, the consultant will
supply surveys to the consultee and the consultee’s supervisor at the facility to gather
information and feedback regarding the effectiveness of the intervention and the strengths and
weaknesses of the full consultation process. Specific concerns to address include whether the
overall goal for consultation was achieved - increasing the consultee’s ability to build effective
therapeutic relationships; the consultant’s creation of a supportive, respectful, and motivating
environment for the consultee; the consideration of cost in the design phase of the intervention;
and consultant professionalism. The consultant will slowly reduce support to signal the
termination of services (Scott, Royal, & Kissinger, 2015).
4
INTERVENTION AND IMPLEMENTATION
5
Resources
Carrola, P., & Corbin-Burdick, M. F. (2015). Counseling military veterans: Advocating for
culturally competent and holistic interventions. Journal of Mental Health Counseling,
37(1), 1-14.
Center for Deployment Psychology. (n.d.). Self Awareness Exercise. Retrieved February 22,
2015, from http://www.deploymentpsych.org/self-awareness-exercise
Reger, M. A., Etherage, J. R., Reger, G. M., & Gahm, G. A. (2008). Civilian psychologists in an
Army culture: The ethical challenge of cultural competence. Military Psychology, 20,
21-35.
Scott, D. A., Royal, C. W., & Kissinger, D. B. (2015). Counselor as consultant. Washington DC:
SAGE Publications.
Strom, T. Q., Gavian, M. E., Possis, E., Loughlin, J., Bui, T., Linardatos, E., . . . Siegel, W.
(2012). Cultural and ethical considerations when working with military personnel and
veterans: A primer for VA training programs. Training and Education in Professional
Psychology, 6(2), 67-75.
Vargas, H. L., & Wilson, C. M. (2011). Managing worldview influences: Self awareness and
self-supervision in a cross-cultural therapeutic relationship. Journal of Family
Psychotherapy, 22(2), 97-113.