Therapeutic Session Plan for Bipolar Disorder - Term Paper Example

Therapeutic Session Plan for Bipolar Disorder Name Institution Therapeutic Session Plan for Bipolar Disorder Executive Summary At any moment, when diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it is significant that the patient learns about the complex problems associated with the disease and potential effects on their families. Psychoeducation is a form of therapy that might assist in understanding the bipolar illness and developing the strategies of coping with the skills required to prevent the harmful mood swings. However, the benefits associated with the therapy are clear. Such benefits include learning to understand the signs and symptoms of the bipolar disorder, and ability to recognize the early signs of the impeding moods (Bauer & McBride, 2003). Bipolar treatments enhance the overall knowledge of the patient regarding the disease and treatment, improved willingness to stay on medication, and prevention of relapses when given to the patients in remission. The major thematic areas of bipolar treatments sessions include recognition of the bipolar chronic condition, identification, and avoidance of personal triggers, educational medication, training on early warning signs and best management methods, and teaching on the best stress management techniques. Besides, there are several stigma associated with bipolar disorder (Yatham & Maj, 2010). There are four major approaches to psychoeducation therapy sessions. The approaches include group therapy I which several people with bipolar therapy receive the treatment together and individual therapy involves a one on one session with the patient. Under individual psychoeducation, the approach is usually done as part of the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) (Bauer & McBride, 2003). The multiple family groups approach involves several patients and their families going through the session together. The individual patient and family approach is a method brings together the patient and family to receive a bipolar therapy. Psychoeducation is a professional method of delivering treatment modalities through integration of the psychotherapeutic and educational methods. Most of the psychosocial methods use traditional medical models designed for treatment. However, psychoeducation reflects the paradigm shift from traditional treatment processes to a more holistic and competent based method that stresses on health, collaboration, coping, and empowerment. During treatment, the patient and family members are partners with the treatment provider. To prepare the patient for the process, the psychoeducational approach helps to remove all the barriers, comprehend and digest complex information. Nonetheless, the method assumes that when people put in place measures of confronting the life challenging issues, their functioning, and focus might be naturally interrupted (Bauer & McBride, 2003). Moreover, the psychoeducational approach embraces several theories and models such as ecological systems theory, learning theory, cognitive behavior theory, and group practice models. Under such umbrella, it is possible to adapt psychoeducation for individuals, groups, and multiple family groups (Colom & Vieta, 2006). The theories and models assist to reduce isolation and serve as the platform of recognizing and normalizing experience and response patterns. The cognitive behavioral techniques like problem solving and role-play improve the presentation of the didactic materials through allowing people to rehearse their skills. The early psychoeducation integrated several therapeutic elements and delivering them within a large family of therapeutic interventions. Initially, the patients and their families had the opportunity of receiving preliminary briefing on the condition of their illness (Bauer & McBride, 2003). Such activities were necessary to give them hope and develop important understanding of their illness and to improve their long-term willingness to commitment and involvement in psychoeducation therapy. Psychoeducation Session Plan Goal To assist the patients identify the early warning signs associated with the bipolar disorders through psychoeducation approach Outcome By the end of the psyeducation therapy treatment, the patients be aware of the strategies of identifying and managing the bipolar disorders Topics Management Techniques Early warning signs detection and intervention Medication adherence Activity planning Target Group Patients suffering from bipolar disorder, able to answer questions accurately, ready to learn new things, commitment to psychoeducation treatment, and hospital for executing the treatment, available for approximately an hour and concentrate throughout the process Treatment Methods Individual and group work, an hour per session (3 hours availability for 3 consecutive days during the treatment is crucial), booklets, videos, audiotapes, and computers, and formats, and CDs for self-direction, comfortable chairs, 3 nurses, questionnaires, and pens Assessment Liaising closely with the mental health practitioner well trained in psychiatric assessment and treatment methods to reduce the prevalence of established cases of bipolar disorders would assist to understand better the importance and shortcoming associated with application of psychoeducation approach. Evaluation Reassessing the improvement of the patients’ conditions after completion of the discussions and examination of the treatment procedures would help determine the areas that require adjustment or whether the method was effective or not Psychoeducation Session Plan, Day 1: early warning signs detection and intervention Date February 17, 2016 Participants Paul, John, David, Brian, Denis, Janet, and Clinton Location Hospital activity room Introduction of the topic Reducing the impacts of bipolar disorder through identification of early warning signs detection and apply intervention measures Learning Outcomes By the end of the session, the participants should be able to explain the importance of managing bipolar disorders through focusing on early warning signs and adequately follow the intervention measures Teaching Strategies Encouraging group discussions as the method would assist create a good rapport among the participants Watching video clips for previous cases psyeducational cases studies especially on the early warning systems and intervention measures Cognitive methods which involves reflecting on the past management measures Educational Resources Hospital activity room Video discs Nurses and questionnaire An hour per session Assessment Criteria Upon completion of the process, it is significant to determine if the participants are in a position to answer some relevant questions about importance of focusing on early signs of bipolar disorder and effectively applying effective measures. Was the video session important in identifying the early warning signs? From the session, did the participants create a rapport among them and health practitioners for effective participation? Were the group discussions effective for identifying the early warning signs of the bipolar disorder? What are the common early signs associated with management of bipolar disorder? What intervention measure should be put in place to improve the management of early signs associated with the disorder? Were the healthcare practitioners corporative in executing their mandates in ensuring effective treatment methods? Did the participants really understand the psychoeducation method of treating the bipolar disorder? Psychoeducation Session Plan, Day 2: Medication adherence Date February 18, 2016 Participants Paul, John, David, Brian, Denis, Janet, and Clinton Location Hospital activity room Introduction topic To treat bipolar disorder using medication adherence method as a means of ensuring effective psychoeducation Learning outcome By the end of the session, the participants should be in a position to outline the benefits associated with adherence to medication as a means of treating bipolar disorders Teaching strategies Small group discussions on psychoeducation, asking the patients of their past treatment methods, watching video and reading from the books to establish the testimonials from those using medical intervention method Education resources An hour for the session Hospital activity room Video clip Questionnaire and pen Nurses Assessment Criteria To establish the level of understanding of understanding among the participants, it is important to ask a series of questions relating to medical adherence in a bid to treat the bipolar disorder through pyschoeducation. Moreover, recovery depends on the commitment of the patients to ensuring compliance with medication rules. What treatment method does the patients consider effective? Early warning and intervention or medication adherence Was the session helpful with reference to commitment and compliance with medication procedures? Did the nurses clearly explain the significance of medication in psychoedaction treatment? What treatment avenues are worth consideration while developing an effective and efficient treatment processes? What are the current medication procedures used by the patients to ensure adequate adherence? From the video, what method or strategy can be used to ensure effective commitment by the patients to medication treatment? What challenges do the patients face while trying to adhere to the requirements of medication? Psychoeducation Session Plan, Day 3: Activity planning Date February 19, 2016 Participants Paul, John, David, Brian, Denis, Janet, and Clinton Location Hospital activity room Introduction Topic To ensure an effective activity planning by the patients suffering from bipolar disorder with an aim of fostering psychoeducation among them Learning outcome By the end of the session, the participants should adequately learn on how to plan and execute their activities without procrastination is a bid to improving the quality of care treatment for bipolar disorder patients Learning strategies Group discussion, answering a series of questionnaires individually on the methods used in determining the effectiveness of the planning process, understanding the various types of plans and how to incorporate them into the treatment procedures Education resources Considerable amount of time to answer questions and learn about various planning methods (about 30 minutes), nurses, videos, pens, and hospital activity room Assessment criteria Planning activities is an integral part in ensuring effective and efficient treatment method. Therefore, the assessment of some of the plans used by the patients might assist come up with an effective method of planning the activities of the patients. As result, the patients might have to answer a series of questions to establish the effectiveness of their plans. Are the participants having activity plans for their treatment process? What is the nature of the activity plan currently used by the participants? Are the plans effective in ensuring effective psychoeducation process while treating a bipolar disorder? Do the participants understand the importance of having planned activities for efficient treatment process? What adjustment can be made of the current plans to ensure compliance with the required treatment procedures? Do the participants fully follow the procedures and steps in their own activity plans? What is the effectiveness of the planning activities as a means of ensuring better treatment process? Reference Bauer, M., & McBride, L. (2003). Structured Group Psychotherapy for Bipolar Disorder: The Life Goals Program. New York: Springer Pub. Colom, F., & Vieta, E. (2006). Psychoeducation manual for bipolar disorder. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Yatham, L. N., & Maj, M. (2010). Bipolar disorder: Clinical and neurobiological foundations. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. Read More