Pat Salantano jr was discharged from Maryland Mental Health Institution by his mother without the consent of his father Pat Salantano Sr. Pat jr had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder which comes as a result of mental health problem characterized by unpredictable changes in the moods and behavior. His reason to be at the institution was because he hit his wife’s lover. After his released he went to stay back at home with his parents, as his wife had left him and received the court order of being away from him, he had lost his job, so he had no choice but to go back home and stay with the parents at their Philadelphia home. He wants to get back his wife Nikki, get to back his job and peak up life once more. Though Pat Jr is still on medication, he refuses to continue because of its reaction afterwards. Besides he has a therapy that he attends twice a week. He goes to visits his friends Ronnie with his wife Veronica who then introduces him to the sister Tiffany who is widowed , he falls in love with her but on realizing that she usually meets his wife Nikki, he changes his mind and gives her a letter to take to her.
The factors that contribute to Pat Jr’s character and behavior are, he lost his job , lost the wife who was given a court order to restrain from him so he does not even know his whereabouts, he went back to stay with his family after along time of marriage despite his age. His motivation that makes him behave that way is because, he wants to get his wife back, though he does not have an idea where she maybe, he wants to get back his teaching job, he wants to live his life again so he believes that he can make it on his own in life. Therefore he goes out to look for his fortune which he describes as the silver lining.
Such a person needs medication and psychodynamic therapy, as a therapist, I would wish to know about the background of this person. Firstly I will show compassionate about the situation,nad give a positive demeanor during the sessions with Pat Jr, I will not act like a therapist but I will bring him closer by making him see me as just a good friend who is concerned. I would ask a few questions about his relationship with his wife initially before they divorced the strength and weaknesses of the relationship wit the wife. I would like to know the type of life he had lived since he was young. I would also wish to know what he intends to do in life afterwards to recover his lost life and job.
Pat would need a therapy that will make him feel loved and appreciated, and not humiliating and victimizing. The cognitive behavioral therapy will be applied here, where I will try to make him forget about the negative side of his life and think about it in a positive way, I will also get a better way of making him cope with stress. I will also employ the family focused therapy where the family members are included in the treatment process to help him see a change of things in a positive way. Then lastly I will also employ the interpersonal and social rhythm to improve his association with others.
References
Haggerty, J. (2006).Psychodynamic Therapy.Psych Central. Retrieved on September 27, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/psychodynamic-therapy/000119
The Efficacy of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy,” Jonathan K. Shedler, PhD, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine; American Psychologist, Vol. 65. No.2.
