Adult Psychotherapy Homework Planner. Arthur E. Jongsma, Jr.
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by doing something active that facilitates the change process, and it reinforces their sense of control over the problem. All of these advantages have made the assignment of therapeutic homework increasingly prevalent.
HOW TO USE THIS HOMEWORK PLANNER
Creating homework assignments and developing the printed forms for recording responses is a time‐consuming process. This Adult Psychotherapy Homework Planner, Sixth Edition, follows the lead of psychotherapeutic interventions suggested in The Complete Adult Psychotherapy Treatment Planner, Sixth Edition (Jongsma, Peterson, & Bruce, 2021) and provides a menu of homework assignments that can easily be photocopied. In addition to the printed format, the assignments in this Planner are provided online and accessible via a password for download after which they can be opened in WORD and customized to suit the client's individual needs or the therapist's approach or printed without change.
The assignments are grouped under presenting problems that are typical of those found in an adult population. These presenting problems are cross‐referenced to every presenting problem found in The Complete Adult Psychotherapy Treatment Planner. Although these assignments were created with a specific presenting problem in mind, don't feel locked in by a single problem‐oriented chapter when searching for an appropriate assignment. Included with each exercise is a cross‐referenced list of suggested presenting problems for which the assignment may be appropriate and useful called Additional Problems for Which This Exercise May Be Most Useful. This cross‐referenced list can assist you in applying the assignments to other situations that may be relevant to your client's particular presenting problem.
A broader cross‐referenced list of assignments is found in Appendix A, Alternate Assignments for Presenting Problems. Review this appendix to find relevant assignments beyond the one, two, three, or four exercises found in any specific presenting problem chapter. For example, under the heading of Depression—Unipolar in the appendix you will find 27 alternative assignments originally created for other presenting problems but relevant and easily adapted for use with a client struggling with depression issues. In this appendix, with every presenting problem are listed relevant additional assignments from throughout the book.
Remember, each assignment is available online and, therefore, can be quickly downloaded and edited for use with a specific client. This modified assignment can be saved on your computer's hard drive for repeated later use.
ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENTS
Therapists may introduce the homework assignment with varying degrees of detail and client preparation. Recommendations regarding this preparation and postexercise discussion are made on the title page of each assignment under the heading “Suggestions for Processing This Exercise with the Client.”
Clinical judgment must be used to choose the homework assignments that focus on relevant issues for the client. Each assignment contains a section on “Goals of the Exercise” to guide you in your selection of relevant homework for your client.
CARRYING OUT THE ASSIGNMENT
It is recommended that you review the entire book to familiarize yourself with the broad nature of the type and focus of the various homework exercises. Select a specific assignment from a chapter titled with your client's presenting problem or from the alternative list in the appendix and then review the list of homework goals. Assigning therapy homework is just a beginning step in the therapy treatment process. Carrying out the assignment requires a follow‐up exploration of the impact of the assignment on the client's thoughts, feelings, and behavior. What are the results? Was this assignment useful to the client? Can it be redesigned or altered for better results? Examine and search for new and creative ways to actively engage your client in participating in this homework process.
SECTION 1 ANGER CONTROL PROBLEMS
Therapist's Overview ALTERNATIVES TO DESTRUCTIVE ANGER
GOALS OF THE EXERCISE
1 Increase awareness of how anger is expressed destructively.
2 Decrease the number, intensity, and duration of angry outbursts while increasing the use of new skills for managing anger.
3 Become capable of handling angry feelings in constructive ways that enhance daily functioning.
ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS FOR WHICH THIS EXERCISE MAY BE MOST USEFUL
Antisocial Behavior
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)—Adult
Borderline Personality Disorder
Family Conflict
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
SUGGESTIONS FOR PROCESSING THIS EXERCISE WITH THE CLIENT
Clients often feel they responded to a frustrating situation in the only way possible. They fail to realize that they have choices and control over their behavior. You may want to review the alternatives to rage listed in the first section of the assignment to help clients understand the alternatives they could apply when dealing with frustration or anger. Review the client's journal material and suggest additional constructive ways to respond to frustrating or hurtful situations that prompt mismanaged anger.
EXERCISE 1.A ALTERNATIVES TO DESTRUCTIVE ANGER
Destructive anger can take many forms. Anger can be expressed in rage that is out of control, either verbally or physically. We also can express anger by snapping at someone or being unkindly critical. A third form that anger may take is that of cold, icy withdrawal that punishes others by shutting them out, shunning them, or refusing to acknowledge their attempts to relate to us. All of these reactions and many more can be destructive to the relationship and to our own feelings of self‐esteem. Destructive expressions of anger often generate later feelings of guilt and shame.
This exercise is designed to briefly identify some constructive alternatives to destructive anger by giving a brief description of the positive alternative. The goal is for you to consider these alternatives as you seek to replace destructive anger with more constructive behaviors. You will be asked to keep a journal of situations in your daily life that provoked anger and then note how one or more of these constructive alternatives may have been applied to the situations.
CONSTRUCTIVE ALTERNATIVES
1 Assertiveness: Speaking forthrightly in a manner that is very respectful of the other person's needs and rights and does not attack anyone so as to make the person defensive.
2 Tune Out/Cool Down: Recognize that the situation has become volatile and nonproductive and suggest withdrawal from the situation to give each party a chance to cool down and collect their thoughts and regain personal control.
3 Relaxation: Learn and implement relaxation skills to reduce stress and tension through the use of words that cue relaxation, deep breathing that releases tension, imagining relaxing scenes, or deep muscle relaxation procedures.
4 Diversion: When anger is felt to be building, find diversionary activities that stop the buildup and focus the mind on more enjoyable experiences.
5 Physical Exercise: When anger and tension levels rise, physical exercise can be a wonderful way to release tension and expel energy as an alternative to losing control or exploding in rage.
6 Problem‐Solving Skills: Identify or clarify the problem, brainstorm possible solutions, review the pros and cons of each alternative solution, select the best alternative for implementation, evaluate the outcome as to mutual satisfaction, and finally, adjust the solution if necessary to increase mutual satisfaction.
7 Self‐Talk: