Description
A template is provided to easily follow and complete.
The purpose of this assignment is to use what you have learned about lifespan theories, models of resilience, and psychosocial development to assess how well individuals and families are functioning in relation to all three of these areas. To address realistic situations without violating personal rights to privacy, you will review the case scenario provided in the resources.
This case represents individuals in multiple life stages. Select three individuals in the case study family who are moving through different life stages and focus on details that will make your analysis applicable to your specialization.
DIRECTIONS
For this assignment, imagine you are a counselor or therapist working with three of the individuals in the case. Now, conduct the following analysis for each individual:
- Identify the life stage he or she is in, along with the psychological crisis each is experiencing.
- Identify social or environmental factors that may have influenced the individual’s behavior. Examine the connection between these factors and theories of learning.
- Apply psychosocial developmental theory to the situation presented, from the perspective of a counselor or therapist:
- Conceptualize your ideas for the developmental tasks of each of the three individuals selected, grounding your conceptualization in your own area of specialization.
- Include a discussion of each of the three individual’s lives and factors that might affect behaviors, including cultural and other influences related to the stage of development assessed. To the extent that it is relevant for each individual, include an analysis of interrelationships among work, family, and other life roles. Include an analysis of the impact of cultural influences as well. Refer to specific actions as evidence for your analysis.
- Support your ideas with specific lifespan theories discussed in this course, citing and referencing your sources.
- From a clinical perspective, assess how these three individuals function as a family unit:
- Examine their functioning in relation to a model of resilience appropriate to your specialization, and evaluate their challenges and strengths related to wellness and resilience. As each individual transitions to his or her next developmental stage, how will the transition impact the functioning of the family unit?
- Support your ideas with appropriate sources on the model of resilience you chose.
Use the Unit 8 Assignment Template (given in the resources) to prepare and submit your report. Do not include a synopsis of the case in your paper. Instead, follow the template. Focus on the three selected individuals and the realities of their functioning as a family unit and transitioning within the family unit, as described in the template. Then, provide your assessment of how well they are functioning in relation to your choice of a model of wellness and resilience, as described in the template. Your summary, at the end of the template, should provide a brief, focused review of the key insights in your assessment.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Your paper must meet the following requirements:
- Resources: Cite and reference at least three resources from the professional literature that you used as the basis of your ideas related to lifespan theory and resilience models.
- APA formatting: Format citations and references according to current APA style.
- Font and Font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
- Length of Paper: Doing a thorough job on this assignment is likely to require 7–10 typed, double-spaced pages.
Running head: DEVELOPING A CASE
Unit 8: Psychosocial Development Case Study Assessment
Your Name
COUN5004 – Survey of Research in Human Development for Professional Counselors
Instructor Name
Date
DEVELOPING A CASE
2
Psychosocial Development Case Study
Here you are going to introduce this assignment in a short paragraph of 4–5 sentences.
This paragraph is similar in content to the abstract, with the addition of identifying the three
individuals you will analyze in this paper and how these individuals are related to one another.
Remember these three individuals must be in three different life stages from school age through
middle adulthood. Remember to double-space between sentences.
Individual 1 – Identified Life Stage
For the first individual you have selected, identify the individual and his or her role in the
family unit. Identify the life stage this individual is in, and provide a discussion about the
psychological crisis the individual is experiencing. Your psychological crisis discussion should
be a minimum of 3–4 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or
other readings in this course.
In this paragraph, apply psychosocial developmental theory to this individual in the life
stage identified. Provide your ideas for the developmental tasks this individual is experiencing
during this life stage, using your own chosen counseling specialization as a foundation for this
discussion. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Next, provide a discussion of this individual’s life as depicted in this case scenario and
factors that might affect behaviors, including cultural and other influences related to the life
stage identified. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at
least one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Lastly, provide a discussion of the interrelationships that exist between work, family, and
other life roles for this individual at this life stage. Also, include a brief discussion of how
DEVELOPING A CASE
3
cultural influences impact this individual’s life role development at this point in his or her life; if
for a child in the scenario, address this discussion based upon the child’s future identity
development. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Individual 2 – Identified Life Stage
For the second individual you have selected, identify the individual and his or her role in
the family unit. Identify the life stage this individual is in, and provide a discussion about the
psychological crisis the individual is experiencing. Your psychological crisis discussion should
be a minimum of 3–4 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or
other readings in this course.
In this paragraph, apply psychosocial developmental theory to this individual in the life
stage identified. Provide your ideas for the developmental tasks this individual is experiencing
during this life stage, using your own chosen counseling specialization as a foundation for this
discussion. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Next, provide a discussion of this individual’s life as depicted in this case scenario and
factors that might affect behaviors, including cultural and other influences related to the life
stage identified. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at
least one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Lastly, provide a discussion of the interrelationships that exist between work, family, and
other life roles for this individual at this life stage. Also, include a brief discussion of how
cultural influences impact this individual’s life role development at this point in his or her life; if
for a child in the scenario, address this discussion based upon the child’s future identity
DEVELOPING A CASE
4
development. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Individual 3 – Identified Life Stage
For the third individual you have selected, identify the individual and his or her role in
the family unit. Identify the life stage this individual is in, and provide a discussion about the
psychological crisis the individual is experiencing. Your psychological crisis discussion should
be a minimum of 3–4 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or
other readings in this course.
In this paragraph, apply psychosocial developmental theory to this individual in the life
stage identified. Provide your ideas for the developmental tasks this individual is experiencing
during this life stage, using your own chosen counseling specialization as a foundation for this
discussion. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Next, provide a discussion of this individual’s life as depicted in this case scenario and
factors that might affect behaviors, including cultural and other influences related to the life
stage identified. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at
least one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Lastly, provide a discussion of the interrelationships that exist between work, family, and
other life roles for this individual at this life stage. Also, include a brief discussion of how
cultural influences impact this individual’s life role development at this point in his or her life; if
for a child in the scenario, address this discussion based upon the child’s future identity
development. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
DEVELOPING A CASE
5
Functioning As a Family Unit
From a clinical perspective, provide a discussion of how these three individuals function
as a family unit; if you discussed one individual in more than one life stage, include other family
members in this discussion. This discussion should be a minimum of 3–5 sentences and should
include at least one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Provide a discussion of how the first individual’s transition to the next developmental
stage might impact the functioning of the family unit. This discussion should be a minimum of
2–3 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or other readings in
this course.
Provide a discussion of how the second individual’s transition to the next developmental
stage might impact the functioning of the family unit. This discussion should be a minimum of
2–3 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or other readings in
this course.
Provide a discussion of how the third individual’s transition to the next developmental
stage might impact the functioning of the family unit. This discussion should be a minimum of
2–3 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or other readings in
this course.
Wellness and Resilience
In this paragraph, provide an evaluative discussion of significant challenges and areas of
strength related to wellness and resilience, both within communities and cultural groups. This
discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least one citation from
your textbook or other readings in this course.
Conclusion
DEVELOPING A CASE
Provide a concluding paragraph for this paper, summarizing key components of your
paper for the reader. Your Psychosocial Development Case Study Assessment paper should be
7–10 pages. Review the Psychosocial Development Case Study Assessment scoring guide to
ensure you have met the grading criteria for this assignment.
6
DEVELOPING A CASE
7
References
Begin your references on a separate page with the heading above (not bold). (Delete all
these instructions after you finish reading them.)
You must have a reference for each source cited in your paper. Do not list a reference
that is not cited in your paper.
Put all references that you used in your paper here, in alphabetical order. You should
have a minimum of three scholarly resources, one of which will probably be your textbook.
References should be double-spaced with hanging indentation. You must use proper APA style
to list your references. Refer to the Capella Writing Center’s APA Style and Format section for
more information. Below, please find examples of hypothetical references to a book and a
journal article.
Jones, S. A. (2015). Psychosocial textbook (4th ed.). Any Town, NY: Publisher.
Smith, T. J., & Yang, L. W. (2009). Wellness and resilience. Counseling Quarterly, 15(4), 300–
310.
f
CAPELLA UNIVERSITY
Unit 8 Case Study
Ralph South
Ralph, age 72, recently retired after 35 years as a house painter in Pensacola, Florida. He has
been married since he was 19 to his wife Lenore. His early years centered on working nonstop,
often weekends, to support his wife and three children. He enjoyed some days off or modest
weekends taking day trips. Over the years, he took two vacations with his family—one where he
worked while his family had leisure time. He largely worked alone in empty apartments, houses,
or condominiums with the exception of sometimes when a person was onsite. He liked the
solitude and being his own boss. The physicality of these did not take an immediate toll on him,
but now he has modest back pain and neuropathy in his legs.
Ralph experienced a lot of strife in his early years due to family challenges from his parents’
divorce, systemic drinking within the family system, and estrangement from his mother (due to
his father taking him away from her at age 3). He never saw his mother again. In his adulthood,
he avoided alcohol and turned to vitamin use, which he feels has helped him live longer than
many of his relatives. A kind grandmother and an aunt provided Ralph with support and
guidance (as well as regular meals and a place to experience security). His Polish grandmother
affirmed the importance of family and passed along some traditions of cooking to Ralph’s wife.
Some aspects of his workaholic nature you could say came from this hard-working heritage. He
watched his grandmother raise a garden, manage sundry family members, and work at a brass
factory.
As an adult, Ralph has had few hobbies over the years. He had an interest in photography but
pursued this casually. One outlet was the Moose Club, which was less social but more a
retirement plan (as they have aging housing). Through modest winnings of the lottery, he has
been able to take several trips to Europe.
The recent years have been stressful. Although Ralph has good relationships with two of his
three children, one is estranged. (His eldest child had a fallout with his wife Lenore three years
ago.) Without a pension, Ralph has had to take a part-time job at the local department store in
the tools section to supplement his social security income. He was also suffering the stress of a
neighbor suing him for slipping on his sidewalk in front of his home while walking his dog. In the
midst of these transitions, he survived a heart attack through the quick thinking of his wife
calling 911.
Ralph is an upbeat person and very well-liked. He meets with his nephew Danny once a week
for breakfast. He is Danny’s favorite uncle, as they both like to talk about cars. Despite early
challenges, he forged a good life with his own family and friends. When not at work now, Ralph
mediates issues at the home such gardening and fixing things around the house. He recently
noted after his 72nd birthday to his eldest child, “I’ve had a good life” and “I am quite happy with
the way things are.” There is a lot of conflict at home, and Ralph often tries to keep the peace.
He deflects a lot through humor or going on the computer to avoid this interaction with his wife.
1
f
CAPELLA UNIVERSITY
Lenore
Ralph’s wife, Lenore, is 70 years old. She often complains of being bored at home while her
husband works. Lenore took care of her aging mother for a number of years (her mother died at
98) and may have some resulting effects of caregiver burnout. She frequently talks about why
she can’t remember things when she was younger. She often talks about her father in good
terms but reflects how her mother, who worked nights, never took time to look at her French
homework in the morning. She recalls a lot of negative events, such as taking the bus by herself
to the dentist when young or having to cook in the household as a youth.
Highlights or things that she notes as positive include technician work at a laboratory testing for
health conditions, which she did after high school, and then similar work in a factory with
materials testing. She found this work stimulating and interesting. She tends to mix comments
about negative news with recollections about things in her past. She often says she would have
liked to have studied to be a teacher, but she just didn’t find the opportunity. While she worked
years ago, she is not interested in working outside the home due to some health problems,
which include anxiety and Type 2 diabetes.
She is largely focused on watching television all day and printing out photographs of her
grandchildren. She also is on her phone a lot during the day. She often talks about her
estranged child, the challenges of reaching out to him and not hearing back, and letters she has
written but not sent to him about how she feels.
In contrast with Ralph, Lenore notes that she only sees people who act poorly benefitting in life:
“it seems like those who are not nice are rewarded.”
Sonny
Sonny is the oldest child. He could not find work and moved in with his parents after building a
home with his wife and their daughter, who was 1 years old at the time. His wife is a school
teacher. Sonny finally found work as a director of human resources. He had some weight
challenges and decided on surgery to help him lose weight. Losing over 100 pounds has helped
his physical development. He is more active with his two children and feels better now. He
doesn’t like to reflect on his life situation much. He enjoys eating out with his wife and kids.
During holidays, Sonny tends to lash out and share opinions that affect others negatively. After
the last fallout where he insulted his sister Ruby, he left his parents’ home and has not talked to
his parents or Ruby since. His wife maintains a card-and-flower relationship with Sonny’s
parents, Ralph and Lenore, but Sonny does not have any communication with them. At almost
40, he is an active member of the community. He engages with his old college football team
players and connects with his high school teammates as well. He is often at his daughter’s or
son’s tennis and baseball games yelling inappropriate things. He mediates his life as if his
siblings and parents do not exist.
Ruby
Ruby is the middle child at age 37. Ruby tends to be quiet and mild in nature. She works in
public relations at the local hospital. She speaks Spanish fluently and uses it quite a bit in her
work. She is reserved and lives alone. She has three dogs and a cat that she calls her family. In
her early 20s, she was engaged to marry, but the wedding was called off by her prospective
partner. She dates from time to time and enjoys her long-term relationship of three years with a
divorced man who has three grown children. She doesn’t have a relationship with his children.
2
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CAPELLA UNIVERSITY
She would like to travel more in the next years as she feels she is getting older and wants to do
this while she is healthy. She tends to stay by herself, goes out to dinner with her significant
other once a week, and only checks in with her parents periodically—she feels that they didn’t
protect her from years of Sonny’s insults at holidays. Although she connects with her parents,
she likes a solitary life and tends not to overshare with others. She would have liked to have had
children but did not. This is one area of regret in her life. She does tend to reach out to her niece
and nephews and has developed good relationships with them.
Minta
Minta is 35, the youngest of Ralph’s children. She is recently divorced and has one child. She
lives in an apartment two hours from Ralph and Lenore. She is finishing her doctoral degree.
Minta is at a personal crossroads, trying to find stability for her child, while mediating work and a
school program. She wonders if this stress is worth it, but she is in a traditional program and has
little mobility to move closer to further support. She relies on the help of her ex’s family and a
network of friends. She is not sure she is interested in another relationship or marriage. She
realizes that she has some work to do on herself. She is not so bothered about Sonny’s actions;
she self-advocates around her brother’s abusive language and actions. When not at work and
school, she tends to her child’s activities and likes to go outdoors together. She is active in
many professional organizations and enjoys going to lunch with friends often in the city.
Danny
Danny, age 57, is Ralph’s nephew. He is divorced and owns a tool-making company. He travels
overseas a lot. Danny has a close relationship with his younger sister. His sister studied in the
Philippines and influenced Danny to be open to working abroad. Danny owns two homes and
stops by his mother’s home frequently to help her out with anything she needs in her older
years. He is an active member of the community and attends several social service
organizations.
Danny has an autistic son in his 20s who has started a company in Japan. Danny has a good
relationship with his former wife, Renee, and they continue to co-parent their son even though
he is a young adult. They both worry about their son’s decision making as he recently married
someone he just met.
Danny feels good about where he is in his career and how he has raised his son (despite some
developmental challenges). On some days, he misses his father who died years ago, but he
takes stock in still having his mother and sister. He hopes to pass his company on to a worker
who has been with him there for years (as his son is not interested). He would like to see his
life’s work carried on. Overall, he feels good even though he has slowed down a bit with
challenges from gout. However, he has tried some lifestyle changes as advised by his doctor.
3
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attachment
Unit 8: Psychosocial Development Case Study Assessment
Your Name
COUN5004 – Survey of Research in Human Development for Professional Counselors
Instructor Name
Date
DEVELOPING A CASE
2
Psychosocial Development Case Study
Here you are going to introduce this assignment in a short paragraph of 4–5 sentences.
This paragraph is similar in content to the abstract, with the addition of identifying the three
individuals you will analyze in this paper and how these individuals are related to one another.
Remember these three individuals must be in three different life stages from school age through
middle adulthood. Remember to double-space between sentences.
Individual 1 – Identified Life Stage
For the first individual you have selected, identify the individual and his or her role in the
family unit. Identify the life stage this individual is in, and provide a discussion about the
psychological crisis the individual is experiencing. Your psychological crisis discussion should
be a minimum of 3–4 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or
other readings in this course.
In this paragraph, apply psychosocial developmental theory to this individual in the life
stage identified. Provide your ideas for the developmental tasks this individual is experiencing
during this life stage, using your own chosen counseling specialization as a foundation for this
discussion. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Next, provide a discussion of this individual’s life as depicted in this case scenario and
factors that might affect behaviors, including cultural and other influences related to the life
stage identified. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at
least one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Lastly, provide a discussion of the interrelationships that exist between work, family, and
other life roles for this individual at this life stage. Also, include a brief discussion of how
DEVELOPING A CASE
3
cultural influences impact this individual’s life role development at this point in his or her life; if
for a child in the scenario, address this discussion based upon the child’s future identity
development. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Individual 2 – Identified Life Stage
For the second individual you have selected, identify the individual and his or her role in
the family unit. Identify the life stage this individual is in, and provide a discussion about the
psychological crisis the individual is experiencing. Your psychological crisis discussion should
be a minimum of 3–4 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or
other readings in this course.
In this paragraph, apply psychosocial developmental theory to this individual in the life
stage identified. Provide your ideas for the developmental tasks this individual is experiencing
during this life stage, using your own chosen counseling specialization as a foundation for this
discussion. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Next, provide a discussion of this individual’s life as depicted in this case scenario and
factors that might affect behaviors, including cultural and other influences related to the life
stage identified. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at
least one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Lastly, provide a discussion of the interrelationships that exist between work, family, and
other life roles for this individual at this life stage. Also, include a brief discussion of how
cultural influences impact this individual’s life role development at this point in his or her life; if
for a child in the scenario, address this discussion based upon the child’s future identity
DEVELOPING A CASE
4
development. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Individual 3 – Identified Life Stage
For the third individual you have selected, identify the individual and his or her role in
the family unit. Identify the life stage this individual is in, and provide a discussion about the
psychological crisis the individual is experiencing. Your psychological crisis discussion should
be a minimum of 3–4 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or
other readings in this course.
In this paragraph, apply psychosocial developmental theory to this individual in the life
stage identified. Provide your ideas for the developmental tasks this individual is experiencing
during this life stage, using your own chosen counseling specialization as a foundation for this
discussion. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Next, provide a discussion of this individual’s life as depicted in this case scenario and
factors that might affect behaviors, including cultural and other influences related to the life
stage identified. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at
least one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Lastly, provide a discussion of the interrelationships that exist between work, family, and
other life roles for this individual at this life stage. Also, include a brief discussion of how
cultural influences impact this individual’s life role development at this point in his or her life; if
for a child in the scenario, address this discussion based upon the child’s future identity
development. This discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least
one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
DEVELOPING A CASE
5
Functioning As a Family Unit
From a clinical perspective, provide a discussion of how these three individuals function
as a family unit; if you discussed one individual in more than one life stage, include other family
members in this discussion. This discussion should be a minimum of 3–5 sentences and should
include at least one citation from your textbook or other readings in this course.
Provide a discussion of how the first individual’s transition to the next developmental
stage might impact the functioning of the family unit. This discussion should be a minimum of
2–3 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or other readings in
this course.
Provide a discussion of how the second individual’s transition to the next developmental
stage might impact the functioning of the family unit. This discussion should be a minimum of
2–3 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or other readings in
this course.
Provide a discussion of how the third individual’s transition to the next developmental
stage might impact the functioning of the family unit. This discussion should be a minimum of
2–3 sentences and should include at least one citation from your textbook or other readings in
this course.
Wellness and Resilience
In this paragraph, provide an evaluative discussion of significant challenges and areas of
strength related to wellness and resilience, both within communities and cultural groups. This
discussion should be a minimum of 4–6 sentences and should include at least one citation from
your textbook or other readings in this course.
Conclusion
DEVELOPING A CASE
Provide a concluding paragraph for this paper, summarizing key components of your
paper for the reader. Your Psychosocial Development Case Study Assessment paper should be
7–10 pages. Review the Psychosocial Development Case Study Assessment scoring guide to
ensure you have met the grading criteria for this assignment.
6
DEVELOPING A CASE
7
References
Begin your references on a separate page with the heading above (not bold). (Delete all
these instructions after you finish reading them.)
You must have a reference for each source cited in your paper. Do not list a reference
that is not cited in your paper.
Put all references that you used in your paper here, in alphabetical order. You should
have a minimum of three scholarly resources, one of which will probably be your textbook.
References should be double-spaced with hanging indentation. You must use proper APA style
to list your references. Refer to the Capella Writing Center’s APA Style and Format section for
more information. Below, please find examples of hypothetical references to a book and a
journal article.
Jones, S. A. (2015). Psychosocial textbook (4th ed.). Any Town, NY: Publisher.
Smith, T. J., & Yang, L. W. (2009). Wellness and resilience. Counseling Quarterly, 15(4), 300–
310.
f
CAPELLA UNIVERSITY
Unit 8 Case Study
Ralph South
Ralph, age 72, recently retired after 35 years as a house painter in Pensacola, Florida. He has
been married since he was 19 to his wife Lenore. His early years centered on working nonstop,
often weekends, to support his wife and three children. He enjoyed some days off or modest
weekends taking day trips. Over the years, he took two vacations with his family—one where he
worked while his family had leisure time. He largely worked alone in empty apartments, houses,
or condominiums with the exception of sometimes when a person was onsite. He liked the
solitude and being his own boss. The physicality of these did not take an immediate toll on him,
but now he has modest back pain and neuropathy in his legs.
Ralph experienced a lot of strife in his early years due to family challenges from his parents’
divorce, systemic drinking within the family system, and estrangement from his mother (due to
his father taking him away from her at age 3). He never saw his mother again. In his adulthood,
he avoided alcohol and turned to vitamin use, which he feels has helped him live longer than
many of his relatives. A kind grandmother and an aunt provided Ralph with support and
guidance (as well as regular meals and a place to experience security). His Polish grandmother
affirmed the importance of family and passed along some traditions of cooking to Ralph’s wife.
Some aspects of his workaholic nature you could say came from this hard-working heritage. He
watched his grandmother raise a garden, manage sundry family members, and work at a brass
factory.
As an adult, Ralph has had few hobbies over the years. He had an interest in photography but
pursued this casually. One outlet was the Moose Club, which was less social but more a
retirement plan (as they have aging housing). Through modest winnings of the lottery, he has
been able to take several trips to Europe.
The recent years have been stressful. Although Ralph has good relationships with two of his
three children, one is estranged. (His eldest child had a fallout with his wife Lenore three years
ago.) Without a pension, Ralph has had to take a part-time job at the local department store in
the tools section to supplement his social security income. He was also suffering the stress of a
neighbor suing him for slipping on his sidewalk in front of his home while walking his dog. In the
midst of these transitions, he survived a heart attack through the quick thinking of his wife
calling 911.
Ralph is an upbeat person and very well-liked. He meets with his nephew Danny once a week
for breakfast. He is Danny’s favorite uncle, as they both like to talk about cars. Despite early
challenges, he forged a good life with his own family and friends. When not at work now, Ralph
mediates issues at the home such gardening and fixing things around the house. He recently
noted after his 72nd birthday to his eldest child, “I’ve had a good life” and “I am quite happy with
the way things are.” There is a lot of conflict at home, and Ralph often tries to keep the peace.
He deflects a lot through humor or going on the computer to avoid this interaction with his wife.
1
f
CAPELLA UNIVERSITY
Lenore
Ralph’s wife, Lenore, is 70 years old. She often complains of being bored at home while her
husband works. Lenore took care of her aging mother for a number of years (her mother died at
98) and may have some resulting effects of caregiver burnout. She frequently talks about why
she can’t remember things when she was younger. She often talks about her father in good
terms but reflects how her mother, who worked nights, never took time to look at her French
homework in the morning. She recalls a lot of negative events, such as taking the bus by herself
to the dentist when young or having to cook in the household as a youth.
Highlights or things that she notes as positive include technician work at a laboratory testing for
health conditions, which she did after high school, and then similar work in a factory with
materials testing. She found this work stimulating and interesting. She tends to mix comments
about negative news with recollections about things in her past. She often says she would have
liked to have studied to be a teacher, but she just didn’t find the opportunity. While she worked
years ago, she is not interested in working outside the home due to some health problems,
which include anxiety and Type 2 diabetes.
She is largely focused on watching television all day and printing out photographs of her
grandchildren. She also is on her phone a lot during the day. She often talks about her
estranged child, the challenges of reaching out to him and not hearing back, and letters she has
written but not sent to him about how she feels.
In contrast with Ralph, Lenore notes that she only sees people who act poorly benefitting in life:
“it seems like those who are not nice are rewarded.”
Sonny
Sonny is the oldest child. He could not find work and moved in with his parents after building a
home with his wife and their daughter, who was 1 years old at the time. His wife is a school
teacher. Sonny finally found work as a director of human resources. He had some weight
challenges and decided on surgery to help him lose weight. Losing over 100 pounds has helped
his physical development. He is more active with his two children and feels better now. He
doesn’t like to reflect on his life situation much. He enjoys eating out with his wife and kids.
During holidays, Sonny tends to lash out and share opinions that affect others negatively. After
the last fallout where he insulted his sister Ruby, he left his parents’ home and has not talked to
his parents or Ruby since. His wife maintains a card-and-flower relationship with Sonny’s
parents, Ralph and Lenore, but Sonny does not have any communication with them. At almost
40, he is an active member of the community. He engages with his old college football team
players and connects with his high school teammates as well. He is often at his daughter’s or
son’s tennis and baseball games yelling inappropriate things. He mediates his life as if his
siblings and parents do not exist.
Ruby
Ruby is the middle child at age 37. Ruby tends to be quiet and mild in nature. She works in
public relations at the local hospital. She speaks Spanish fluently and uses it quite a bit in her
work. She is reserved and lives alone. She has three dogs and a cat that she calls her family. In
her early 20s, she was engaged to marry, but the wedding was called off by her prospective
partner. She dates from time to time and enjoys her long-term relationship of three years with a
divorced man who has three grown children. She doesn’t have a relationship with his children.
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CAPELLA UNIVERSITY
She would like to travel more in the next years as she feels she is getting older and wants to do
this while she is healthy. She tends to stay by herself, goes out to dinner with her significant
other once a week, and only checks in with her parents periodically—she feels that they didn’t
protect her from years of Sonny’s insults at holidays. Although she connects with her parents,
she likes a solitary life and tends not to overshare with others. She would have liked to have had
children but did not. This is one area of regret in her life. She does tend to reach out to her niece
and nephews and has developed good relationships with them.
Minta
Minta is 35, the youngest of Ralph’s children. She is recently divorced and has one child. She
lives in an apartment two hours from Ralph and Lenore. She is finishing her doctoral degree.
Minta is at a personal crossroads, trying to find stability for her child, while mediating work and a
school program. She wonders if this stress is worth it, but she is in a traditional program and has
little mobility to move closer to further support. She relies on the help of her ex’s family and a
network of friends. She is not sure she is interested in another relationship or marriage. She
realizes that she has some work to do on herself. She is not so bothered about Sonny’s actions;
she self-advocates around her brother’s abusive language and actions. When not at work and
school, she tends to her child’s activities and likes to go outdoors together. She is active in
many professional organizations and enjoys going to lunch with friends often in the city.
Danny
Danny, age 57, is Ralph’s nephew. He is divorced and owns a tool-making company. He travels
overseas a lot. Danny has a close relationship with his younger sister. His sister studied in the
Philippines and influenced Danny to be open to working abroad. Danny owns two homes and
stops by his mother’s home frequently to help her out with anything she needs in her older
years. He is an active member of the community and attends several social service
organizations.
Danny has an autistic son in his 20s who has started a company in Japan. Danny has a good
relationship with his former wife, Renee, and they continue to co-parent their son even though
he is a young adult. They both worry about their son’s decision making as he recently married
someone he just met.
Danny feels good about where he is in his career and how he has raised his son (despite some
developmental challenges). On some days, he misses his father who died years ago, but he
takes stock in still having his mother and sister. He hopes to pass his company on to a worker
who has been with him there for years (as his son is not interested). He would like to see his
life’s work carried on. Overall, he feels good even though he has slowed down a bit with
challenges from gout. However, he has tried some lifestyle changes as advised by his doctor.
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