Vargas Family Case Study: Sixth Session

Read “Topic 6: Vargas Family Case Study.” Develop three experiential interventions that you would use with the Vargas family.

It’s time to get creative! You have noticed that the Vargas family struggles with emotional expression, particularly with congruent emotional expression (i.e., words, actions, and body language being congruent). Using the Experiential Interventions Template, create three unique experiential interventions that you would use with the family and describe how they would be helpful to the family. It may be helpful to refer to the library articles for ideas and inspiration, but do not copy existing interventions. Be sure to fully address each section in the template for each of the three interventions in your paper:

1. Title of your Intervention
2. General Goals
3. Materials Needed
4. Advance Preparation Needed
5. Description of the Intervention with the Vargas family
6. Discussion of the Benefits of the Intervention to the Vargas Family
7. References (if any)

The Vargas family arrives five minutes late for their 6th session. Elizabeth apologizes for their tardiness and complains that they had come from an event hosted by her former employer and were having an argument in the parking lot. You notice the children appear somewhat disheveled with red cheeks and grass-stained clothing. They excitedly share stories of coming from a “big picnic” where they “played lots of games and made new friends.” Frank tells you that he was playing Kick Ball and that his team was winning. Smiling and tousling Frank’s hair, Bob adds that he and Frank were “an unstoppable force” who dominated each event at the picnic. Bob and Frank were in the middle of a celebratory high-five when Heidi tells her dad that she wishes he would have been on her soccer team. While still engaged in the celebration with Frank, Bob replies, “Me too; maybe next time.”

Elizabeth states she was “pleasantly surprised” that Bob was enjoying himself, given his strong personal opinion of many of her friends, who are gay. Bob insists that the picnic was “just okay,” and that he “was just trying to be nice.” He tells you he doesn’t have “anything against gays,” but that “they just make me uncomfortable.” Heidi reminds him that he agreed to have her new friend, Dani “and her two daddies,” over for a barbeque. You comment that the family’s mood has changed from how they arrived. Frank explains that his mother got angry at him and admits to running away and hiding from his mother when she said it was time to leave the picnic. Elizabeth immediately denies being mad at him. You ask Frank what made him think his mother was mad, and he replied, “Her eyes were squinty and she had a mean voice.” When asked if his dad was also angry, Frank replies, “He saw me in my hiding place; he was smiling. Then in the car, he yelled at me to ‘listen to your mother.’”

Elizabeth shot Bob an angry look when Heidi shares that she was having fun playing soccer and that she didn’t want to leave either. She adds, “I always listen because I don’t want Mommy to be sad.” She proceeds to blame her brother for “making Mommy and Daddy fight” to which Frank makes a counter-accusation, blaming Heidi for the parental discord. Elizabeth and Bob exchange angry looks, then Bob assures Heidi that, “It wasn’t all your fault.”