Case Study
Sarah is a 32-year-old woman who is planning her wedding to her fiancé, Michael, who is 34 years old. Their wedding is scheduled for three months from now.
While Sarah is excited about getting married, she has been experiencing significant stress and anxiety related to wedding planning. She reports difficulty sleeping because she worries about whether everything will be completed in time. She often lies awake thinking about decorations, schedules, guest details, and unfinished tasks.
Sarah works full-time and finds it challenging to balance her job responsibilities with wedding planning. She feels overwhelmed by the number of tasks that still need to be completed.
Sarah describes her relationship with Michael as loving and supportive. She also has a close relationship with her parents, who are willing to help and provide encouragement. However, she has recently experienced conflict with several friends who are members of her wedding party. These friends have strong opinions about decorations, music, and other wedding decisions. Sarah feels pressured by their input and struggles to communicate her own preferences without worrying about hurting their feelings.
Question
Imagine that Sarah has come to you for support.
Using the information provided, answer the following:
Based on the information given, what do you believe is Sarah’s primary presenting problem? What information from the case would you include in a brief BPSS assessment? Identify at least three strengths Sarah possesses. Identify at least three barriers that may be contributing to her current challenges. Create one SMART goal that could help Sarah address her presenting problem. (Remember: a SMART goal should be written as a single sentence.) Explain how the strengths you identified could help Sarah work toward achieving her goal. If you were meeting with Sarah next week, what would be the first thing you would want to explore or discuss further with her?