Download Task: You are the director of a large health center that provides

Institution: Catholic College of Mandeville
Programme: Bachelors in Education (Primary)
Course: Abnormal Psychology
Task: You are the director of a large health center that provides services for all types of disorders.
With limited resources critically assess three (3) services you would give highest priority
Student’s Name: Tavane Brooks-Barrett
Lecturer’s Name: Carline Campbell
Date Submitted: November 30, 2015
Professor Fred Hickling of the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, in an interview on Television
Jamaica done September 2013, has revealed that almost one-half of the population suffer from varying degrees
of personality disorders. Due to this information it is evident that there is a need for a large health center
designed to provide services for all types of disorders. These services may range from psychoeducation,
physiotherapy, medical care, gym care and counselling which includes cognitive behavioural therapy,
psychiatric rehabilitation and occupational therapy.
This paper examines three (3) services that I will give highest priority as the director of a large health
center providing services for all types of disorders. The services being offered at the health center includes
psychoeducation, counselling and medical care.
Howells & Livia (1984) asserts that, “Many disorders cannot be cured, however using a variety of
treatments they can be managed to help try and reduce the impact the disorder has on the individual’s day-today life. Alternative therapies are often used, as well as traditional medicine” (p. 167).
Ledly& Marx (2005) affirm that, “Counselling can provide support to people with disorders, as well as
their partners, family and careers” (p.87). All these factors will be taken into consideration at the health center
in Clarendon. Counselling will be a service which will be offered at the health center. This will help clients to
develop the emotional, social and intellectual skills needed to live, learn and work in communities throughout
Jamaica with the least amount of professional support.
Through counselling, psychiatric rehabilitation will be practiced. The overall philosophy of psychiatric
rehabilitation, which is a form of counselling, comprises of two intervention strategies. This will be a service
that will be offered at the health center. The first strategy which will be implemented is individual-centered
approach. This aims at developing the patient’s skills in interacting with a stressful environment. The second
strategy will be ecological and directed towards developing environmental resources to reduce potential
stressors. Carr (2001) cements that, “Most abnormalities need a combination of both approaches” (p. 128).
The health center will also offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This is also a form of
counselling. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), is a talking therapy that can help the patients manage their
problems by changing the way they think and behave (Bachrach, 2000). It is most commonly used to treat
anxiety, depression, panic attacks, phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress
disorder and some eating disorders, especially bulimia, but can be useful for other mental and physical health
problems. This therapy recognizes that events in the patient’s past may have shaped the patient, but it
concentrates mostly on how the patient can change the way he thinks, feels and behaves in the present. It
teaches the participant how to overcome negative thoughts, for example being able to challenge hopeless
feelings. The premise behind Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is that our thoughts and behaviours have an effect
on each other, and by changing the way we think and behave - we can ultimately change the way we feel about
life. The therapy examines learnt behaviours and negative thought patterns with the view of altering them in a
positive way.
Medication care plays a key role in the treatment of co-occurring disorders. This will be another service
that will be offered at the health center. Prescribed medications reduce symptoms and prevent relapses of a
psychiatric disorder. Medications can be herbal or pharmaceutical. The health center will focus on both kinds of
medicines to cater for patients’ needs and preferences.
Prescription medications have been developed and tested for all of the Axis I psychiatric disorders on
the DSM IV/ V. Effective medication options exist for the treatment of most of the major disorders, including
mood disorders such as major depression and bipolar disorder; anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress
disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder; and schizophrenia among other
psychotic disorders.
Taking medication is substance abuse (Wilson & Smith, 1939). However, Bennett (2006) postulates
that, “Medication that manages one’s mood is very different from a drug that alters one’s mood” (p. 156).
Choosing the right medication, medication dose, and treatment plan should be based on a person’s individual
needs and medical situation. This will help to alleviate substance abuse (Carr, 2001).
Psychiatric medications treat the symptoms of mental disorders. Sometimes called psychotropic or
psychotherapeutic medications, they have changed the lives of people with mental disorders for the better. Beck
(2011) proposes that, “Many people with mental disorders live fulfilling lives with the help of these
medications. Without them, people with mental disorders might suffer serious and disabling symptoms” (p.
267).
Another service that will be offered at the health center is psychoeducation. Carr (2001) referring to
psychoeducation as, “Psychoeducation refers to the education offered to individuals with a mental health
condition and their families to help empower them and deal with their condition in an optimal way” (p.
244). Frequently, psychoeducational training involves individuals with schizophrenia, clinical
depression, anxiety disorders, psychotic illnesses, eating disorders, and personality disorders, as well as patient
training courses in the context of the treatment of physical illnesses. Psychoeducation is among the most
effective of the evidence-based practices that have emerged in both clinical trials and community settings
(Ledley & Marx, 2005). Due to the flexibility of the model, which incorporates both illness-specific information
and tools for managing related circumstances, psychoeducation has broad potential for many forms of illnesses
and varied life challenges.
Psychoeducational approach gives a clear understanding of the patients’ condition and self-knowledge
about their individual strengths, family resources, and coping skills. Clients are more relaxed and better
equipped to deal with their problem(s), which contribute to their emotional wellbeing (Bachrach, 2000). The
core message is simply that education has a role in emotional and behavioural change. With an improved
understanding of the causes and effects of the problem, psychoeducation can broaden a client’s perception and
interpretation of the problem; the additional insight positively influences the person’s emotions and behaviour.
More positive emotions and behaviour, in turn, lead to an enhanced sense of self-efficacy. More solid selfefficacy leads to better self-control: important for many with serious illness is either physical or psychological
levels, as clients often feel helpless and out of control.
The three services mentioned above will be practiced to improve individuals who have been diagnosed
with one or more abnormal behaviour(s). The services aim to control the disorders, giving clients a feeling of
normality and helping each to be deemed as a positive contributor to his/her community and Jamaica at large.
They seek to uplift, redirect and improve the clients psychologically, emotionally and mentally.
References
Bachrach, L. L. (2000). Psychosocial rehabilitation and psychiatry in the treatment of schizophrenia - what are
the boundaries? N.p.: Oxford University Press.
Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and Beyond (2nd ed.). N.p.: New York: Guilford.
Bennett, P. (2006). Abnormal and clinical psychology: An Introductory Textbook (2nd ed.). N.p.: Open
University Press.
Carr, A. (2001). Abnormal psychology. N.p.: Psychology Press.
Howells, J. G., & Livia, M. (1984). A Reference companion to the history of abnormal psychology (Vol. 1).
N.p.: Osborn Greenwood Press.
Ledley, D. R., & Marx, B. P. (2005). Making cognitive-behavioral therapy work: Clinical Process for New
Practitioners. N.p.: Glendale Press.
Wilson, B., & Smith, B. (1939). The big book of alcoholics anonymous. N.p.: Alcoholics Anonymous World
Services, Inc.