Nina Delgado (Pre-Intervention)
Personality: Guarded, skeptical, emotionally withdrawn
Presenting Problem: Mood swings, emotional numbness, and difficulty forming close relationships.
Building Emotional Safety and Language
I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. I guess things are... fine. I don’t really talk about feelings. I just keep moving.
Session Goal:
Begin building trust and introduce the concept of emotional identification within a cognitive-behavioral framework.
Milestones:
Establishing emotional vocabulary, recognizing avoidance patterns, introducing the CBT model (thoughts-feelings-behaviors link).
Tips for Therapist:
Validate Nina’s discomfort and normalize difficulty with emotional expression. Gently introduce the CBT triangle to help her distinguish between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Use simple, concrete examples from her life and consider visual tools like an emotion wheel or CBT worksheet. Emphasize safety and collaboration to reduce resistance.