A process recording is a written tool field education experience students, field instructors, and faculty use to examine the dynamics of social work interactions in time. Process recordings

Dialogue

Identify skills, techniques and theories

Analysis/assessment of dialogue

Personal reactions and self-reflections to the interaction

Therapist: Hey do you know Mrs. Green

Client: Yes

I have seen this youth and recognized that he is fairly new. I’m not sure if he would let me sit in on his session.

Therapist: Do you mind if she joins us in our session today?

Client: No. I don’t mind

Therapist: Great let’s go to the control room and talk

Therapist: How are you feeling today?

Client: (Smirks) I’m straight.

Therapist: Are you still thinking of harming yourself?

Client: Yes

Therapist: Why are you wanting to harm yourself?

Client: My dad doesn’t love me anymore.

His mouth is shaking. I hope he doesn’t cry because my eyes are getting watery just watching him.

Intern: The word “love” is an action word. Has your dad done anything to show you that he doesn’t love you?

Client: No. I guess not.

Engagement Skills

Providing Information

Intern: I believe he still loves you based on your response.

Therapist: Tell me two positive things about yourself.

Engagement Skills

Strengths perspective

Interpretation

Client: I am loyal and support my family

Therapist: That’s good that you support your family.

Therapist: Have you been thinking of harming yourself today?

Client: No. Not today.

Therapist: How is your sleep? Having you been sleeping well?

Client: No. I constantly wake up in the middle of the night.

He looks depressed and his eyes are extremely red.

Intern: I see that your eyes are red. Is it due to the lack of sleep or rubbing?

Client: yes

Intern: What do you do when you’re awake in the night.

Client: I write about how I’m feeling and what I’ve done in the past.

Intern: What are some of those decisions that you’ve made that bother you?

Client: I would go steal stuff with friends or if I ask my mom for something and she doesn’t give it to me then I would go out and get it.

Intern: Do you think your mom isn’t able to give you what you want or that she just won’t do it?

Client: She don’t give me stuff because of my behavior.

Engagement Skills

Building rapport

Therapist: So, you have trouble with impulse. Why do you think you have trouble with just taking things?

Client: I don’t have any patience and I should be punished for the things that I’ve done.

Engagement skills

Building rapport

Intern: Everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect. I have done things that I regret. I’m sure Mrs. Sanchez has too.

Therapist: Yes. I have done many bad things.

Engagement Skills

Disclosure

Intern: It is normal for people to make poor decisions, but we must learn from them and continue, not allow them to beat us up and leave us unhappy.

Client: (Shakes his head to say yes.)

Engagement Skills

Encouragement

Therapist: Are we going to try to be positive today?

Client: yes

Therapist: Would you like to call your father.

Client: (smiles) Yea.

Therapist: Why are you smiling.

Client: Because I love talking to my dad. He’s the only one that understands me.

Therapist: What do you think Mrs. Green, should we keep him on precautions?

Intern: Yes, because I want to make sure you’re doing okay because we care about you Client.

Clients: (starts laughing and shakes his head that he understands)

Therapist: I agree.

I believe that he is a good kid. From our conversation, he is unsure of his future, but wants to do great things. He just needs a little push.

END