Mentorship Model

Build a future worth protecting

Interpersonal Relationships

Interpersonal Relationships

*Non-Professional

Week 1: Initial Assessment

Defining Objectives

What reflection and self-evaluation will the client engage in?

  • Client will talk about his historical experiences in interpersonal relationships, speaking specifically about challenges and strengths he has experienced in forming and keeping relationships
  • Client will feel supported and listened to while sharing his experiences
  • Client will consider how these challenges are related to his overall motivations for treatment or overarching treatment goals 
  • Client will feel optimistic about addressing areas of challenges associated to this domain and trust that his provider will be able to share valuable insights and strategies

Taking Action

How will you facilitate reflection on past experiences in this domain?

  • Provider will assess for historical strengths and challenges client has faced in forming and maintaining interpersonal relationships
  • Provider will affirm, summarize and engage in client centered approaches when working to support the client
  • Provider will promote a discussion about how interpersonal relationships are connected to the client’s overall motivations for seeking treatment or stated overarching treatment goals 
  • Provider will outline what a potential 3 week course of treatment might look like by co-authoring interventions designed to improve client’s interpersonal skills and relationship goals
Questions to Consider Resistant Client Corner
  • How does this client typically spend his free time?
  • What role(s) do they see themselves playing in a group?
  • Where does this client feel most confident in himself? Where does he feel the most anxious or uncertain?

Look out for clients who blame all of their challenges in this domain on other people. Hearing a client report that everyone at school or in his town is a jerk might be a sign to lean into the resistance to figure out what role the client may have played in those negative experiences.

When to Check In

Discussing friendships and social connections can be a touchy subject for young men who may not have learned the tools to sustain healthy friendships or who have dealt with negative social interactions in the past. As you gather information, you may come across deep hurts or ongoing challenges associated with friendships and social connection. Consider checking in with a supervisor if:

  • The client reports ongoing or recent experiences with bullying or social ostracization
  • Factors such as Personal Appearance or Physical Activity might supplement work in this domain  
  • The client presents resistantly or overly emotional in these discussions which may warrant more clinical attention

Week 2: Trial & Error

Defining Objectives

What will the client work on this week to strengthen or develop stronger interpersonal connections?

  • Client will demonstrate greater openness to sharing examples of relationship challenges and working collaboratively with their provider to address those challenges 
  • Client will engage with their provider in behavioral change that addresses a particular skill deficit related to interpersonal communication and relationship development 
  • Client will continue to feel motivated to engage in this area of focus both in this session and moving forward

Taking Action

How will you facilitate the client’s efforts in this domain?

  • Provider will engage in behavioral activation interventions that directly address the challenges that the client reports experiencing 
  • Provider will continue to to instill hope that these changes can improve the client’s functioning in this domain
  • Provider will offer a road map of how changes can be “stacked” or “scaffolded” to help support continued growth
Questions to Consider Resistant Client Corner
  • How does this client typically respond to novel social situations?
  • How well are they able to handle distress or uncertainty in community settings?
  • How empathetic is this client? How well are they able to understand the perspectives of other people, particularly those with different life experiences?

For clients who are reluctant to step outside of their comfort zone, consider some ways that the types of interactions they prefer can be adapted to include more social interaction.

For instance, an in-person gaming tournament with snacks and a leaderboard might be more palatable for an avid gamer than attending the school football game…at least for now!

When to Check In

As clients begin to make plans to engage with peers, they may need support from Causeway to host events, identify opportunities, or practice their conversation skills. Consider looping in the rest of the team if:

  • The client would benefit from speaking casually to other providers around the office
  • The client would benefit from a social activity held in a familiar environment like the Causeway offices
  • You need additional ideas and inspiration for how the client can gain experience in social situations

Week 3: Gaining Confidence

Defining Objectives

How will the client build on their efforts in this domain?

  • Client will demonstrate greater openness to sharing examples of relationship challenges and working collaboratively with their provider to address those challenges 
  • Client will continue to trust his provider and collaboratively with their provider to target an additional skill or continue to bolster his work from the previous session
  • Client will continue to feel motivated to engage in this area of focus both in this session, and moving forward

Taking Action

What support will you offer as the client continues to progress?

  • Provider will engage in behavioral activation interventions that address the challenges that the client reported
  • Provider will continue to instill hope around how these changes can improve the client’s functioning and overall life satisfaction
  • Provider will be sure to build on, or remain consistent in previous week(s) interventions. Provider will continue to offer a road map of how changes can be “stacked” or “scaffolded” to help support continued growth
Questions to Consider
  • Is this client ready to tackle an additional area or is there still work to be done in the area targeted in the previous session?
  • What progress has the client made? How can you help them to recognize their growth and success?

When to Check In

Part of making friends and expanding a social circle is dealing with a setback, missed connection, or awkward experience. Embrace these opportunities to help your client learn and refine his process while checking with a supervisor if:

  • A particularly negative experience has shaken the client’s confidence or left him more skeptical or resistant than in previous sessions
  • The client skips or avoids planned activities outside of session

Week 4: Lessons Learned

Defining Objectives

How will the client apply what he has learned?

  • Client will be able to speak to his experience over the course of 4 weeks and self-report measurable or observable progress in addressing and overcoming interpersonal relationship challenges
  • Client will feel more confident about his growth in this domain and his ability to make friends in the future
  • Client will be able to see how a stronger social support system can translate into improved functioning in other areas motivation and/or connect to the client’s stated treatment goals

Taking Action

How will you help the client to reflect on his progress and plan for the future?

  • Provider will continue to engage empathetically with the client, making sure to offer affirmations and validations for efforts made across treatment
  • Provider will promote a discussion with the client that consolidates the learning across four weeks in a summative form
  • Provider will talk through how the changes made in treatment may be worth continuing, relating it back to the broader theme of why the client may have sought treatment
Questions to Consider
  • What systems or frameworks can you help the client to construct (i.e. role-playing to prepare for upcoming social events, planning a future activity to solidify or strengthen new connections, or creating a standard framework for preparing for real-world opportunities as they come up) to better support the client in developing this area on his own?
  • When will you check back on this domain?