Treatment Plan Objectives
Creating Treatment Plan Objectives
The process of beginning to formulate your treatment plan by identifying objectives to plan. The objectives in a psychotherapy treatment plan are designed to address your specific needs and concerns while providing a roadmap for the therapeutic process. The objectives section of a psychotherapy treatment plan outlines specific, measurable, and achievable goals that guide the therapeutic process and measure progress towards desired outcomes. These objectives are based on the client’s presenting concerns, assessment findings, and collaborative discussions between the therapist and client. The objectives section typically includes the following elements:
Client-centered approach:
The objectives section should reflect the client’s individual needs, preferences, and goals for therapy. It is important to align the objectives with the client’s unique circumstances, values, and aspirations to foster their engagement and motivation in the therapeutic process.
Clear and specific objectives:
Each objective should be clear, concise, and specific, addressing the particular areas of concern identified in the assessment phase. Goals should be formulated in a way that is understandable to the client and measurable so that progress can be tracked effectively.
Realistic and attainable objectives:
Objectives should be realistic and attainable within the timeframe of therapy. They should take into account the client’s strengths, limitations, and external factors that may influence progress. Setting achievable goals helps maintain motivation and prevents potential discouragement or frustration.
Measurable outcomes:
Objectives should include measurable indicators that allow for the assessment of progress. These indicators can be observable behaviors, changes in symptoms or distress levels, improvements in functioning, or the acquisition of specific skills.
Timeframe and deadlines:
It can be beneficial to include a timeframe or deadlines for achieving specific objectives. This provides a sense of structure and accountability, enabling both the therapist and client to monitor progress and make adjustments as needed.
Hierarchical organization:
Objectives should be organized in a logical and hierarchical manner, starting with the most pressing or fundamental issues and progressing towards broader goals. This allows for a step-by-step approach, ensuring that smaller objectives are achieved to facilitate progress towards larger goals.
Flexibility and adaptability:
The objectives section should acknowledge that therapy is a dynamic process, and goals may need to be modified or expanded as new insights emerge or circumstances change. Flexibility and adaptability allow for the ongoing refinement of objectives to ensure their relevance and effectiveness.
Collaborative approach:
The objectives section should be developed collaboratively between the therapist and client. The client’s input, feedback, and agreement are crucial to ensure that the objectives align with their expectations, desires, and motivation for therapy. Collaborative goal-setting fosters a sense of ownership and partnership in the therapeutic process.
Common Treatment Plan Objectives
It is important to note that the objectives in a treatment plan are not set in stone but should be regularly reviewed, discussed, and adjusted as therapy progresses. Open communication between the therapist and client throughout the treatment process allows for ongoing evaluation and modification of the objectives to meet the client’s evolving needs and goals. Following is a summary describing the objectives typically included in a psychotherapy treatment plan:
Establish rapport and build a therapeutic alliance:
The primary objective at the beginning of therapy is to establish a trusting and collaborative relationship between the client and therapist. Building rapport creates a safe and supportive environment that facilitates open communication and encourages the client’s engagement in the therapeutic process.
Identify and Understand Core Issues:
Collaboratively explore and identify the underlying causes, patterns, and triggers of the client’s difficulties. Gain insight into the body sensations, maladaptive thoughts, uncomfortable emotions, and unwanted behaviors that contribute to their current challenges. At this point, a health home questionnaire may be reviewed or completed. I will ask you about family of origin, adverse childhood experiences, traumatic events, peer influences, social-cultural-political-religious influences, law enforcement and criminal justice involvement, corections or incarceration history, academics and education, job training and/or employment history, past and present socioeconomic status/class, social networks of friends and peers, race and/or ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation, intimate-romantic-sexual relationship history and current status and type.
Assess and diagnose:
A crucial objective is to conduct a thorough assessment to gain a comprehensive understanding of the client’s psychological and emotional state. This involves gathering information about their presenting concerns, personal history, and any relevant factors contributing to their current difficulties. A precise diagnosis, when applicable, helps guide treatment planning and interventions. Disclose any history of substance use that may contribute to the presenting problems and complicate therapy. Provide behavioral, emotional, and attitudinal information toward an assessment of specifiers relevant to a DSM diagnosis, the efficacy of treatment, and the nature of the therapy relationship. Your counselor will work with you to assess for any issues of age,
gender, or culture that could help explain your currently defined “problems, symptoms, and behaviors” and factors that could offer a better understanding of your circumstances.
This is important to remember:
In order for me to file claims with your insurance and get reimbursed or credit toward your deductible, services must meet the requirement for medical necessity, and your current problems have to be causing mild, moderate, or severe impact on your daily functioning in one or more of the following life domains: social, educational/academic, occupational, relationships. I have to provide a diagnosis, adhere to a treatment plan, track your progress, and measure the outcomes of therapy in order to justify the services I am providing to you.
Assess for Severity of Impairments:
Your counselor will work with you to assess for the severity of the level of impairment to your functioning in daily life to determine the appropriate level of care (symptoms and behaviors noted creates mild, moderate, severe, or very severe impairment in parental, legal, social, relational, educational, vocational, financial, or occupational domains); counselor will continuously assess this severity of impairment as well as the efficacy of treatment (no longer demonstrates severe impairment but the presenting problem now is causing mild or moderate impairment).
Assess for Pharmacological Interventions
Evaluate the client’s need and desire for psychotropic medication and, if indicated, arrange for a medication evaluation by a physician or psychiatrist. Collaborate with the client’s prescribing physician to provide any relevant information. Secure an authorization to release protected health information. Monitor and evaluate the client’s psychotropic medication compliance, effectiveness, and side effects; communicate with prescribing physician.
Set clear and measurable goals:
Objectives in a psychotherapy treatment plan should be specific, realistic, and measurable. Collaboratively, the client and therapist establish treatment goals that align with the client’s aspirations and address their primary concerns. These goals provide direction and serve as benchmarks for progress throughout therapy. Goals can and will change over time, so they should be reviewed at least every 30 (min) to 90 days (max).
Symptom reduction and emotional regulation:
Many individuals seek therapy to alleviate distressing symptoms or emotional challenges. Objectives in a treatment plan often include reducing symptoms such as anxiety, depression, or intrusive thoughts. Developing healthy coping strategies and improving emotional regulation skills are important components of this objective.
Enhance self-awareness and insight:
Another objective is to help the client gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their patterns of thinking and behavior, and the factors contributing to their difficulties. By exploring underlying thoughts, beliefs, and emotions, therapy aims to promote self-awareness and insight, leading to personal growth and positive change.
Increase knowledge of human experience and behavior
One of the most important aspect of therapy is teaching clients how to be their own therapist. Psychoeducation and bibliotherapy should be a regular part of any treatment plan. An objective that would increase knowledge of human experience and behavior would be to learn about and be able to verbalize most of the following: cognitive distortions; common internal subconscious parts – exiles, managers, and firefighters; cognitive biases; logical fallacies; emotional experiences; and central nervous system processes.
Verbalize an Accurate Understanding of the Diagnosed Disorders:
Consistent with the counselor’s integrative approach and/or holding fidelity with the prescribed treatment models, process how cognitive, behavioral, interpersonal, and/or other factors (e.g., prior relationships, genetics, family history, etc.) contribute to the diagnosed disorders.
Address Maladaptive Patterns and Behaviors:
Identify and challenge negative and self-defeating thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that contribute to the client’s distress. Replace maladaptive patterns with more adaptive alternatives to promote healthier functioning.
Process and resolve unresolved grief/loss:
Explore unresolved grief that may be contributing to the client’s current distress. Provide a supportive environment to express and process these emotions, facilitate emotional healing, and promote integration and acceptance.
Process and resolve unresolved emotional issues:
Explore unresolved emotional conflicts or traumas that may be contributing to the client’s current distress. Provide a supportive environment to express and process these emotions, facilitate emotional healing, and promote integration and acceptance.
Develop and improve coping skills:
Psychotherapy often focuses on equipping clients with effective coping strategies to manage stress, conflicts, and challenges in their lives. Objectives may include developing healthy communication skills, assertiveness training, problem-solving techniques, stress management techniques, or relaxation exercises
Learn and Implement Problem Solving and Decision Making Skills.
Problem-Solving Therapy by D’Zurilla and Nezu. Psychoeducation, modeling, and role-playing. “Applying Problem-Solving to Interpersonal Conflict” in the
Adult Psychotherapy Homework Planner by Jongsma). Encourage development of a positive problem orientation in which problems and solving them are viewed as a natural part of life, an opportunity to learn something, and not something to be feared, despaired, or avoided.
Enhance interpersonal relationships:
Many individuals seek therapy to improve their relationships and develop healthier patterns of relating to others. Objectives may involve improving communication skills, setting boundaries, or building more fulfilling and supportive connections with others.
Learn and Implement Conflict Resolution Skills
Learn conflict resolution skills, non-violent communication through an IFS lens (e.g., empathy, active listening, “a part of feels messages,” respectful
communication, assertiveness without passivity or aggression, compromise); use psychoeducation, modeling, role-playing, and rehearsal to work through several current conflicts; assign homework exercises; review and repeat so as to integrate their use into your life. Resolve symptoms related to
interpersonal problems through the use of reassurance and support, clarification of cognitive and affective triggers that ignite conflicts, and active problem-solving. “Applying Problem-Solving to Interpersonal Conflict” in the Adult Psychotherapy Homework Planner by Jongsma.
Increase self-esteem and self-acceptance:
Therapy can aim to improve self-esteem and foster self-acceptance. Objectives may involve challenging negative self-perceptions, developing self-compassion, building self-confidence, and promoting a more positive self-image.
Promote Overall Well-being:
Encourage the client to prioritize self-care, including physical health, relaxation techniques, and healthy lifestyle choices. Address any other relevant areas impacting the client’s well-being, such as sleep, nutrition, and exercise. Teach grounding, mindfulness skills, meditation, yoga poses, and breathing techniques.
Evaluate Progress and Treatment Efficacy:
Regularly assess and evaluate the client’s progress toward the established treatment goals. Modify interventions as needed based on the client’s feedback and response to treatment. Update the treatment plan every 90 days.
Relapse prevention and long-term stability:
For clients who have experienced recurrent difficulties or are recovering from a specific issue, the treatment plan may include objectives related to relapse prevention and long-term stability. This could involve identifying triggers, developing a relapse prevention plan, and building resilience to maintain progress achieved in therapy.
Termination and aftercare planning:
As therapy progresses, the treatment plan should include objectives related to the termination phase. This involves preparing the client for the conclusion of therapy and ensuring that they have appropriate support and resources in place for continued growth and well-being after therapy ends.