Using the case study at the end of the module assess the client’s issues and describe your treatment plan. What ethical issues might arise?

In this assignment I shall be using the case study provided to understand the issues that Miss E is presenting with and how they are affecting her weight issues. Miss E came to therapy for weight loss wanting to lose two stone and seven pounds in all. She is 29 and came out of a failed relationship six months ago. She is now ready to look for another partner, but is scared as her previous partner of six years was very controlling and almost seemed to want her to stay overweight. Miss E has struggled with her weight since she was 12 or 13 and her parents badgered her about being unattractive and eating too much. She has tried many diets, but always seems to put the weight back on again after a while. Miss E is going on an all-girls holiday in three months and hopes to have lost weight by then. The initial course of action would be undertake a thorough consultation with Miss E. It is ethical practice to spend time discussing and trying to understand why the client is there and what they are hoping to achieve. The client will probably be nervous and so some initial time where the client can relax and not feel judged will benefit both the client and the practitioner in ensuring the best possible outcome for you both. Once Miss E seemed comfortable and an initial rapport had been established, it would be appropriate to question further about the information she had provided (as I have been provided in the case study information). In the “consultation” Miss E disclosed that weight had been an issue for her for around seventeen years. She places her initial weight issues with her parents, who she feels “badgered” her about her weight and they associated her weight gain with being unattractive. Miss E further disclosed the controlling nature of the ex-partner and that she felt he wanted her to remain overweight. As these situations cannot be verified, and could be simply perceived by Miss E, it would need to established if Miss E had sought help from her GP and if any diagnosis had been made with regard to an underlying mental health issue. If a diagnosis, for example, depression or an eating disorder, had been made then the hypnotherapy session would not be able to take place and Miss E should be referred back to her GP for referral to a more appropriate practitioner at this time. It would be inappropriate and unethical to treat Miss E at this point. Over eating is often linked with emotional issues and if the consultation reveals a serious unresolved issue, such as abuse, Miss E should again not be treated on this occasion and referred on. These matters should always be dealt with compassionately and sensitively as Miss E should not leave feeling worse about herself or rejected, she should be clear on the situation and understand why it is to protect her. Is should also be established if there is any medical issue or medication that has affected or is affecting Miss E’s weight. If there is again medical approval should be sought before commencement of treatment. Assuming no diagnosis has been made, or any issue identified, and it is appropriate to treat Miss E, her connection with food would need to be established. A link between low self-esteem and comfort eating can be common and may be probable in the case of Miss E. It should also be established if Miss E has ever tried hypnotherapy for weight loss before and the outcome of that treatment. If Miss E has no knowledge of hypnotherapy a clear explanation should be given. Even if Miss E has knowledge of hypnotherapy, how you work as a practitioner should always be explained to new clients. Miss E’s parents may not have realised their comments were hurtful or damaging to Miss E in her earlier years, they may have had genuine concern about her diet and its effects, but their approach resonated with Miss E in a way that has