Case Studies

Case Study 1

1. Judy is left-brain dominant while John is right-brain dominant. If a person is left-brain dominant, this means that they are able to think linearly and logically, are more analytical, and like having a set schedule (Weatherspoon, 2019). This best fits Judy. In comparison, a right-brain dominant individual has a large imagination, is creative, loves the arts, and uses holistic thinking. This describes John well given his involvement in extracurricular and the trouble he has staying focused on studying.

 

2. For Judy, I would advise her to work in quiet environments. Setting aside time for quiet studying time will help her gather her thoughts and focus better. For John, he needs a creative outlet while he studies so that he can focus on it better. I would also have him spread out how often he studies rather than one large chunk of time because spreading out these sessions will help him better retain the information he learned.

 

3. Effective study spaces can be set up through having an environment that fits the needs of the individual, being around certain people or teachers, and what time the studying takes place. Since Judy is a single-parent and very busy, she needs to have a scheduled time set aside to strictly focus on her studies and schoolwork, so she does not get distracted. For John, he may do better in an active, noisy environment where he can study with other people (Patterson, 2020).

 

4. It is important for Judy to identify some of the work-family conflicts she has been experiencing because without doing so, she could overwork herself and burn out. She could reach out to other people for help her such as getting a babysitter. This would give her some free time to get her work done. Understanding what a healthy work-life balance is as a mother and nursing student will help Judy stay healthy physically and mentally.

 

5. I currently am working on being more disciplined to only answer emails, texts, and other forms of communication when I have to. I try to focus on my studies and schoolwork more than the messages coming to my phone and computer because it deviates my attention and gets me distracted.

Case Study 2

1. There are many methods the counselor could advise to Chris to overcome procrastination habits. For one, Chris could try to set up a reward system for herself, where if she completes a certain amount of work, she can go out with her friends that night or go get a coffee as a reward. Chris should try to commit to a certain amount of time to do some work, such as an hour at a time. What Christ could also do is wake up earlier so she is given more opportunity to get things done ahead of time and catch up on what she had missed (Ross, 2011).

 

2. Because Chris is also a perfectionist, she has the ability to do really well in her classes. If she would be able to apply her perfectionism to her procrastination and try to fix it, then this could help her get things done on time. Chris could limit her load by setting realistic expectations for herself. As a perfectionist, she may be setting expectations that are impossible for her to meet, only adding on to her procrastination habits.

 

 

3. Positive affirmations are known as phrases and sentences people speak or think to challenge any negative thoughts (Moore, 2021). In doing so, a person can boost their self-esteem by making themselves believe the positive thoughts rather than the negative ones. For Chris, thinking positive affirmations will motivate her to get her work done and see the benefit in doing so. It will also help her to not be hard on herself if she does not get something done and instead see herself in a more positive light.

 

4. The advisor could help Chris by creating a physical calendar that Chris can look at when she needs to. It would remind her of when things are due and when she would need to start working on things. Having a visual calendar that can be written on and edited would be good for Chris because it seems like she does better with things that are more tactical rather than online. Having a calendar that she can add and subtract to also gives her more control over the situation and allows for her perfectionism to work through creating something she likes for her schedule.