Clinical Practice SWES Practice Exam

Which aspect of a client is most likely to benefit supportive therapy?

1. Striving for self-awareness

2. Experiencing psychotic symptoms

3. Demonstrating personal strengths

4. Feeling alienated

The correct answer is: Demonstrating personal strengths

Supportive therapy primarily focuses on enhancing a client’s strengths and fostering resilience. It is designed to provide encouragement, bolster self-esteem, and reinforce coping strategies, making it particularly beneficial for individuals who demonstrate personal strengths. When clients possess certain abilities or positive qualities, supportive therapy can help them utilize those strengths more effectively, leading to improved functioning and wellbeing. This approach emphasizes affirming and nurturing the client's existing skills, which can help build a more positive self-image and promote a greater sense of autonomy and empowerment. By focusing on what individuals already do well, supportive therapy assists them in navigating challenges more confidently. While aspects such as striving for self-awareness, experiencing psychotic symptoms, or feeling alienated are significant, supportive therapy is less specifically aimed at those conditions. Striving for self-awareness might align more closely with insight-oriented therapies, while psychotic symptoms often require more intensive intervention, such as medication or specialized therapy. Feeling alienated can be addressed in supportive therapy, but it may also benefit from social skills training or group therapies which directly target social connections.