solved Reply 1)    Angela Bryan Angela Bryan- main

Reply 1)    Angela Bryan 
Angela Bryan- main post- Steven Jeong
          Adolescent development is impacted by several biological, social, and environmental factors that can often lead to risky behaviors, which the presence of protective factors can resolve over time or the lack of protective factors can lead to a risky lifestyle. 
           Adolescence is the time of puberty, bringing with it dramatic hormonal changes, growth spurts, maturation of the brain, and HPA axis, which impact the sleep patterns, mood, cognitive abilities, sexual activity, and overall behaviors of the adolescent (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). It is a pivotal time for identity formation and autonomy development, which do not follow a linear sequence but are marked by exploration and crises concerning gender, culture, ethnicity, belonging, work and behavioral patterns, etc. In healthy development, these explorations and crises resolve towards a commitment to an identity over time. These profound physical, cognitive, and social changes cause phases of instability and can feel overwhelming and chaotic to the adolescent and his caretakers. As a mental health counselor understanding the many factors that contribute to adolescent development and the impact those have on the behaviors of the adolescent and their family system is essential to provide effective therapeutic support and interventions.
Presenting Issues
          Steven Jeong, a 17-year-old high school student, was brought to counseling by his mother, who is concerned about him engaging in risky behaviors, specifically drinking alcohol and taking unidentified pills secretly (Walden University, 2021). One-on-one with the counselor, Steven admitted to sometimes drinking after first denying it and guided the conversation to the distress he feels around his relationship with his parents and his loss of his social support after the recent break up from his girlfriend. His parents have been divorced for six years. Steven stated that there is a lot of drama in the house. He feels burdened by being in the middle of it and needing to keep the peace. Steven does not get along with his father, whom he blames for the divorce. He does not regularly see the father anymore, and Steven feels like his father does not care about him or his siblings.  Steven gets along with his sister, age 12, and brother, Joey, age 10, who has autism. For the most part, he gets along with his mother but mostly keeps things secret from her. He is distressed by the breakup from his girlfriend, who cheated on him with his best friend, which led Steven to leave his baseball team that they both played on. He seems to be burdened, lonely, and overwhelmed. He stated that he needs an escape and that he is careful when using substances. The family is of Korean descent, with close extended family ties, but describes themselves as very “Americanized.”
Possible purpose of Steven’s risk-taking behaviors from a developmental perspective
Steven identifies the reason for his risk-taking behavior of secret substance use. He stated that he is using alcohol (and possibly other substances; more sessions would be needed to clarify the extent of his substance use) as an escape from the inner distress and pressure he feels at home and in his social life. During adolescence the brain goes through uneven development, resulting in the HPA axis being more sensitive to stress, causing the person to have stronger physiological reactions to all stress-related measures (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). Therefore the stressors of his conflict-rich family life and recently broken peer relationships are amplified for Steven, causing him to seek quick relief, which alcohol and other substances provide readily. Longitudinal studies have found three common predictors that motivate drinking alcohol at this age: being male, coping with stress and boredom, and being surrounded by alcohol-using peers (Windle & Windle, 2018). Steven aligns with two out of those three markers. Additionally, depression was found to be another factor that can lead to increased alcohol use in adolescence. Steven carried an air of sadness and loneliness during the one-on-one session and therefore may also align with this risk factor. As his counselor, I would have to use more diagnostic testing and evaluation to confirm the impression that Steven may suffer from acute depression.
Steven feels in control of his alcohol use, which leads me to believe that he does not consider his behavior as risky and therefore does not have any barriers to use substances for relief.  His lack of judgment is also a byproduct of biological development during adolescence. While overall executive functioning will sharpen and evolve during adolescence, this brain development occurs in an unbalanced manner, causing young people to engage in thrill-seeking activities and may impair their judgment periodically (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020).
Lastly, Arnett theorized that reckless and risk-taking behaviors, such as alcohol and substance use is more likely to happen in broad socialization (high levels of individual freedom) over narrow socialization (more controlling, non-industrialized societies). While of Korean heritage, Steven was born and raised in the USA, and his mother stated that they are very Americanized. Steven’s turn to alcohol to relieve stress and pressure is therefore also a result of the influence of the US-American society he is raised in (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020).
Protective factors in Steven’s life
          Risky behaviors such as alcohol use are often part of the adolescent years, as explained above. However, the presence or lack of protective factors in an adolescent’s life can lead to the risky behavior either turning into long-term adult behavioral patterns or only being temporary in their intensity. In the presence of protective factors, risky behaviors are more likely to eventually subside and not get integrated with the young person’s identity (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). Understanding those protective factors is therefore essential for the successful work of a mental health counselor.
Quality of the parent-adolescent relationship
          Research studies point towards parental warmth attuned support, and safe emotional connection between the parent and adolescent, especially the mother, as a protective factor from long-term risky behaviors. Those attributes in the relationship lead to the adolescent being less likely to lie and hid things, allowing parents to have a supportive role in the young person’s life and limiting future drinking risk (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). While Steven is hiding his substance use from his mother currently, he also states that he gets along with her. I see great opportunity with the guidance and education through counseling to move their relationship to a level of more warmth, support, and trust. His mother cares about him and can become a protective factor over time.  
Societal belonging to groups
Siegle and Scovil (2020) have found that when societies provide productive communal outlets for adolescent energy, such as belonging to affiliated groups, risky behaviors can be reduced. This explains why the loss of Steven’s belonging to the baseball team put him at risk for unsafe behaviors. Belonging to a group is a protective factor. With counseling guidance, Steven can find a way to either re-join the baseball team or open himself up to explore new affiliations with a group. Additionally, I see his extended family, which was stated to be involved and connected, as a long-term protective factor by creating a strong sense of belonging and identity. 
Engaging in counseling and interventions
         Steven’s mother is bringing him to counseling, and Steven already started to open up about his inner struggle and emotions, leading me to be hopeful about successful counseling intervention. Engaging in counseling serves as a protective factor from his alcohol and possible other substance abuse turning into long-term habits. One possible therapy to use would be Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT). BSFT understands the family as the center of the child’s world. It assists the family to change maladaptive behavior patterns towards interactions that provide the support and connection families need to heal and thrive, serving as a protective factor against risky behaviors during adolescence, specifically drug and alcohol use (Szapocznik & Hervi,2020).
Impact
          Steven is using current alcohol use and possible other substance use to relieve his stress, feelings of loneliness, and unbearable social pressure. The lack of different coping strategies and his feeling that he cannot trust his parents could lead to a downward spiral of negative identity formation and long-term mental health issues. There is a difference between risk-taking behaviors and a risky lifestyle (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). Risk-taking behaviors are part of the developmental phase of exploration, and crises, eventually leading to identity achievement in later adulthood. Dr. Crook pointed out that risky behaviors that adults label as rebellious, much as Steven’s mother does with her son’s behaviors, are in fact just a sign of the adolescent seeking validation and understanding. When an adolescent does not find that validation and understanding in his family relationships, he will look for it in other places (Laureate Education, Producer, 2019). Steven is in the phase of what Erickson and Marcia describe as Moratorium, an adolescent who is actively exploring but has not committed to an identity yet (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). It is during this phase that the young person is most anxious and is looking for coping strategies. The negative coping behaviors have an impact on the adolescent’s behaviors and identity. With guidance and support, the impact can either lead to the risky behaviors being temporary or, in the absence of protective factors, the risky behaviors can lead to more risky behaviors, impacting mental health and long-term unhealthy patterns, resulting in a risky lifestyle as an adult (Albert et al. 2019).
          Steven’s behavior of alcohol and possible other substance abuse, lying about it, and not trusting his mother with the things he struggles with, negatively impact the family system. Suppose these behaviors are not resolved or changed in the long term. In that case, Steven will be a negative role model for his siblings, leading to possible strive between them, conflict, and aggression.  They may cause his sibling to engage in similar activities. Additionally, Steven’s behaviors impact the mother’s reactions in the way she responds to her son. She interprets her son’s behaviors as rebellious, and instead of validation and connection, she is seeking exposure and consequences in her attempt to stop the risky behaviors.  It is a fear-based response creating more stress for Steven, instead of offering the warmth, connection, and validation he needs to have his stress relieved. However, Steven’s mother brings him to counseling which shows her desire for connection and openness to a new way of handling the situation. Finding the right balance of parental behavioral monitoring without exercising excessive control is needed for the best outcomes. Parental supervision cannot be ridged or inflexible but needs to be marked by warmth, support, and connection (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). The adolescent years are marked by exploration, crises, and much turbulence due to all the biological and environmental developmental factors impacting the young person’s behaviors. While things feel so out of control during this time, it is paramount that the parents stay calm and control their emotional responses. That way, they become the steady foundation, the safe base from which their adolescent son or daughter can explore, have strong roots, and is given wings simultaneously. 
Summary
          At age 17, Steven is in the Moratorium and ruminative exploration phase, struggling with family and peer stressors, loneliness, and sadness from a recent romantic breakup and the loss of being part of his baseball team. His risky behaviors of alcohol and possible other substance use, keeping them a secret from his mother and lying about it, is a result of the impact of biological changes on his stress response system, his cognitive development, his lack of support and connection in his family relationships and his need to find a quick relief from the burdening emotions and stress he is experiencing. Understanding the complex interaction of all these factors and how they impact Steven’s behaviors and long-term identity formation will help me as a counselor to build rapport with Steven and his family and engage his mother and family in restorative family systems intervention. Validating Steven, giving him a voice, offering alternative coping strategies, educating his mother, and possibly father about what is happening developmentally during adolescence, opening-up communication and building a more trusting, attuned, safe relationship between Steven and his mother and maybe even his father, by using therapy models such as BSFT can make the difference between long -term substance abuse and mental health struggles for Steven, or him successfully resolving his Moratorium phase towards the commitment to an identity and reaching the status of identity achievement. 
2)  RE: Week 6 – Expressive Arts Intervention
Expressive arts is very vast and I believe can cover all children and adolescents, even adults. One intervention may not work for all clients but because of the broad interventions of expressive art therapy counselors can always find one that works. I believe understanding a bit about all the interventions is key but for this assignment I would like to focus on art therapy. I am choosing art therapy because, 1) I’ve seen it work and 2) it resonates with me.

Expressive Arts Intervention
Art therapy is a great way for adolescents to communicate without using words. As Malchiodi (2020) states, art therapy allows the client a way to communicate “aspects of their personality, perceptions, and developmental and cognitive characteristics”. This is very beneficial for both the client and the counselor as they both gain insight to what is going on inside the adolescent client. By utilizing paint, dry media, paper, cutting materials, collage materials, adhesives, and miscellaneous items (Moon, 2006) a counselor is freeing the client to create in any manner they connect to. I love that art allows someone to express themselves without being verbal.
As I stated earlier, there were 2 reasons I chose art therapy. The first reason was because I have seen it work. A couple of years ago I was facilitating a group and one of the adolescent females was not participating in a productive manner. After brainstorming with another colleague I started the next group with mandala coloring pages and crayons on the tables. To my surprise by the end of the session the girl had begun joining the discussion, never looking up from her coloring and only very short responses but it was progress. It was working! The second reason I chose art therapy is because, as I said it resonates with me. I like the idea of being able to express myself without being verbal, especially when I was younger. I have worked very hard to verbally express my feelings but to this day still have trouble with it. I love the idea of being able to express myself and talk only if I feel like it.
Benefits and Challenges
As with any intervention there are benefits and challenges and art therapy is no different. Being able to express oneself with art has many benefits as it allows a client to communicate without being verbal. This can cover clients that refuse to talk and clients that may not be verbal. It also allows for a verbal talking point for the client and counselor ( Malchiodi, 2020). This allows for progress, connection and trust in the therapeutic alliance. As sessions continue, art therapy, according to Coholic et al. (2020) allows adolescent clients to learn to connect with others, express themselves, and develop a sense of awareness. By accomplishing these milestones the client is progressing in their program thanks to the benefits of art therapy. 
Even though art therapy can be very beneficial it may be challenging to get started. As Coholic et al. (2020), shared, most of the youths in their study were “initially nervous about participating”. Many adolescent youths may feel as if they cannot be creative, which can be the biggest barrier (Malchiodi, 2020). Another challenge is building the therapeutic alliance with the adolescent client so that they feel safe to express themselves. If trauma is involved it may take longer to accomplish this alliance (Malchiodi, 2020). With both these challenges, time and patience will be key to build a safe space for the adolescent client to be able to express themselves using art therapy intervention. But it will be worth the wait.
Expressive Arts Resource
Continued education as a counselor is a big piece of being an effective counselor. Theories and interventions are always evolving and it is our responsibility to evolve as a counselor as well. One way to accomplish this is by attending workshops for not only art therapy but for all the expressive arts interventions. This can be accomplished online through eventbrite.com. There are many in person and online workshops available. For example, there is an online event, Information Session – Art Therapy & Counseling (Eventbrite.com, n.d.). It looks very interesting and informative. We have so many resources at our fingertips with the internet, as a counselor there is no reason why we can not continue our education.  
3) Carrol Martin 
RE: Week 6 – Expressive Arts Intervention
Expressive Arts Intervention
An expressive arts intervention I would like to use with an adolescent student is sand tray therapy. According to Chibbaro et al. (2012), sand play is a symbolic method of self-expression in which the client represents themselves and the world around them using a base of sand and miniature figurines. Although sand play is helpful for all ages, sand play can help children and adolescence play through what most adults talk through. 
The Benefits and Challenges
There are both benefits and challenges to the sand tray intervention. To begin, there are a couple of benefits in utilizing sand play with adolescents. In the middle school years specifically, students are adjusting and transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Along with the physical and emotional changes that occur, distressing events occur as well. The sand tray technique allows students to portray persons and events in their lives without actually having to divulge too much information to the school counselor (Chibbaro et al., 2012). Another benefit of sand play is the amount of control the student has. In the research done by Chibbaro et al. (012), the sand tray gives the student the power to control their sand environment, which can be freeing for students who have little control over their life circumstances. Finally, the sand tray is beneficial mainly due to their diversity of use with students of any age and allow for the expression of cultural and societal differences (Chibarro et al., 2012). In terms of challenges, sand play may not be beneficial when working with students who resist counseling or are experiencing severe emotional or mental challenges (Chibarro et al., 2012). Ultimately, in cases like these, it is of utmost importance that school counselors help within their scope of practice and refer the student for further professional assistance. 
Opportunity for Growth
There are many opportunities to learn more about how to use sand play therapy effectively. The internet has a wealth of information, from articles to videos. More specifically, examples of helpful resources include Sandplay Therapists of America (www.sandplay.org) and the Association for Play Therapy (www.a4pt.org). In addition, a local university in my state of Virginia offers the pathway to becoming a School-Based Registered Play Therapist (SB-RPT), which is something I am beginning to explore. This is especially exciting to me, as this is a credential I can earn while I am working on my Master’s degree.