Friendly Formulation

A resource for collaboratively understanding and addressing client difficulties using an accessible case formulation template.

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Professional version

Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

Client version

Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.

Fillable version (PDF)

A fillable version of the resource. This can be edited and saved in Adobe Acrobat, or other PDF editing software.

Editable version (PPT)

An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.

Overview

The Friendly Formulation worksheet provides a user-friendly tool for therapists and clients to jointly explore and document the origins and maintenance of presenting issues. It uses a structured format to map out the client's story and identify key factors contributing to their difficulties.

This resource is designed to facilitate a clear and shared understanding of the problem, helping both therapists and clients to explore how it might be addressed. It emphasizes collaboration, positioning clients as the experts in their own experiences, and draws on the foundational elements of psychological formulation.

Why Use This Resource?

Understanding the nature of clients' difficulties is essential for effective intervention. The Friendly Formulation supports through:

Collaboration between therapist and client to make sense of difficulties.
Clear mapping of predispositions, triggers, and maintaining factors.
An accessible format that demystifies case conceptualization.
Enhanced client engagement by positioning them as the experts of their experiences.

Key Benefits

Structure

Offers an accessible framework for identifying key factors in case formulation.

Clarity

Provides clear visualization of how experiences interlink and contribute to the problem.

Engagement

Strengthens client engagement through collaborative development of the formulation.

Insight

Encourages reflection on personal strengths and protective factors.

Who is this for?

Trauma

Addressing the impact of past trauma, such as abuse or neglect, on present difficulties.

Depression

Helping to understand factors that maintain depressive symptoms and affect motivation.

Anxiety

Identifying triggers and cycles that perpetuate anxiety-related issues.

Self-Esteem Issues

Examining beliefs and behaviors that undermine self-worth.

Integrating it into your practice

Identify

Collaborate with your client to identify the presenting problem.

Contextualize

Explore predisposing factors that made the client vulnerable.

Trigger

Investigate precipitating events or situations that triggered the current issue.

Maintain

Determine perpetuating factors that sustain the problem.

Empower

Highlight protective factors that can aid in recovery and resilience.

Theoretical Background & Therapist Guidance

Case formulation is a cornerstone of psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), providing a structured approach to understanding and addressing psychological difficulties. It involves exploring the interaction of presenting problems, predisposing issues, and perpetuating factors to form a treatment base.

This approach to case conceptualization is built on collaboration, with the client’s insights guiding and informing the therapeutic process. It provides a understandable map of the problem, paving the way for targeted interventions.

What's inside

A comprehensive worksheet to map out the 5 Ps of case conceptualizations: Presenting problems, Predisposing, Precipitating, Perpetuating, and Protective factors.
Sections that can be completed by the therapist or client.
Guidance on how to facilitate collaborative, formulation-focused discussions.

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FAQs

A case formulation is a collaborative process that aims to develop an understanding of the client's difficulties by identifying key factors that contribute to these issues.

This resource aids therapy by providing a structured, client-friendly, visual representation of the client's difficulties, promoting clearer understanding and more targeted interventions.

Yes, formulations are dynamic and can evolve as new information becomes available or as therapy progresses.

Emphasize the collaborative nature of the process and focus on small, manageable segments. Use language that is understandable and affirming.

How This Resource Improves Clinical Outcomes

By providing a structured and accessible framework, the Friendly Formulation resource enhances:

Client understanding of their difficulties.
Collaboration between therapist and client.
Engagement in therapy and the quality of the therapeutic alliance.
Recognition of personal strengths and resources.

Therapists benefit from:

An easy-to-use method for exploring complex client presentations.
A collaborative approach that fosters client engagement and motivation.
A versatile tool that is adaptable to a variety of presenting problems.

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References And Further Reading

Eells, T. D. (Ed.). (2011). Handbook of psychotherapy case formulation. Guilford Press.
Johnstone, L., & Dallos, R. (2013). Formulation in psychology and psychotherapy: Making sense of people's problems. Routledge.
Kuyken, W., Padesky, C. A., & Dudley, R. (2008). Collaborative case conceptualization: Working effectively with clients in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Guilford Press.
Persons, J. B. (2012). The case formulation approach to cognitive-behavior therapy. Guilford Press.
Tarrier, N., & Johnson, J. (Eds.). (2015). Case formulation in cognitive behaviour therapy: The treatment of challenging and complex cases. Routledge.

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