A 15-year-old Hispanic female who lives with her natural mother and her older sister and her sister's 1-year-old son. Her natural mother and father were divorced 9 years earlier and she has had little contact with her natural father. She was suffering from depression, suicidal thoughts, difficulty sustaining attention, impulsive behavior, was defiant and had difficulty following directions both at home and at school.
She argued frequently with her mother and refused to complete her school work. She was frequently disciplined at school for defiance and talking too much in class. She often became overly emotional. She had difficulty accepting responsibility for her behaviors. All of this contributed to a significantly depressed mood and a history of suicidal thoughts.
After participating in therapy, her depression and suicidal thoughts had gone away. She started getting good grades at school. She was able to concentrate and focus more. She was able to communicate with her mother without fighting and was doing responsible behaviors such as school work and household chores without her mother pushing her.