The Garcia Family
Natalie Garcia (25) has a history of poly-substance abuse (opioids, marijuana, and alcohol). Natalie recently completed a 28-day inpatient, detoxification program, which was precipitated by her desire to be clean and sober during her pregnancy. She is approximately six months pregnant and currently clean and sober.
Natalie has a daughter Kim (7) and lives with her mother Mary (44) off and on, though their relationship is strained. Natalie’s relationship with her unborn baby’s father recently came to an end, as well. Natalie’s mother, Mary, stated that she is Kim’s primary caretaker. Kim sees her father rarely, occasionally during the holidays.
Natalie reported a history of substance abuse in her family (grandfather, father, one aunt, and two uncles), but nothing else is known about the other members of her family. After completing her 28-day detox program, Natalie presents with a desire to engage in family counseling. The family is currently seeking help as a result of Natalie’s substance abuse. Neither Natalie nor her family have received family therapy prior to their visit. Natalie received therapy and counseling while in the 28-day detoxification program.
Natalie’s mother, Mary, reports doing her best to help her daughter. This includes trying to “motivate” Natalie to stop using by “constantly informing her of the dangers drugs, and letting her know that she is not being a good parent to her daughter.” Mary also states that she “sticks her neck out for Natalie to keep her out of legal trouble; covered for her so that she would not lose her job; loans her money; watches over her daughter (Kim), so that social services will not take her away.” Mary went on to say that “she has always had to take care of Natalie, and that she wishes Natalie would just grow up. I’m getting old, and I don’t make much money working as a cashier. I love my granddaughter, but I didn’t plan on becoming a mother again at my age.”
Natalie is the symptom bearer of the family. Per Mary, Natalie began using drugs and getting into trouble in high school when Mary and her husband (Natalie’s father) split up. Mary felt that her ex-husband is partially to blame, as “he wanted to be Natalie’s friend instead of her parent.” During the assessment, Mary claimed that Natalie has always kept her preoccupied with her problems and that Natalie is probably the reason she never got remarried.
Natalie stated that she did use recreationally but that she did not start to develop a problem until about two years ago. Natalie feels that she did not get into a lot of trouble in high school, but that her mother always overreacted to little things. Natalie, admits, however, that she did not like school and that she would have rather hung out and partied with her friends than do well in school. She never graduated, as a result.
According to Natalie, she began to develop a drug problem after her boyfriend left her and Kim about two years ago. Natalie stated that she could not afford to live on her own and had to move back in with her mother. She feels that her mother’s constant nagging about her poor decisions (such as “running with the wrong crowd,” dropping out of school, etc.) made her depressed and led to her going out to bars and drinking. Natalie stated that she soon made new friends and found a new boyfriend. Natalie revealed that her new friends and boyfriend used drugs more than just recreationally, and that she was soon doing the same. Natalie confessed to having a “full-fledged drug problem” after about two years of regular use.
Natalie is worried that her drug problem could become even worse, since the father of her unborn child recently left her. She states no desire to reunite with the father of her unborn child or any of her old friends. She feels that they are bad influences for her, as they continue to use drugs. Natalie is an only child and there are no other family members involved in Natalie’s life (besides Mary and Kim). Natalie wishes her father was still alive, because she would have the option of living with him instead of her mother. Natalie said that her father was always more supportive than her mother, even though he was not around a lot.
Kim stated that her mother was gone a lot and that she wished she was around more often. She also expressed a desire to see her father more often. She confirmed that her grandmother was her predominate caretaker by stating that she took her to school, washed her clothes, made food for her, etc. Kim appeared well adjusted, saying that she liked school and had many friends.
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