Introduction: Client Information
Terry Cheney’s autobiographical book, Manic, chronicles the life of a successful entertainment lawyer. However, her life is somewhat complicated as she has to deal with her bipolar disorder. Terry Cheney was born and raised in California. She is a white woman who was brought up and raised in a Catholic family.
At 25, Cheney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, to which she dedicated her autobiography. The period for the study can be analyzed in terms of years 25 to 35. This period was chosen because it was then that Cheney was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began to treat it actively.
Principles Applicable to the Client
Ethics
A case manager needs to observe ethical standards when working with clients. That way, they can ensure they do the right thing without hurting anyone’s feelings. Ethical compliance may include maintaining client confidentiality, obtaining informed consent, and practicing cultural competence. When working with a client, it is important to respect her confidential information, as it cannot be disclosed without her consent. This aspect must be strictly observed as it is one of the fundamental principles of working with people.
Culture
In addition, when communicating with a client, it is also essential to know her cultural characteristics and preferences to provide the best service. Bipolar disorder can affect people of any age, race, or nationality. However, considering specific ethnicity, gender, and origins can help develop the right communication strategy with a client. Terry Cheney grew up in a Catholic family that may have had specific ideas about mental illness. As such, a person working with Terry Cheney must know these potential cultural factors to adjust the analysis accordingly.
Boundaries
Boundaries can be another essential communication element to consider. Setting them up can help Cheney feel more comfortable, bringing excellent results. Such established boundaries can be negotiated through expectations from communication. In this case, the client’s desired results can be clearly understood.
In Cheney’s case, boundaries are needed to ensure she is not overwhelmed by her emotions and can be attuned to communication. In her autobiography, she describes several times when she became too dependent on her therapists or doctors, and this negatively affected the treatment process (Cheney, 2009). Boundaries and predetermined expectations are necessary to avoid such situations that could harm the general mood of communication. The case manager must be aware of potential problems to avoid them effectively.
Open vs. Closed Questions
In this case, asking open-ended questions when working with a client is essential, as it will help Cheney express her feelings. Through such communication, it will be possible to understand better what worries a person. At the same time, if the situation does not require a detailed description of any meanings or emotional state, then it would be more appropriate to use closed questions. They can be ideal for collecting any specific information.
When working with a person with bipolar disorder, open-ended questions are of great importance as they can help the client stop being shy or eliminate the overwhelming sensations that prevent him from relaxing. In this way, a more informal atmosphere is achieved, which facilitates communication. However, it is important not to cross the pre-agreed limits outlined above. Since Cheney often feels emotional ups and downs, private, short, closed questions can make her challenging to answer due to congestion.
Bringing Up Difficult Issues
In discussions with clients, a case manager must be able to raise complex issues since their discussion can sometimes be critical to the result of the whole work. This may include questions about any difficult moments in the client’s life or associated with unpleasant memories. When talking to Cheney, it may be necessary to bring up complex topics about what negative experiences she has experienced due to her disorder. In addition, another heavy topic may be the drugs she wrote about in the book and their side effects (Cheney, 2009). However, all this needs to be discussed to understand how significant the problem areas are and how they must be worked out.
Defining Accountable for the Problem
For an effective treatment process and good results, clarifying who owns the problem in the client-case manager relationship is essential. The client must be fully aware that, since a problematic situation has developed, she must fully participate in its resolution. Only in this case will it be possible to achieve a positive outcome in the communication process. In working with Terry Cheney, it is essential to emphasize the importance of taking care of herself and protecting her own space. If the client does not actively manage their symptoms, bipolar disorder may remain a lifelong condition.
Conclusion
Terri Cheney’s autobiography “Manic” details the author’s complex struggle with bipolar disorder and his emotions. The author describes the complex process of understanding the disease, its treatment, and the suffering from side effects. All this gives a complete picture of bipolar disorder and can be the basis for drawing up a portrait of a person. By following certain principles of communication with respect for ethical boundaries, the case manager will be able to achieve the proper effect from communication.
Reference
Cheney, T. (2009). Manic. William Morrow Paperbacks.