Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Practice Exam

What is the primary focus of treatment for a client presenting with anxiety related to a recent traumatic experience?

1. Promote emotional disclosure

2. Enhance coping strategies

3. Re-examine past traumas

4. Challenge cognitive distortions

The correct answer is: Enhance coping strategies

The primary focus of treatment for a client presenting with anxiety related to a recent traumatic experience is to enhance coping strategies. This approach is crucial as clients often experience overwhelming emotions and cognitive disruptions after a traumatic event. By enhancing coping strategies, clinicians help clients develop practical tools to manage their symptoms, such as anxiety, avoidance, or hyperarousal. Coping strategies might include a range of techniques such as mindfulness, grounding exercises, and relaxation techniques, which empower clients to take an active role in their recovery. This focus on coping aligns with the principles of trauma-informed care, which emphasize understanding how trauma impacts individuals and promoting resilience. While promoting emotional disclosure can be important in therapy, it’s not the primary focus, especially at the initial stage following a traumatic event. This is because clients may not yet be ready to discuss their feelings in depth without the necessary coping mechanisms in place. Re-examining past traumas and challenging cognitive distortions are also valuable components of therapy; however, they often come later in treatment after a foundation of effective coping strategies has been established. Thus, enhancing coping strategies serves as the most supportive initial approach for clients dealing with anxiety stemming from recent traumatic experiences.