Example:

Cathy felt restless and could not get herself to calm down. She could not concentrate on anything and was feeling the start of a headache. The past few nights, she had tossed and turned for an hour or two before falling asleep. Last night, she woke up several times and it took forever to go back to sleep. Waking up was not that bad; but the bad dreams upset her and kept her from going back to sleep. She could not get them off her mind.

Between feeling tired and her headache, there was no way she could pay attention to what her foster mother was saying. "Calm down," Cathy told herself. "I think I'm going to be sick." She thought her upset stomach was because of something she ate but the more upset she got, the worse it got. "Don't start crying again. I've got to get out of here," she screamed to herself as she turned and ran out of the room.

                                                             Brief Treatment Plan

            For the example, complete the Brief Treatment Plan below. What signs of stress do you see? Write the sign of stress in the left column and your action (what you would say and do to help) in the right hand column beside the sign.

Sign:                                                                 Your action:

1.

2.