Example:

"What am I doing here? I should have just stayed home. I don't belong here. I don't fit in. I don't fit in anywhere."

Richard's thoughts were rushing as he stood by himself watching the party. He wanted to join a cluster of young people talking in the kitchen but was afraid. "Even if they let me join in, I will mess up. I will just say something dumb or do something stupid and they will laugh at me. That would be worse than just standing here by myself."

He had told himself he would do better this time. This time he was going to act like he had as much of a right to be there as anyone else. This time he would not just stand around and watch everyone have a good time.

"If I were just bigger and did not look so weird I'd be fine. I'd have friends and fit in."

Later that night, Richard was sitting alone in his room at his foster home. He had left the party after a half hour or so; and no one even noticed. "Why doesn't anyone want me around? Even my family doesn't want me. What family? That's a good joke: my so called family. What's wrong with me?" He sat in an unfamiliar chair staring off into space feeling awful more than thinking about anything special. "I should have known better. I should have known it would turn out like that. It always does. I was stupid like usual." He felt the tears as he turned off the light and got into bed. "It's always going to be this way. No one will ever care. Why should they? I don't care either."

                                                             Brief Treatment Plan

            For the example, finish this Brief Treatment Plan. Put the signs you think are important in the left column. Write your action (what you would say and do to help) in the right hand column beside the sign.

Sign:                                                                 Your action:

1.

2.