Please read case study and answer questions:

Case Study:

A 22-year-old transgender person named Loren presents for an intake interview at your residential substance use treatment program. She is dressed in feminine attire and tells you she has been living fulltime as a woman for more than three years. Loren has had a legal name change and has identification that states she is female. She tells you she has been in treatment before and described a very bad experience. For example, the staff at her previous treatment refused to address her as a woman. Further, other clients sexually and verbally harassed her based on gender identity and gender expression. She felt very unsafe during her first treatment experience and has carried over some of those fears and overall discomfort to your counseling relationship. Loren shared that she has a long history of abusing crystal methamphetamine with serious consequences including but not limited to unemployment, unstable family relationships, and mental health problems such as depression, low self-esteem, and difficulty sleeping. Although Loren indicated that she has family discord as a result of her substance use, she described her family as supportive of her transition and positive supports in her recovery. Loren demonstrated a willingness and readiness to change and wants to begin treatment immediately in your residential treatment program.

Questions:

1. Describe how you would protect Loren and ensure that her negative experiences in her first treatment episode are not repeated. Keep in mind that this a residential treatment center where Loren will be staying for a minimum of 28 days.

2. Social support is very important as an individual enters into and maintains recovery from substance use. Based on the vignette, how would as Loren's counselor help her use and strengthen her support network?