A novel walk-in clinic treatment intervention for youth presenting with anxiety and depression.

Abstract

This article explores a novel, single-session treatment intervention for anxiety and depression through an externalizing process, transforming of metaphoric imagery, and shifting of underlying maladaptive emotional schemas within the Walk-in counseling setting. The purpose of this paper is to present a novel, single-session treatment protocol that is delineated through a six-stage process (or mediators of change) for the clinical population of youth presenting with anxiety and/or depression, mild-to-moderate severity. These are two of the most common presenting concerns for this population and the proposed treatment intervention is from a very brief format. A case study is used to illustrate the treatment protocol which is presented in table format and within-session description. A composite literature review was conducted with relevant works specific to single-session consultation including Walk-in clinic models to mental health treatment. The interconnected theoretical constructs both map and manualize its key clinical processes, which reflects the mechanism of change in this brief model. This proposed line of clinical research may introduce a paradigm shift towards specific treatments for specific presenting concerns in the Walk-in counseling modality for youth.