The Veteran Supported Education Service Treatment Manual: VetSEd

More efficient is consideration of the two or three solutions that seem most probable.
Frank wanted to exclude anything that involved telling someone else like the Dean,
department chair, or registrar because Frank was concerned this will create hostility
in his advisor. He thought Dr. Pearl might feel his privacy violated if Frank called
him at home. He decided to consider the pros and cons of meeting Dr. Pearl after
Tuesday‘s psychology 101 lecture at the classroom door. He checked this comparison
against the advantages and disadvantages of having Sam call Dr. Pearl. No costs or
benefits are right or wrong. It is not clear that Sam could address Dr. Pearl better
than Frank. Still, it is only Frank‘s perceptions that matter. Sometimes these
perceptions might not seem to reflect more objective evidence. For example, most
other students report Dr. Pearl to be a kind and responsive instructor. In cases like
these, Sam may help Frank to collect evidence about a perception. But ultimately it is
Evaluate Solution #2
Have Sam contact Dr. Pearl
COSTS
Dr. Pearl might think Frank is unable
to address his own problems
Dr. Pearl may tell Sam private things
More students will find out Frank has
PTSD
Have to rush around school
BENEFITS
Sam can handle Dr. Pearl‘s disapproval
Frank will not have to come to school
early
Dr. Pearl is more likely to listen to Sam
Sam will know better what to say
the Veteran‘s perceptions and opinions that matter. The ultimate choice among
solution alternatives is not black and white. The Veteran is asked to weigh all the
information and settle on one he or she might develop into an actual solution. Frank
decided attempting to catch Dr. Pearl after his psychology class was best.
4. Pick a solution and plan it. Many attempts at problem solving stall because people
fail to translate ideas into intentions. That is the goal of step 4 of personal problem
solving. Specifics need to be worked out. When and where will the solution be tried?
Who will be involved? And what specifically will the Veteran do? The next meeting
of Dr. Pearl‘s psychology class was Tuesday but Frank could not do that because he
had a dentist‘s appointment. So he chose the next Thursday. Frank had actually
never been to this room before so he was going to look it up on the college floor plan.
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