Mrs. Martin is raising her teenage daughter alone after the sudden death of her husband three years ago. Although it has been a struggle for both her and her daughter, Mrs. Martin was just starting to feel as though things were improving until she recently discovered her daughter has been drinking heavily on weekends.
Mrs. Martin was shocked and devastated, but her daughter agreed to go to counseling. Over the course of several joint sessions, Mrs. Martin has learned how anxious her husband’s death has made her daughter, who has been worrying about illness, death, and loss of her mother, other relatives, and friends. In addition, her daughter has been highly concerned about their financial wellbeing, as well as what will happen to Mrs. Martin once her daughter leaves for college. It has been these fears that her daughter said were near constant and uncontrollable that lead her to start drinking as a means to quiet the worry.