Vargas Case Study: Session 6

The Vargas family arrives five minutes late for their sixth session. Elizabeth apologizes for their

tardiness and complains that they had come from an event hosted by her former employer and

were having an argument in the parking lot. You notice the children appear somewhat disheveled

with red cheeks and grass-stained clothing. They excitedly share stories of coming from a “big

picnic” where they “played lots of games and made new friends.” Frank tells you that he was

playing Kick Ball and that his team was winning. Smiling and tousling Frank’s hair, Bob adds

that he and Frank were “an unstoppable force” who dominated each event at the picnic. Bob and

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Frank were in the middle of a celebratory high-five when Heidi tells her dad that she wishes he

would have been on her soccer team. While still engaged in the celebration with Frank, Bob

replies, “Me too; maybe next time.”

Elizabeth states she was “pleasantly surprised” that Bob was enjoying himself, given his strong

personal opinion of many of her friends, who are gay. Bob insists that the picnic was “just okay,”

and that he “was just trying to be nice.” He tells you he doesn’t have “anything against gays,” but

that “they just make me uncomfortable.” Heidi reminds him that he agreed to have her new

friend, Dani “and her two daddies,” over for a barbeque. You comment that the family’s mood

has changed from how they arrived. Frank explains that his mother got angry at him and admits

to running away and hiding from his mother when she said it was time to leave the picnic.

Elizabeth immediately denies being mad at him. You ask Frank what made him think his mother

was mad, and he replied, “Her eyes were squinty and she had a mean voice.” When asked if his

dad was also angry, Frank replies, “He saw me in my hiding place; he was smiling. Then in the

car, he yelled at me to ‘listen to your mother.’”

Elizabeth shot Bob an angry look when Heidi shares that she was having fun playing soccer and

that she didn’t want to leave either. She adds, “I always listen because I don’t want Mommy to

be sad.” She proceeds to blame her brother for “making Mommy and Daddy fight” to which

Frank makes a counter-accusation, blaming Heidi for the parental discord. Elizabeth and Bob

exchange angry looks, then Bob assures Heidi that, “It wasn’t all your fault.”