Case Study

Instruction:

write a journal-style paper that discusses what the student learned from their experience as the therapist in the role-play sessions. The journal should discuss reflections from the student about what they did well, what they need to practice more, and insight from both their own perspective and the feedback they received from their fellow students and the Professor. Additionally, the student will discuss insights they gained regarding how their personality and interactive style might influence their work with clients.

Bob

Case Study Details

Bob is a 50-year old male on disability support. In your intake, he tells you that he was “just fine” until he got injured on the job, which led to a series of acute medical procedures, physical therapy, and major stress from filing disability paperwork. Disability was recently awarded. He tells you that he sits at home most days, despite his wife’s attempts to get him out of the house with her. He dislikes leaving the house because he never knows when his pain will flare up and therefore feel the immediate need to lay down and take his pain medication. He feels very guilty for not being a better partner to his wife and tries to make up for this by taking care of long-standing home repairs. Bob recognizes that he often overdoes it when he takes on one of these projects, which exacerbates his pain and leads him to feel hopeless. He starts to focus on all that he has lost and imagines a future in which he is weak and house-bound. He also acknowledges that, when he is in this physical and emotional state, he is likely to snap at his wife and say things he later regrets.

Diagnosis – chronic pain

Symptoms

• Chronic Pain

Phil

Case Study Details

Phil is a 67-year-old male who reports that his biggest problem is worrying.  He worries all of the time and about “everything under the sun.”  For example, he reports equal worry about his wife who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer and whether he returned his book to the library.  He recognizes that his wife is more important than a book, and is bothered that both cause him similar levels of worry.  Phil is unable to control his worrying.  Accompanying this excessive and uncontrollable worry are difficulty failing asleep, impatience with others, difficulty focusing at work, and significant back and muscle tension.  Phil has had a lifelong problem with worry, recalling that his mother called him a “worry wart.”  His worrying does wax and wane, and worsened when his wife was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

Diagnosis – Generalized anxiety disorder

Symptoms

• Anxiety
• Concentration Difficulties
• Irritability
• Sleep Difficulties
• Worry