Simulated Client
Basic Information: A 30 year old graduate student studying research psychology, married, no children
Background: After graduating from college, the client went to work at Midtown as a Group Home Tech. Client worked there for 8 years, but it was a $7.00 per hour, dead-end job that the client didn’t like. He/she did such things as monitor daily activities and general clean-up for people who were chronically mentally ill. The client’s supervisor was not supportive and the client thought that other staff members were mistreating the people being served. Eventually the client decided to go on to graduate school. To help pay for his/her education, he/she is working 20 hours per week at Midtown while being a full-time graduate student.
Problems:
Precipitating factors: Client is doesn’t feel well and is scared that he/she will not be able to finish a major paper that is due in 3 days. Client has procrastinated and now worries that he/she can’t finish this paper and does well on it.
History of the problem: The client has had increasing stress since the beginning of the fall semester. Client wants to do well in graduate school and is worried about whether he/she can live up to his/her standards.
Previous attempts to solve the problem: The client has talked to his/her spouse about the stress he/she feels, has prayed about the problem, and has made schedules that he/she intends to keep in order to get his/her school work completed (the schedules haven’t worked because he/she ends up having to work more than he/she had planned)
Severity of the problem: He/she defines the problems as severe (9 on a 10 point scale).
Person:
Feelings: worried, scared, stressed, tired, and burnt out. He/she is guilty about not spending more time with spouse and sometimes feels apathy about the relationship.
Effects of functioning: He/she is waking up at night feeling worried about everything he/she has to do.
Strengths: He/she is motivated to do well in school, is responsible, is hard working, is intelligent, and wants to maintain a good marriage. Client is reasonably verbal and willing to discuss feelings.
Situation:
Effect on others: His/her spouse feels neglected because they don’t have enough time together. The client is always busy with either school or work. He/she has become isolated from friends and at Thanksgiving was withdrawn and tired, didn’t interact much with family.
Social Support: other students and student study groups.