Written by Terry Bardagjy on September 18, 2020
Clinical Vignette Patrick1 is a single, 45-year-old male who presents with widespread chronic pain that has become intolerable. His GP cannot find any physical reason for the current exacerbation of his pain and consequent disability—and made the referral for an assessment. His pain started in his 20s when he experienced a number of sports injuries […]
Written by Terry Bardagjy on September 11, 2020
Vignette A 27-year-old businessman presents as a self-referral to your private practice for an initial psychological consultation requesting an assessment for ADHD. He reports taking on a new position about 6 months ago, with new responsibilities and stressors. While this new position required relocation, his wife and two children continue to live in their old […]
Written by Terry Bardagjy on September 11, 2020
Clinical Vignette Kayla, a 13-year-old girl with type 1 diabetes (T1D), was referred for outpatient psychological services because of concerns about depressed mood and lack of engagement in diabetes self-care. In your interview with her, she stated that she “doesn’t care” about her health, and expressed frustration and anger about her parent’s “nagging” about diabetes. […]
Written by Terry Bardagjy on September 9, 2020
Clinical Vignette Jenny is a 2-year, 1-month-old toddler whose parents report continuing concerns about her development. Her pediatrician has responded with a request for a detailed developmental assessment. Language is a major area of worry, although motor skills are delayed, and Jenny is described as “clumsy.” Jenny was born at 25 weeks gestational age. She […]
Written by Terry Bardagjy on September 9, 2020
Lissa, a 13-year-old girl, is brought to your office by her parents because of reported intermittent low mood and significant social anxiety. They describe her as being a kind girl and “having a big heart.”
Written by Terry Bardagjy on June 18, 2020
Clinical Vignettes Gail Hopkins, PsyD, a 39-year-old Black psychologist, wakes up feeling anxious and falls asleep feeling anxious about the COVID-19 pandemic. In between, she experiences diffuse background worry most of the day. As a member of the sandwich generation, Dr. Hopkins worries about both her two young children quarantined at home and her aging […]
Written by Terry Bardagjy on June 16, 2020
Clinical Vignette Your patient, Sara, who you have been seeing in weekly therapy for a year, had a setback recently and was briefly hospitalized. She has now been released from the local psychiatric unit with a new medication plan. Her prescription for fluoxetine (Prozac; 60 mg/daily) was abruptly discontinued and replaced with a different antidepressant, […]
Written by Terry Bardagjy on June 16, 2020
Clinical Vignette Natalie is a 42-year-old woman experiencing panic attacks after an industrial accident in which she lost four fingers on one hand. While working on a hot plastic molding press, the machine malfunctioned—closing on her left hand and amputating her four fingers but sparing her thumb. She sustained both a crushing amputation and a […]
Written by Terry Bardagjy on March 16, 2020
John is a 22-year-old male, ethnically identified as Métis (a Canadian indigenous cultural group), with an escalating history of substance abuse. He arrives at the reception center in the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains with his mother, who drove with him to show her support. She has struggled with alcohol and drugs most of […]
Written by Terry Bardagjy on March 6, 2020
Jasmine, a 35-year-old, married, black mother of two, asked her neurologist for a referral because of her struggles with increasing symptoms from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). She was initially diagnosed three years ago after several years of reported symptoms were ignored or misdiagnosed. Jasmine states that she wants to learn better ways to cope with […]