Case Study
Patient Demographic: Client Age: 20 Sex: Female Gender: Female Sexuality: Heterosexual Ethnicity: Asian Relationship Status: Single Counseling Setting: College counseling clinic Type of Counseling: Individual counseling Presenting Problem: Panic attacks Diagnosis: Provisional diagnosis: panic disorder (F41.0)
Mental Status Exam: Mental Status Exam: The client is oriented to person, place, time, and situation. The client does not appear anxious or depressed and was friendly and eng
Presenting Problem: You are a counselor working in a college counseling department. The client comes in after being late to class several times over the last month due to reported “freak-outs” in the morning. The client experiences the following panic symptoms: accelerated heart rate, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, and a feeling of impending doom. The client reports a feeling of impending doom when she wakes up on days when she has classes, and this anxiety tends to escalate into fear of having a panic attack on a daily basis, often making her late to her first class. The client is worried that she will have panic attacks every day for the rest of her life. She says that her parents have put a lot of pressure on her to get a high grade point average at college. The client is worried about how this pressure and the panic attacks are going to affect her doing well at college and engaging socially.
Other Contexts: aged. Family History: The client reports that she is close with her parents but that they often have high expectations of her and that she worries about disappointing them. The client has an older brother who is 25 and is a lawyer. The client says some of the pressure is wanting to be as successful as her brother because she thinks her parents are really proud of him.  Your client is worried about how panic attacks are affecting her academic life

Question: Your client is worried about how panic attacks are affecting her academic life. With appropriate releases of information signed by the client, which of the following would be the most effective way to advocate on behalf of the client with the college based on her presenting needs?
(A): Meet with her teachers to discuss what the client is going through.
(B): Meet with teachers of the classes that the client has in the morning to discuss extending deadlines for her assignments.
(C): Meet with the college’s department of disabilities to discuss extending deadlines for her assignments.
(D): Meet with the college’s department of disabilities to discuss leniency with attendance.

Correct Answer: Meet with the college’s department of disabilities to discuss leniency with attendance.
Explanation: Each university has a department that advocates and provides accommodations for individuals who have disabilities, including mental health conditions. Because the client is experiencing panic attacks that are affecting her academic performance, this might be an appropriate opportunity to advocate for the client’s needs. The client is having trouble with attendance and attending class on time, and this would be the most important area to advocate for leniency. The client does not need to have deadlines extended because as far as you know, she is meeting the deadlines for her assignments. The department of disabilities will coordinate with her teachers; therefore, you do not need to meet with each one. Therefore, the correct answer is (B)
Competency: professional practice and ethics