Group Therapy Sessions
Name
Institution
Date
Group Therapy Sessions
Patient 1
Date of group therapy: Nov 2020
Group type: The subject of today’s group therapy was distress tolerance. The group members were encouraged to share their feelings and possible reactions when they were in distress. They were also encouraged to share methods that they would use to regulate their emotions to tolerate distress.
Patient Description
Patient’s Name: Ann
Age: 7 years’ old
Today, Ann seemed to be in quite a happy, comfortable, and relaxed mood as she came into the room for the session. However, as soon as people started sharing their experiences, she became withdrawn. It was evident from the point where I was sitting that she was shaking and trembling. All this time, her head was down, and whenever she looked up would avoid eye contact with any of the individuals. When it was time for her to share, it was clear that she wanted to, but the fear was holding her back. Fortunately, she was able to speak, albeit in an overly soft voice. This was an improvement since, during the last session, she had been unable to say anything. Ann had come to the sessions reporting instances of lightheadedness, dizziness, and excessive self-consciousness while in social settings. This had led to difficulty in any interactions. In school, Ann would not even answer questions for fear of judgment by others. She was on Benzodiazepines, which were meant to reduce the level of anxiety.
Diagnosis: Social Anxiety Disorder- DSM-5 300.23 (F40.10)
The DSM-5 indicates that there are 10 diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder. Ann fits into seven out of the criteria provided by DSM-5 (APA, 2013). She has a fear of social settings, always feeling as if she is being observed or scrutinized. This is what makes her avoid social settings. Any social interaction provokes distress, which is evident with how Ann shakes and trembles when it is about time for her to speak in public. This has led to her avoiding social interactions. The fear and anxiety should have persisted for more than six months, where Ann has experienced these symptoms for more than 18 months. An ethical issue that can arise in this case is that of boundaries between the therapist and the patient. The patient can get overly attached to the therapist, wanting them to continually talk to them physically and over the phone, affecting their autonomy. As such, the therapist needs to maintain important boundaries.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Anxiety Disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).