Psychosocial Assessment

Ashlee Johnstone

Section One – Client Identifying Information/Demographics:

Client: Jennifer

Date: April 10th, 2023

Address:

From: Brockport, Maryland

Currently: Columbia, South Carolina

Age: 27; First year MSW student

Gender: Female

Ethnicity: Not Stated

Race: White

Marital Status: Divorced

Referral Source: University of South Carolina student counseling

Section Two – Background

Client states that she is originally from Maryland. Client has always lived around family

and friends. Client has never left Maryland. Client graduated from undergraduate in Maryland.

Client is currently enrolled in the University of South Carolina MSW program. She is a first-year

student, but nontraditional. She was previously employed at a residential inpatient hospital for

severe mental illness. Client is not concerned with financial status. Client has money saved up

and is receiving alimony from ex-husband for at least the next two years. Has received therapy
before during the filling for divorce process. Client goes to the Sandhill farmer’s market once a

week.

Section Three – Current Situation

Client has lost 15-20 pounds in the 6 or 7 months in South Carolina. Has expressed a loss for

appetite. Client has also expressed a lack of self-confidence recently. Client is still in contact with

ex-husband on occasion. Client is catholic and involved at a church in Maryland. She says that

she has had trouble finding catholic churches within the Columbia area. She has had some

trouble adjusting to her new surroundings and struggled to find people close in age to her.

Client does not have a social life establish in Columbia but has friends back home in Maryland.

There is no extended family in South Carolina. She was married and then divorced two years

prior to present day. Client lives in an apartment but claims that only military families live

nearby. Clients seems to have a few community resources but needs more options. Client also

expresses struggles with group projects and meeting in-person. There is little motivation to do

hobbies such as reading or working out.

Section Four – Client Strengths, Capacities, and Resources

Client has strength in having the wiliness to move and create new experiences. She

moved to a new place without any family or friends after a recent divorce to pursue career.

Client is healing from divorce in a new place without family or friends’ physical support. She has

tried to branch out but feels defeated due to the age difference within her cohort. She was

recommended to physical resources of graduate student groups to join, a university farmer’s

market, and other university events the client can attend to connect with other students. She

will be returning to counseling with Mike in the future for an emotional resource.
Section Five – Impressions, Assessment, and Recommendations

Task-centered approached will be used in this case. Task-centered approach is forward

thinking and goal-oriented. I think this is vital for the client as she needs something to look

forward to in her mental state. The goals can be best represented when speaking to the client

during the next session. However, goal one should be to have good self-confidence, and to

connect with other graduate students within the same age as Jennifer.

Goal #1

Objective: Improved self-confidence

Specific: Jennifer will have good self-confidence.

Measurable: Self-confidence is not something that you fix instantly. This is a progressive goal

and will take time to develop. Step 1 would be for Jennifer to say aspects of herself that she

likes. Step 2 would be to then say what she dislikes and what she thinks would change that

vision. Step 3 would be to say that she loves herself and that is where success would lie. These

steps are theoretical, and success would solely be based upon small improvements such as not

breaking eye contact when talking about herself or choking up when she says she doesn’t like

how she looks.

Achievable: There would be no specific time stamp on this goal but would be a continuous one.

The goal would hopefully be “achieved” at the end of the series of sessions allotted.

Realistic: This could take weeks, months, or years. Self-confidence is not something you can

teach someone. However, without self-confidence she will not reach the level of socialization

she strives to achieve.

Timestamped: The end of the allotted sessions with Jennifer.

Goal #2

Objective: Social connection with students within 2 years of Jennifer.

Specific: Empower Jennifer to create social connections and branch out with other students that

share interests around her age.

Measurable: Success should be measured starting with Jennifer attending social events

recommended by Mike. Then, hopefully some form of connection comes from attending social

events which could lead to friends.

Achievable: Yes, this is an achievable goal. Jennifer expresses having friends back home. The

client is craving friends and social interaction so if put into a social situation I think she would

make more friends than she expects.

Realistic: This could take a couple of days, but I do not foresee this taking longer than a month.

There are other students within the graduate schooling that are similar in age. Once she gets

connected with those people, I think that she will create the connections no problem.

Timestamped: No longer than a month for connections to form.