psychology

Scenario 1

Sandra is a 30-year-old engaged woman. She works as a top executive for a Fortune 500 corporation. She works long hours, sometimes 14–16 hours daily in order to keep up and compete with her peers. Sandra is from a well-to-do family. She attended the Yale School of Business and has high expectations for herself. She resides with her fiancé and is in the process of planning her nuptials.

Sandra sometimes feels inadequate due to the fact that she spends so many hours at work in order to stay competitive. In addition, she sometimes works on weekends and takes work home.

Lately, Sandra has been feeling tired all the time. She has had difficulty focusing on work- related and wedding-planning tasks. She often starts a task, but fails to complete it. Her fiancé has confronted her about her sad moods, irritability, and quick to anger tone. He even asked her if she was having second thoughts about getting married.

Sandra has not spent much time lately with family and friends. She has alienated her friends. She has insomnia lately, because she constantly worries about every aspect of her life. Sandra feels like she has achieved much in life in terms of career and personal life, yet she cannot seem to escape her constant sad mood and worrying.

Scenario 2

John is a 42-year-old married father of two. He and his wife have been married for 10 years. John considers himself successful, because he has worked as a banker for a small bank for the past four years. John's wife is a stay-at-home wife, although both children attend school during the day.

John considers himself a good financial provider. He pays all bills, including a $7,000 monthly mortgage. John's bank recently announced that it will merge with a bigger caliber bank and there will be some staffing cuts. Job cuts will be determined by seniority.

Ever since the announcement, John has been feeling restless and fatigued. He knows that most of his colleagues have been employed at the bank longer than him. At home, he stares into space while his wife tries to get his attention. He constantly thinks about the monthly bills, most importantly, the mortgage. He has already thought that they most likely will have to sell the house and downgrade to a smaller house. John constantly ruminates about if and when he will get the decision from his employer. He has not slept since the announcement and he has not spent much time with his wife and children.