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Benchmark Intake Report Part Two: Initial Interview Assignment
Identifying Information
Client Name: Thomas E. Spencer
Address: 8009 Bullseye Rd., Austin, Texas 12345
DOB: 10/31/1985
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Associate Pastor
Work/School: Associate Pastor at Stone View Community Church/ Bachelor of Science
in Psychology (General) and currently a student in Master of Divinity.
Work Phone: (123)456-7890
Emergency Contact: Luke Spencer (Brother)/(123)789-0456
Date of Interview: 08/27/2024
Reason for Referral
Mr. Spencer was referred to New Hope Church by Mrs. Miranda Sykes; Mr.
Spencer has been recommended for evaluation to determine whether he would be a good
candidate for a Senior Pastor role at New Hope.
Current Situation and Functioning
Mr. Spencer begins his daily routine around 0530, where she does between 30
minutes to an hour of cardio and meditation to cool down; after his workout, he will then
conduct hygiene and prepare his breakfast and follow-on meals for the day. Then he
leaves home around 0730 every morning to arrive at work by 0800. His workday is
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usually complete by 1800; afterward, he drives to his local gym for strength training,
then heads home and has dinner. Once he does his dishes and settles in for the day, he
reads for about 45 minutes, watches television for around an hour, and begins his
bedtime routine, which puts him in bed at 2200. Mr. Spencer has no issues completing
his daily routines, from working out to his strength training and, of course, his
professional and personal life; he has no problems managing his schedule. Involving
himself in the ministry over the years, he finds himself more empathetic and has gained
better deconfliction and problem-solving skills; he mentioned he has found his strong
suits to be flexibility/adaptability and resilience, and his weaknesses is that he is a
natural people pleaser. He has a hard time saying no when asked to help others.
Relevant Medical History
Mr. Spencer has no documented medical issues other than a minor fracture on his
ankle. About two years ago, he did not seek proper treatment due to a lack of insurance,
so he went to the emergency room and was given a splint. He reported having a family
history of high blood pressure on both sides; as a preventive method, he was prescribed a
low dosage of aspirin to control his blood pressure.
Psychiatric History
Mr. Spencer has ongoing psychiatric concerns. Where he sees a psychiatrist about
every two months for medication to help treat his depression and anxiety; recently, he
has also been diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder) with more
in-depth sessions by his counselor. His depression and anxiety are symptoms of
untreated (ADHD). Now, he has stopped taking medication for depression and switched
to medication to treat his ADHD; further discussion with Mr. Spencer revealed that his
mother suffered from major depression at a young age, and his late father had
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alcoholism. He does not know if his other siblings have any psychiatric or substance
abuse issues.
Family Issues
Mr. Spencer comes from a family of four, raised by both parents with one older
brother and sister; at the age of 13, his parent divorced, which caused a great deal of
stress throughout his life, giving having a close bond with both parents before the split.
Once the divorce was finalized, both of his siblings, including himself, went to live with
his mother out of state, and then the relationship with his father became estranged. To
this day, he keeps regular contact with his siblings and mother.
Social and Development History
Mr. Spencer had somewhat of a normal upbringing; he has mentioned getting into
some fights at school; he played football and found himself liking physical fitness from a
young age, so to cope with his parent’s divorce, he kept himself in sports throughout his
school days. His academics were above average since he was involved in sports all year
round. Still, when it comes to his relationships and love life, he has been very
promiscuous from a young age, which is the result of having three children with three
different women. Besides that, he maintains a strong and healthy relationship with his
children and their mother, where he finds social support from his church, siblings, and
close friends.
Educational and Occupational History
Mr. Spencer went to Catholic school from kindergarten to the eighth grade; once
he moved out of state with his mother, he started public school and graduated with
honors; he attended college at Wagner University in Staten Island, NY, where he earned
his bachelor's degree in psychology. He is pursuing his master’s in divinity at Liberty
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University Online. His current profession as an Associate Pastor at New Hope
Community Church for about two years, where he has excelled and feels grateful for the
opportunity to both worship and work for his religious community; he also believes that
the upcoming position as Senior Pastor will help expand the church to reach out to
multiple communities and allow individuals to call New Hope their home. He has also
been employed in various part-time positions to put himself through college. Still, at
New Hope, he finds stability and earned employee of the month and notable recognitions
from the church since his employment. He has not reported any occupational injuries or
job loss due to performance concerns from his previous work history other than a few
absences due to family emergencies.
Cultural Influences
Mr. Spencer is of Caribbean descent and grew up in a predominantly Caucasian
environment; he has no issues of prejudice, racism, or injustice. He could be affected by
assessment issues like privilege and marginalization in counseling, which may be a
potential influence since he is from a different socioeconomic and racial background
from his therapist.
Mental Status Exam
Appearance and Behavior
Mr. Spencer is a 38-year-old black male with an athletic build; during the
interview, his presence seemed very in order, well groomed, and freshly shaven; his
character was respectful and attentive throughout the interview. He dressed appropriately
for the season; since the weather was very wet and windy, he wore a coat and brought an
umbrella. He maintained eye contact during the interview, and all questions were
answered in a friendly and cooperative manner. Mr. Spencer did not display any
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agitation during the interview and did not show any atypical behavior. He spoke clearly
and concisely and was somewhat talkative and receptive to the information given, so
there were no signs of intoxication during the interview.
Sensorium and Mental Ability
During the interview, Mr. Spencer was attentive and oriented x4; the interviewer
noted that the client's intelligence was above average due to his educational background
and academic achievements. However, it must also be noted that no formal assessment
was completed to test his intellect; he has no long-term/short-term memory issues. He
was able to describe in detail his favorite childhood memory. Mr. Spencer did have some
issues with his attention/concentration during the interview; he was easily distracted
from the sounds of the normal operations outside of the office.
Thought
Mr. Spencer has a very logical flow of thought; he did not display any
disturbances in his thought process, which includes racing, flight of ideas, loosening of
associations, and tangential or blocked thinking. His thought content was within normal
range, and there were no signs of delusions, paranoia, or hallucinations. Mr. Spencer also
did not display any signs of compulsive behavior nor reported during the interview
process.
Sensory and Perceptual Processes
In this category, Mr. Spencer’s sensory and perceptual processes seemed to be
within normal limits during the interview; he could complete a simple puzzle, showing
no signs of psychomotor agitation.
Affect and Mood
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Mr. Spencer displayed a euthymic mood and congruent affect, which is backed by
his overall attitude during the interview by being calm and subtle, and his emotions were
balanced, showing no signs of depression or being overly happy. He maintained eye
contact and had everyday facial expressions to specific questions, and his tone reflected
positive and negative qualities throughout the questions. Mr. Spences did not display any
suicidal or homicidal thoughts or ideations and showed no signs of mania. The
interviewer did not report any risk of impulsive or violent behavior.
Self-regulation
Mr. Spencer had a rational sense of judgment during the interview process for his
current position; the interview indicates that Mr. Spencer could give an accurate and
consistent report of his current situation.
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