INITIAL INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT
Author Note
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to
Email: cbdefreitas@liberty.edu
Benchmark Initial Interview Assignment
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
1
INITIAL INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT2
Intake Report Part One: Initial Interview Assignment Template
Identifying Information
Client Name: Donna Williams
Client Address: 211 Laurel Ave, Kearny, New Jersey 07032
Phone Number: (863)-525-9312
Date of Birth: 03/29/1983
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Graduate Student/Assistant
School: Liberty University
Work Contact: Mount Zion Church: (848)-475-9554
Emergency Contact: Client’s spouse - Liam Williams (848)-968-6398
Date of Interview: 08/31/2022
Reason for Referral
Donna Williams has been referred to me for evaluation because she seems to be a viable
candidate to join Hope City Church on a mission trip to Haiti. They want her to be evaluated by a
therapist before they take her in.
Current Situation and Functioning
Based on the assessment, Mrs. Williams has a structured and stable life. She is married to
Mr. Liam Williams and has no children. She has a schedule to follow for her typical daily
activities for school and work. The client has many responsibilities daily because she works as
her pastor's assistant. Even though she works part-time daily, her mornings are pretty busy
helping the pastor with his agenda. Mrs. Williams has also decided to go back to School to get a
INITIAL INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT3
master’s degree in Family Therapy, so she manages her schedule in such a way as to make time
for her to go to school and complete all of her school responsibilities. Additionally, the client
dedicates part of her days to physical exercises, family and friends, hobbies, and housework.
Based on the assessment for daily living, Mrs. Williams seems to be organized and reliable.
Work, school, and other responsibilities indeed bring stress to Mrs. Williams’ life.
However, the assessment of coping/character skills concluded that Mrs. Williams copes well with
stress and emotional distress. During the evaluation, we discussed how she handles stressful
situations in her life. She mentioned that she relies on religious practices such as praying and
reading the bible regularly. In addition, she does therapy and physical exercises. She said these
practices and the love and care of her husband, family, and friends, keep her emotionally,
spiritually, and mentally stable.
The client seems to tend towards perfectionism and control. She mentioned that this
tendency sometimes makes her uncomfortable and unsettled, and she is conscious of it. She tries
to manage it, so it won’t become unhealthy behaviors that affect her relationships and emotional
stability. Additionally, Mrs. Williams can excessively give her time, attention, and even her
personal belongings. This personality trait is exaggerated and out of balance, and it may cause
her trouble. For instance, she has had situations where she committed to helping people who
ended up abusing her readiness and willingness to help. It could be a scenario of a lack of ability
to establish boundaries.
Mrs. Williams is self-aware. She recognizes her strengths and weaknesses. She has a
primarily positive perception of herself but is conscious of the areas she needs to grow. She
considers herself a generous person with a heart for the poor and suffering. She takes pride in her
work and believes she is a competent problem-solver who handles stress well.
INITIAL INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT4
Relevant Medical History
The client has a family medical history that requires attention. She reported that her
family had lost a few people over the years because of cancer on both sides of the family. She is
aware of her susceptibility to her having it. For this reason, she visits the Doctor for a check-up
every year. She has no current health issues but did report a hospitalization about a year ago due
to a broken arm from a car accident. She affirms that she has never had any major health issues.
Psychiatric Treatment History
The client does therapy regularly. She began seeing a therapist after starting her master’s
program. She was advised to do so by some of her professors. She mentioned that it was one of
the best decisions she has made in life because it helps her streamline her thoughts and feelings
and live an emotionally balanced life. Mrs. Williams reported she had had anxiety before; she
said there were a few difficult moments in her life when she experienced anxiety. One of them
was deciding to return to school after feeling she needed to invest more in her future. The
transition from being in a comfortable place to starting school again brought her fear and stress.
Counseling is the only mental health treatment she has ever experienced and needed. She also
affirmed that there is no case of psychiatric and substance abuse in her family.
Family History
Mrs. Williams comes from a family of three children, including herself. She grew up with
an older sister and a younger brother. Her parents have been together for forty-three years. She
was raised with Christian principles. Her father was a church leader for many years, and her
mother was an active church member who loved to help with social and missionary work. She
grew up watching her parents help people, so she developed the same heart for helping the
needy. Her siblings are both married and have kids. Even though she loves her nephews and
INITIAL INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT5
nieces, Mrs. Williams has decided not to have kids. Her dream is to adopt a child from a
developing country. Her family seems to be structured and close and has always had a
healthy/close relationship with each other. Currently, everyone lives relatively close; they talk to
each other regularly and always get together for celebrations.
Social and Developmental History
The social and developmental history assessment revealed significant aspects of Mrs.
Williams' personality tendencies. She grew up in a Christian household; her parents enforced
Christian principles during her childhood and adolescence. In addition to attending school, the
fact that the family attended church regularly helped the client to develop a sense of community
from an early age. She affirms that she was always surrounded by people doing church activities.
For this reason, she became very open socially.
The client’s parents were leaders in the church, and with that came the pressure of being
an example to others. From an early age, Mrs. Williams and her siblings were required to have
exemplary behavior. She mentioned that she grew up hearing people say, you are the pastor’s
daughter; you must behave better than the other kids. This demand upon her developed a
constant need to be better, perform tasks with excellence, and always be ahead and on top in
every aspect of her life. She now understands that this must be the cause of her perfectionism.
This also affected her academic journey because she wanted to be on top of the class. She was an
A student and never accepted a B as a grade.
Mrs. Williams affirmed having a healthy circle of friends and never having significant
issues in her friendships. However, she reported having trouble in her relationship with her
husband when they first got married because she wanted control over everything. She was also
bossy and demanding. She said her husband helped her grow and mature a great deal. She
INITIAL INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT6
learned how to manage her need for control. She learned to love and respect her husband.
Educational and Occupational History
The client attended Lakewood Elementary School and Lakewood High School in New
Jersey. After some time off, she went to College at Rutgers University for a bachelor's degree in
Psychology. She did not immediately seek to further her education and pursue a master's degree.
However, she became interested in the Theology Seminar her church offered and graduated after
four years. As far as an occupation, Mrs. Williams confessed she became comfortable working
for the church as the pastor’s assistant and has kept this job until now. About a year ago, she
decided to pursue a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and is currently doing that.
Cultural Influences
Mrs. Williams is half American, half Latina. Her mother immigrated to the US as a young
adult and married an American man. She speaks some Portuguese because her mother talked to
her in Portuguese most of the time when she was a child. She said she loves Brazil and the
Brazilian culture but primarily identifies with the American culture. There were no assessment
issues concerning cultural biases with this client.
