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Benchmark Intake Report Part One: Initial Interview Assignment
Cynthia Carodine
Department of Counselor Education and Family Studies, Liberty University
Author Note
Cynthia Carodine
I have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this paper should be addressed to Cynthia Carodine.
Email: ccarodine1@liberty.edu
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Benchmark Intake Report Part One: Initial Interview Assignment
Identifying Information
Name: Jason Showers
Client Address: 2505 Rodeo Dr. Lynchburg VA, 24515
Client Phone Number: 532-987-0087
Client DOB: 03/03/2001
Client Gender: Male
Client Marital Status: Single, never been married
Client Occupation: YMCA Mentor
Work Phone Number: 532-873-7654
Emergency Contact: Nicole Showers (grandmother), phone: 532-309-8409
Date of Interview: 05/21/2025
Reason for Referral
Jason Showers was suggested by Dr. Howard, the Resident Assistant program director at
Liberty University. Liberty University requires that a prospective RA candidate be evaluated
before the institution makes a final decision. Before proceeding with the application process, Mr.
Showers must undergo an examination and evaluation to determine whether or not he is qualified
to work as a domestic assistant.
Current Situation and Functioning
Mr. Showers begins his day with devotion. His mentor gives him a verse and a bible
book, and he spends an hour reading, studying, and dissecting the text. He spends thirty
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minutes in meditation following his devotion. Meditation is something he likes to do after
devotion because it allows him to relax and let God talk to him. From 9 a.m. until 12 p.m., he
usually goes to class after getting dressed for the day. He is doing exceptionally well in
school. After experiencing some difficulties in high school, he questioned whether he would
ever succeed in college. For this reason, he is very proud of his academic accomplishments.
He made the dean's list last semester and has a 3.7 grade point average.
After courses, he eats lunch for thirty minutes, which is usually something nutritious he
made or found on campus. He has to arrive at work by 1:00. After five hours of work, he goes to
work out, which is his second favorite activity. He goes to the gym and works out for an hour
and a half. This is critical to his capacity to deal with stress and other issues that arose
throughout the day. He studies for class and has dinner when he gets home. He reads his bible till
he nods off, making sure to be ready for bed by 9:30 p.m. He avoids screen time as much as
possible after discovering that social media is a major source of stress for him.
Relevant Medical History
Although Mr. Showers says he hasn't had any health issues recently, he was just admitted
to the hospital after a minor auto accident. The visit revealed minor arthritis in his neck. He had
previously been diagnosed with hypertension. In order to help manage the condition, the
majority of the men in his family are taking medicine. He has difficulty comprehending the cause
of the diagnosis because he is quite active and eats a mainly healthy diet. He prioritizes a healthy
diet and works out at least four times a week. Mr. Showers made the decision to look more
closely at the issue and discovered that his stress management was lacking in order to aid fight
the medication dependency. He has asked for assistance in learning stress-reduction techniques.
Psychiatric Treatment History
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Jason noted that he went to therapy approximately a year ago to begin the process of
learning more about himself and how to manage challenging conversations. He was concerned
he had bipolar disorder I. While in treatment, he discussed some of his early memories. He only
attended three sessions before deciding to terminate his counseling with that counselor. He stated
that he believed the therapist was unable to connect or relate to him. He eventually found another
therapist and resumed the process. It was determined that he had extreme anxiety. Diazepam was
prescribed to him, but he hasn't taken it. He has no prior history of mental health issues aside
from the therapy sessions he disclosed.
Family History
Mr. Showers was brought up by his grandma. His mother gave birth to him at a young
age, and his grandma did not think she was capable of raising him. He was never aware of his
father's background. Though his mother wouldn't tell him, he was always curious about his
father. She once told him that his father had died. He didn't think she or his grandmother would
disagree with him. He started going to church to help him deal with this load. A church pastor
served as both a father figure and a mentor to him. He currently leads a group and leads weekly
bible studies. One day, he hopes to marry and start a family that he can raise in his Christian
church.
Social and Developmental History
Mr. Showers described himself as a quiet kid. In elementary school, he was a quiet
person. He was believed to have a learning problem by his principal and teachers. He did,
however, talk a lot at home. When asked if he had ever had a learning disability test as a child, he
said he couldn't recall. He also revealed that he was afraid and didn't talk. His grandmother's
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strict rules made him fearful of getting into any form of trouble. The men in his life, especially
his uncle, were the ones he clung to. Although he was gay, he was close to his uncle. His
grandmother was afraid that his uncle's lifestyle would "rub" off on him, so they spent less time
together as he became older. His uncle passed away at the young age of thirty-two and he was
never able to fill the void.
He remained quiet as a teenager. Being a guy’s guy all his life, he liked to spend most of
his time with his male friends and teammates. Football was his favorite game to play. He enjoyed
the challenge, despite being undersized for his position. He had only one girlfriend in high
school. Being hesitant with girls, he saw himself as a late bloomer. Senior prom, however, is one
of his favorite memories. He acknowledged that he enjoyed the attention and compliments that
were being aimed at him.
Educational and Occupational History
In Mississippi, Mr. Showers went to Alcorn State and Jim Hill High School. He minored
in anthropology while majoring in kinesiology during his undergraduate studies. He was hired as
an athletic director and youth mentor at the local YMCA after graduating. His aim has always
been to train young people in football and assist them in improving their mental health and
growing closer to Christ. After working for almost three years, Mr. Showers wanted to further his
education and discover his Christian path. He decided to enroll in Liberty University's graduate
counseling program after speaking with his pastor, and he is currently working toward his
degree. He currently works on campus in the bookstore but would like to be more of an influence
or mentor.
Cultural Influences
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The assessment may encounter difficulties due to the cultural differences between the
counselor and the client. Considering Mr. Showers is not the counselor's race or economic status,
he may be affected by the counseling evaluation's marginalization. Additionally, this can reveal
unresolved trauma from his initial therapy session, in which he felt rejected by a therapist of a
different gender and race. In addition, the fact that Mr. Showers is African American and was
raised in a segregated Mississippi may have been the primary cause of his discomfort. It's likely
that his adaptation to that culture was there but was not taken into account in his first
assessments.
