INTAKE OUTLINE AND REPORT

Ally Cerrato

Gwen Cummings

36 Years of Age

IDENTIFYING INFORMATION AND REFERRAL STATEMENT:

Gwen Cummings is a thirty-six year old woman. She is currently dating a

man by the name of Jasper. Ms. Cummings works as a newspaper

columnist and has just entered the program at Serenity Glen

Rehabilitation Center. Ms. Cummings stole a limousine, drove while

intoxicated, and crashed into a house. She was given the option of

twenty-eight days in a jail or a rehabilitation center. Ms. Cummings took

the offer of the rehabilitation center. Ms. Cummings was diagnosed with

alcoholism during her first few nights at the rehabilitation center.

(Thomas, B) Alcoholism is A state, psychic and usually also physical,

resulting from taking alcohol, characterized by behavioral and other

responses that always include a compulsion to take alcohol on a

continuous or periodic basis in order to experience its psychic effects,

and sometimes to avoid the discomfort of its absence; tolerance may or

may not be present (Butcher, J., Hooley, J., & Mineka, S., 2013).
PRESENTING COMPLAINT:

Ms. Cummings wakes up after a night of drinking to go right to the fridge

and grab a beer. There was one instance where she showed up to her

sisters wedding late and drunk causing her sister a great amount of

emotional pain. At the reception Ms. Cummings had no manners and

was all over the place. She fell right into the cake and thought nothing of

it. This is shortly before Ms. Cummings steals the limo and crashes into

the house as mentioned above. When Ms. Cummings first entered the

rehabilitation center she went through withdrawals, she often found

herself getting sick, having the sweats, and hot and cold flashes. Ms.

Cummings also left the premises of the rehabilitation center and came

back that night drunk. This is when she finally realized she did have a

problem. (Thomas, B)

HISTORY OF IDENTIFYING COMPLAINT:

The problem began to affect Ms. Cummings daily life the day of her

sisters wedding. It had affected her family and herself previously but this

is when it really hurt more than family and friends. Ms. Cummings

arrived late and drunk, then proceeded to take a Vicadin before walking
in front of the crowd. Ms. Cummings continued to drink at the reception

and fell into the cake, stole a limousine, and crashed into a house, all

ruining her sisters wedding. Ms. Cummings has had no previous

treatment prior to these events. (Thomas, B)

MEDICAL:

Ms. Cummings has no previous medical history. (Thomas, B)

PERSONAL HISTORY:

Ms. Cummings didnt have an easy childhood. Her mother was an addict

of a drug that is unknown at this time. Although Ms. Cummings enjoyed

being around her mother because she was always happy and did fun

things with Ms. Cummings and her older sister, it took a toll on the both

of them. Ms. Cummings, her sister, and mother would often sing and

dance around and go sledding. Mrs. Cummings overdosed one day and

the girls went crazy. They screamed for help and slapped her to wake her

up as they usually did when Mrs. Cummings would lose consciousness.

Ms. Cummings adolescence is unknown to this date. Ms. Cummings

dates a man Jasper who is just the same as her, consumed in alcohol
and drugs. All of their friends are this way too, always drinking, being a

bad influence on a woman who has alcoholism. (Thomas, B)

FAMILY CONSTELLATION:

Ms. Cummings mother was a drug addict, who overdosed when Ms.

Cummings was about six years old. They had a fun relationship mainly

because Mrs. Cummings was usually high. Ms. Cummings father has

never been mentioned to this date. Lily is Ms. Cummings older sister.

Theyre relationship was good as kids always playing with their mother.

This relationship turned for the worse when Ms. Cummings started to

drink. She started to hurt Lily by always making these mistakes and

never bettering her life. Lily didnt want to see her sister end her life so

young like their mother had. Jasper is Ms. Cummings boyfriend; they

spend mostly every night drinking and taking pills. They live in a small

apartment together in New York. (Thomas, B)

CLINICAL DESCRIPTIONS, IMPRESSIONS, AND OBSERVATIONS:

Ms. Cummings has a dependence on alcohol that really interferes with

her everyday life. She wakes up and drinks, ruins her relationship with

the only family she has left, and hurts herself. Ms. Cummings wants to
get treatment to better herself and her relationships with others. In an

exercise done at the rehabilitation center her sister, Lily, talked to her

about why what Ms. Cummings does hurts her and how it makes her

feel. After this exercise Ms. Cummings and Lily have a moment where

Gwen finally realizes what she has been doing is hurting her sister. A

man named Eddie who is also in the rehabilitation center grows close to

Ms. Cummings. He teachers her a technique on how to pitch a baseball

in the strike zone. This is what Eddie does to stay calm and stay happy

while at the rehab center. Eddie also tells Ms. Cummings things he has

done that got him where he is today and when she tells him some of her

stories he says those are things shes done, not who she is. (Thomas, B)

TENTATIVE DIAGNOSIS:

Ms. Cummings has Alcoholism. This is defined by Dependence on

alcohol that seriously interferes with life adjustments (Butcher, J.,

Hooley, J., & Mineka, S., 2013).

INITIAL TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS:

I recommend Ms. Cummings continue with group meetings and check up

with a sponsor. If Ms. Cummings feels the urge to drink I recommend a

medication to block the desire to drink. I dont feel controlled drinking is

an option for Ms. Cummings though; this will most likely lead to

alcoholism once again.

INITIAL PROGNOSIS:

Ms. Cummings will continue a healthy lifestyle under these conditions.

She has already made progress by cutting ties off with the worst

influence in her life, Jasper. As long as she goes to group therapy

meetings, and continues a great relationship with her sister, Ms.

Cummings will live a happy, healthy life.

CITATION:

Thomas, B. (Director). Grant, S. (Writer). (2000). 28 Days [Motion

picture].

Butcher, J., Hooley, J., & Mineka, S., (2013) Mood Disorders and Suicide.

In Abnormal Psychology (pp. 369). New Jersey: Pearson Education