Role Play script PDF

Preview

Summary

Role Play for depression and treatment through psychodynamic therapy...

Description

Probable plot for role play Plot 1: A young gentleman in his 20s, going through a rough time. Disturbed relation with parents, specifically with father. Raging alcoholic with a broken relationship, having attempted suicide attempt. Tried rehabilitation earlier and failed. Finishing off bachelor’s

(Scene opens with a bell followed by the patient entering, in a rather slow pace and with head down, neglecting his entire surrounding pretty much. Doctor eases him in and tells him to take a seat.) Doc: Hey, how are you doing today? Patient: Fine………… Doc: I hear you wanted some help. So, what brings you here? Patient: I don’t know exactly doc, I`ve just been feeling rather low of myself. Doc: Any reason why? Patient: I don’t know as I said, it’s probably because I may have been through a lot I guess. Doc: I see you are in engineering school? Academics proving to be the issue? Patient: Partly yes, because I have fallen behind in my studies and it`s becoming difficult to cope, more so than ever before. Doc: There ya go Good, anything more you can say that has been going on in your life and don’t worry, this is a completely confidential session where nothing you say here will be disclosed to anybody. Patient: I just broke up with my girlfriend who I had been with for almost 5 years. I guess I may have been too paranoid, but she just didn’t understand my concern and decided that it may not have been worth it. I loved her, and I often blame myself for losing her just because of my paranoia. Doc: Common, don`t put yourself at blame. Just try to keep yourself together. Patient: Doc, how can I? My relations with my parents have been affected significantly and I almost got a fatal injury under heavy influence of alcohol. Also, I spend 3 months of my summer break in rehab because of my drug abuse and drinking habits. It`s like my parents who were once proud aren`t anymore. Doc: Did you ever go through this as a child? Patient: I don’t think so, because I never had a girlfriend as a child so……... (forced humor) Doc: (Chuckles)No, I mean did you ever feel that you were not loved enough by your parents. Patient: Do I have to talk about my parents? Doc: I would say it is. Patient: When I was about 2 and a half years old or such I did feel that …… Doc: Common don’t worry, anything you say will not be disclosed to anybody. Patient: That because my mother had resumed her job and my grandmother, or an on-hire nanny would be my caretaker. It was a temporary phase I hardly feel it is relevant to what I am going through. Doc: Anything else you want to talk about? Patient: I really don’t know that’s why I have come to you, I need help in my current situation.

Doc: You spoke about your recent breakup with your girlfriend, mind to elaborate on that. Patient: Well I met her at coaching classes back in high school and she`s been with me since. She is an amazing person gifted with beauty, intellect and is a great person. 5 years Doc, she`s been there with me as a strong pillar. I lost one of my pillars. Doc: Common, why did you breakup though? Patient: We started having fights about 3 months ago. She had shifted her faculty so we weren`t together exactly. She started hanging out with a bunch of boys which got me, you know, jealous and paranoid. Also, off later Doc: How have your sleep patterns been lately? Patient: Well I feel they are fine I guess because I have had adequate sleep, like about 8 hours or so. Doc: That is a great sign. Sleep is extremely important and adequate sleep is a very good sign. Have you had any dreams lately? Patient: Well yeah but I think my dream was about some freedom movement which I was leading. I’ve had dreams about freedom fight and struggle nowadays. Doc: Has this been recent or it’s been pretty frequent? Doc: Alright (notes it down), so according to you, what could it mean? Patient: Freedom movements are the consequence of certain restrictions and struggle could be breaking out of it. Doc: Good, but can you relate it to anything going on in your life. Like have you ever felt this, ever felt like you are struggling for your freedom or something? Patient: I have felt like, as I said, I want to change my career path, so for some time I have been trying to convince them to accept my choice. Doc: A rather normal response I suppose. So, you spoke about you feeling a little left out when you were a child. Can I assume that feeling may have surfaced in these conditions? A feeling of not being the priority of someone dear to you or perhaps a feeling of not having enough love from females? Patient: I suppose, I never really thought about that. Doc: Do you mind if I ask you a small question? Patient: Sure. Doc: Were you interested in pursuing engineering or you followed a path laid for you by someone? Patient: Well I always felt a certain pull towards stock you know? High, low, bull, bear etc. Doc: So why did you move on with engineering? Patient: It has more scope, better chances etc. Doc: But did you feel like doing it?

Patient: I never really gave it a thought as I always figured I`d be fine in engineering and pursue some interest later in my life. Doc: Seems like a good plan, but do you know what your parents feel about it? Patient: Well they want me to continue as an engineer, so I don’t really know. Doc: Engineering is a good field right. Great job? Good paycheck? Stocks are rather risky? Patient: (Shouts) You will never understand me ma? You just put your expectations on me? Why do I have to follow the path that you have laid for me? Why can I not go by what I want? Doc: ……. (nods head) Patient: I’m so sorry, it’s just that I’m frustrated off my parents. They’ve People just always wanted me to become what they feel is appropriate/my father just wants me to become what he couldn’t be. Doc: How have your sleep patterns been lately? Patient: Well I feel they are fine I guess because I have had adequate sleep, like about 8 hours or so. Doc: That is a great sign. Sleep is extremely important and adequate sleep is a very good sign. Have you had any dreams lately? Patient: Well yeah but I think my dream was about some freedom movement which I was leading. I’ve had dreams about freedom fight and struggle nowadays. Doc: Has this been recent, or it’s been frequent? Patient: I’d say frequent, at least in the past 2-3 months. Doc: Alright (notes it down), so according to you, what could these dreams mean? Patient: Freedom movements are the consequence of certain restrictions and struggle could be breaking out of it. Doc: Good, but can you relate it to anything going on in your life. Like have you ever felt this, ever felt like you are struggling for your freedom or something? Patient: I have felt like, as I said, I want to change my career path, so for some time I have been trying to convince them to accept my choice.

Patient: I just always wanted to be someone they were proud of. Doc: You spoke about your breakup with your girlfriend, so mind telling me why did you breakup? Patient: We started having fights about 3 months ago. She had shifted her faculty so we weren`t together exactly. She started hanging out with a bunch of boys which got me, you know, jealous and paranoid. Also, off later, with me inclining towards non-engineering fields, she has shown lack of support to my decision to leave the field of engineering. I am not even sure if I want to leave engineering and she has already been so unsupportive.

Doc: So, from what I see, it seems you really want to be the good son to your parents. You want them to be proud and happy of what you may become. Patient: Yes, I have just always wanted to be someone they were proud of. Doc: Excellent, hope you do. Now coming back to your ex-girlfriend, mind if I ask a rather private question? Patient: Sure. Doc: Do you blame your mother for not letting you decide what you want to do in life? (another sign of resistance) Patient: Nope, she is just looking out for me, nothing else. Even if she may come a little bossy she is looking out for me. Doc: Alright, let us do a small activity, remember do this with utmost honesty and don’t worry whatever you say here will not be disclosed to anyone and will stay between the 2 of us. Patient: Alright doc, I’ll try. Doc: I am going to say a word and you must say anything that comes to your mind, remember it should be your instinctive response. Patient: Alright Doc: MOTHER Patient: Caring, loving, scary, orders, rebukes… (sign of her being bossy but loving). Doc: Alright. So, would it be safe to assume that your mother might be caring but she might be bossy? Doc: So earlier, you spoke about having a path laid by your mother. Now I know it was a slip, but can you talk about your relationship with your parents, especially your mother? Patient: (In deep thought and silent). Doc: Like would you blame her for not letting you do what you want to pursue, stocks or finance in general I suppose? resistance Patient: Not even a little, she is looking out for me. She may come off bossy but she is just looking out for me and wants me to be successful. Please don’t try to blame her because she has always wanted me to be successful in life. Doc: Alright I understand you, so coming back to your recent breakup, mind to share some insight on that? Patient: I must complement the interior of this office. I must say you have got yourself an amazing place to work. (trying to change subject).

Doc: Thanks, I do try to maintain a good environment for work. Now coming back to where we were, is there any insight you could provide here about your recent breakup? Patient: Alright(Angrily), for almost 3 months before we broke up, we started having fights and quarrels frequently. She had recently changed her faculty and started hanging out with a bunch of boys which made me quite jealous and paranoid. Doc: (Nodding) Hmmm…… Patient: Somewhere I feel it has been because of my confusions lately. As I said I have had a certain pull towards stocks lately and ever since I even remotely mentioned this she has been unsupportive of this. I feel she wants to be with the engineer and not me. I mean ever since I said that I may leave engineering she won’t even hear me out. Doc: Do you wish to be back with her? Moreover, do you feel you can work things out with her? Patient: Of course, I want to. I don’t know if I can make up to her again but I really want to. Doc: I`ll recommend some changes, are you willing to carry on with them? Patient: If they can be of help, I would surely. Doc: Number one and above all, stop putting yourself through a lot and try to stay away from alcohol and drugs. These will only worsen your pain so try to do that. Patient: It’ll be hard but I will give it a try for sure. It`s just kind of complicated and difficult because these have somehow been a support, temporary but still. Doc: I know son, many of my clients have been through this, just hold yourself strong and high and you can do it. Next try to get closer to your parents, forget the past and build towards a better future. They are going to be a constant pillar. Try to go for a match or something with your father and have a good old chat with your mother. Men tend to be comfortable being occupied in some physical activity during a talk of some kind. Women like to have a chat over coffee, as I’ve seen in many of clients. Patient: I’ll try but I don’t really know if they will want to listen to me after what I have been recently. Doc: Son try to, this will give you a lot more support than you feel and support by your parents will be of great help in your current state. Patient: Alright doc, as you say. Doc: Lastly, I want you to try and patch things up with your ex and get things back. Do not get yourself insulted in any way but try your best to let her know about your side with the amount of care you`ve shown here. This may be hard but knowing that you both have had a wonderful relation till now I hope this will get things going again. Patient: Alright doc, I`ll try to meet with her. Anything else? Doc: Not much, just remember that you should do all of this normally and willingly, forcing yourself isn’t the greatest of things. Use this time to gain your confidence and put yourself together. Trust me son it’ll get you good and going, but do not punish yourself for anything.

Patient: Thank you doc, I shall try my best to follow these tips and I hope it helps me. Doc: Any other issues you may have son? Patient: None that I can think of doc, but if I do I know who to come to? Doc: No worries, hope this session helps you out and you get back on track. All the best for your upcoming journey son. Doc: Alright, so I feel another session is imperative. Patient: ……. Doc: What were your takeaways from this session? Patient: To worry less? Doc: Yes and when you come back next time I hope you have a little chat with your parents and your girlfriend. Also I would like you to introspect what you truly want as it could a long way in this therapy....