Question: Prior to beginning work on this discussion, please read Chapters 8, 12, and 13 in DSM 5 Made Easy: The Clinician's Guide to Diagnosis; Chapter 2 in Turning Points in Dynamic Psychotherapy: Initial Assessment, Boundaries, Money, Disruptions and Suicidal Crises; Chapter 5 in The Psychiatric Interview: Evaluation and Diagnosis; all required articles; and review the PSY645 Fictional Sociocultural Case Studies.

One of the most important aspects of developing competence in psychopathology is to be as honestly and completely aware as possible of your personal attitudes toward people who have mental health conditions. Through this awareness, we are better able to challenge our own biases and prejudicial views in order to be more open to the findings within scholarly research.

For your initial post in this discussion, choose one of the three case studies from the PSY645 Fictional Sociocultural Case Studies document, and write a detailed description of your uncensored personal observation of the patient depicted. Describe at least one theoretical orientation you would use to conceptualize your view of the patient's problem and how it may have developed. Identify the issues you might focus on in treatment with this patient. Be sure to identify within your post which of the three case studies you have chosen.

Guided Response: Review several of your colleagues' posts, and respond to at least two of your peers by 11:59 p.m. on Day 7 of the week. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful interactive discourse in this discussion.