Describe the smell of a moldy hamper...professionally!
One of the most difficult parts in writing psychological assessments is to describe client's physical appearance in a way that it does not appear that you are making fun of, or derogating the client. I read the following report from someone who is pretty descriptive, but I'm not sure how PC the description is. It made me laugh out loud when I saw it because it sounds so awkward and I am sure if the client read it he would feel it was unprofessional...
"The client reported to the interview on time. His grooming was marginal. His clothing smelled as if it came out of the hamper. He had some sort of crust around where his nose met his cheeks..."
This particular therapist usually writes good reports, but this one struck me as funny and there is something about it that sounds too colloquial and unprofessional...
Think of someone who had extremely poor hygiene, and try to write a brief, professional sounding description of that person's lack of hygiene. It can sometimes be harder than it sounds. :)
"The client reported to the interview on time. His grooming was marginal. His clothing smelled as if it came out of the hamper. He had some sort of crust around where his nose met his cheeks..."
This particular therapist usually writes good reports, but this one struck me as funny and there is something about it that sounds too colloquial and unprofessional...
Think of someone who had extremely poor hygiene, and try to write a brief, professional sounding description of that person's lack of hygiene. It can sometimes be harder than it sounds. :)
posted by PsychDoctor at
10:50 AM
2 Comments:
"poor people smell" surfaces again!
He entered the office in a cloud of foul odor. His clothes were rumpled and unkept, and he emitted a foul odor from his person. His hair was crusted, as was his nose. His teeth were uncleanly, and the skin was peeling from his arms which hung in loose clumps. :)
you get the point.
That is better than, he came into my office and stunk it up. I nearly puked from the foul odors, and it was all I could do not to gag. He had something dead stuck in his hair, and crusty boogers on his nose. His teeth were foul, as was his breath...like something from a bad horror movie that would knock a person clear over. There were urine stains on his pants, which would account for a small portion of the odor. :)
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