Genius Academy Mental Health Library

Body Dysmorphic Disorder - Randall

Randall always dreamed of having an incredibly muscular, lean physique, like the athletes, wrestlers, and superheroes he idolized as a child. He is completely dedicated to his diet and exercise routine and everybody around him is impressed by how great of shape he is in, but for some reason, Randall does not see himself the same way. He is particularly interested in growing a specific muscle group, but he has not been able to see any real progress, which has led him to feel terribly about the whole endeavor. As the viewer observes Randall's session, they see the realities of his situation as he talks about his perception and his expectations for himself. Through his mannerisms and behaviors, clues to the disorder he is struggling with are revealed.
Case Study - Diagnostic

Learning Objectives

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After watching this video, the learner should be able to: 1) Visually recognize the characteristics and behaviors of Panic Disorder. 2) Summarize the social, behavioral and communication characteristics that are associated with Panic Disorder. 3) Determine this issue is not caused by the physiological effects of a substance, another medical condition, nor better explained by another mental disorder. 4) Make a preliminary diagnosis based on the verbal and non-verbal details provided by this patient in a therapeutic session without external clues or prompts.
Case Study - Diagnostic

How to use Genius Academy Videos

The content is presented as realistic, matter-of-fact depictions of mental health disorders and can therefore be utilized in a number of ways by capable Subject Matter Experts and other Educators. Course assignments and activities can be designed that not only encourage learners to observe and report on symptoms and potential diagnoses, but also explore the additional subtle details given about the characters and their situations. These elements are what truly bring the case studies to life and invite valuable class-hours of discussion and investigation.
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"The Caseload."
Onsite or online, individually or in groups, students are presented with characters for them to determine the appropriate diagnoses. Why is it one diagnosis and not another?
“ID  the Symptoms.”
The emphasis need not be on diagnosis. Observing and recognizing symptoms may be in order.
“The Anchor.”
Use the video as a jumping off point for exploring issues -- prevalence, gender and cultural differences, treatments/therapies with demonstrated effectiveness. The video serves as a memorable and engaging anchor to organize additional learning around.
"The Rewind."
In courses involved with teaching developmental theory, or theories of causation, students develop a history of the clients’ lives prior to the video. What significant influences or life events may have happened in clients lives in the years before we see the client on video? What bio-psycho-socio-cultural factors may have been involved?
"The Treatment Plan."
How can the character be helped? As a conversation starter or jumping off point of a lecture. What would students suggest as ways to help? What does professional literature suggest?
Using Genius Academy

How to use Genius Academy

This video is intended for use as a powerful supplementary learning activity and can be integrated seamlessly into any number of social work, therapy, psychology, and diagnostic curricula.  Instructors may see value in structuring asynchronous activities around the content, allowing each learner to reflect on what they observed and what it meant to them and what diagnosis they think the patient exhibits based on the presentation. Additionally, instructors may use this material to scaffold  knowledge-check activity, or differential diagnosis that requires students to identify and report on symptoms and other diagnostic criteria present in the video.  The content is authentic and valid to the diagnosis being portrayed with a focus on communicating the symptoms and details in a way that requires student-engagement and thought as if they are the therapist. One activity suggested is “The Treatment Plan.”

How can the character be helped? As a conversation starter or jumping off point of a lecture. What would students suggest as ways to help? What does professional literature suggest?
Using Genius Academy

How to use Genius Academy

Learning Diagnosis
In the Learning Diagnosis series of videos, on-screen instructional graphics are used to identify critical moments within the patient’s speech or behaviors where examples of diagnostic criteria may have been indicated.  To allow for a more concise, clear indication and a more efficient communication of the details, these graphics contain abbreviated, paraphrased passages from the DSM-5-TR criteria for the diagnosed disorder. From a learning perspective, the appearance of the on-screen text engages the learner’s as the words are decoded into meaning. Connecting the words on screen with the images, sounds, and action being portrayed provides a complex, multi-sensory learning moment that heightens the student’s experience as a number of different areas of the mind are stimulated.  Strong connections are forged between the content and the information, and the learner is further trained on what to look for and how to recognize criteria and symptoms moving forward. Genius Academy Cases have been precisely crafted to fulfill the diagnostic criteria for the intended “Correct Diagnosis.” However, students, course instructors, and clinicians may at times disagree with the diagnosis. This is similar to diagnostic disagreements between clinicians in real life situations and results because assigning a diagnosis requires clinical judgment to determine if the diagnostic criteria have been met. And that judgment may vary among clinicians.  In real life, there would be the ability to ask further questions of the client, or possibly of others in the client’s life, in order to clarify details. Disagreement over the most accurate diagnoses to assign make wonderful teaching moments. Why do students see it differently? How do they justify their diagnosis over their colleague’s? What additional information would they like to confirm the diagnosis? Situations like these can lead to robust class discussions exploring the deeper nuances of the diagnosis.This video is intended for use as a powerful supplementary learning activity and can be integrated seamlessly into any number of social work, therapy, psychology, and diagnostic curricula.  Instructors may see value in structuring synchronous class discussions around the content, allowing each learner to reflect on what they observed and what it meant to them or they may find better use in creating a course project, knowledge-check activity, or differential diagnosis that requires students to identify and report on symptoms and other diagnostic criteria present in the video.  The content is authentic and valid to the diagnosis being portrayed with a focus on communicating the symptoms and details in a way that requires student-engagement and thought.  
Here are a few possibilities to use this in your classroom:
"The Diagnosis Walk-through"
Ideally done in small groups, or a class-as-a-whole exercise. First students view a video (from the complimentaryWHATS YOUR DIAGNOSISseries) of a client describing their circumstances. All criteria that are needed for a diagnosis are embedded within the video – but nothing is labeled. Tell your students what the diagnosis is (or not!) and let them figure out where the criteria are displayed in the video. After discussion, students watch a second “LEARNING DIAGNOSIS” version of the video with the criteria labeled when they appear.
"The Caseload"
Onsite or online, individually or in groups, students are presented with characters for them to determine the appropriate diagnoses. Why is it one diagnosis and not another?
"ID the Symptoms"
The emphasis need not be on diagnosis. Observing and recognizing symptoms may be in order.
"The Anchor."
In courses involved with teaching developmental theory, or theories of causation, students develop a history of the clients’ lives prior to the video. What significant influences or life events may have happened in clients lives in the years before we see the client on video? What bio-psycho-socio-cultural factors may have been involved?
"The Rewind."
Use the video as a jumping off point for exploring issues -- prevalence, gender and cultural differences, treatments/therapies with demonstrated effectiveness. The video serves as a memorable and engaging anchor to organize additional learning around.
"The Treatment Plan."
How can the character be helped? As a conversation starter or jumping off point of a lecture. What would students suggest as ways to help? What does professional literature suggest?
Using Genius Academy

How to use Genius Academy

Watch this video to learn about what's changed in the new edition of the DSM-5-TR, and how to apply it to your clinical practice.  Then, watch our companion video to explore the human diagnosis in the 'related media' section.
How can the character be helped? As a conversation starter or jumping off point of a lecture. What would students suggest as ways to help? What does professional literature suggest?
Using Genius Academy

How to use Genius Academy

Genius Academy Cases have been precisely crafted to fulfill the diagnostic criteria for the intended “Correct Diagnosis.” However, students, course instructors, and clinicians may at times disagree with the diagnosis. This is similar to diagnostic disagreements between clinicians in real life situations and results because assigning a diagnosis requires clinical judgment to determine if the diagnostic criteria have been met. And that judgment may vary among clinicians.  In real life, there would be the ability to ask further questions of the client, or possibly of others in the client’s life, in order to clarify details. Disagreement over the most accurate diagnoses to assign make wonderful teaching moments. Why do students see it differently? How do they justify their diagnosis over their colleague’s? What additional information would they like to confirm the diagnosis? Situations like these can lead to robust class discussions exploring the deeper nuances of the diagnosis.

How can the character be helped? As a conversation starter or jumping off point of a lecture. What would students suggest as ways to help? What does professional literature suggest?

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Media Approaches

Genius Academy Offers Three Media approaches for each DSM Disorder

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DSM-5-TR Case StudIES

These videos layer on flashback and reenactment scenes to the session, adding valuable insight into the patient’s condition and emotional state. This creates a compelling experience that facilitates learning through a deeper understanding of the patient’s life in its full context.​
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The Genius Approach

"What's your diagnosis?"

These videos present the patient's story directly without any added scenes or text so that students can assess their knowledge of the DSM criteria for a disorder without the help of external cues.​
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The Genius Approach

Advanced Practicum

Help students learn the disorder by directly observing verbal and non-verbal cues in a simulated therapy session. As a patient shares their story, instructional graphics pop up to draw attention to the diagnostic criteria.​
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