By Tim Stevens
Danny Ketch is an adult male of average to above average height and build. He dresses appropriately, if a bit dated, for session. This may or may not be a conscious clothing decision on behalf of the client and has not been discussed at this time.
The client speaks in a low, quiet voice that fluctuates between a confident persuasive tone and a near mumble. At times, Ketch makes and maintains eye contact, sometimes for longer than seems comfortable. At others, it seems all the client can do not to look at this writer
The writer is having significant difficulty in assessing Ketch. This is due, for the most part, to the drastically outside the norm nature of the client's self-reported history. As the staff has been instructed to assume that what Ketch is saying is an accurate reflection of what has happened to him, the writer is forced to not diagnosis what should be several obvious disorders. This will be discussed at further length later in the report.
First, however, we will review what the writer is confident in stating. Ketch clearly suffers from PTSD, stemming from his time as the possibly supernatural vigilante known as
Ghost Rider. Over the course of his "career," the client was exposed to unspeakable acts and brutal physical altercations. While somewhat shielded from physical harm by the transformative quality of what the client describes as his "curse," Ketch still "felt" the emotional and psychological impacts of these events. These incidents have left deep scars that he visibly struggles with today. Additionally, enemies of his alter ego had targeted those close to him, leaving him hyper vigilant.
His PTSD also has taken the form of what is popularly referred to as "survivor's guilt." In particular, Ketch dwells on the attack that started his career as
Ghost Rider and left his sister in a coma. He is unable to resolve his feelings that the "better" or more pure sibling would be the worst off while he got to become a super hero.
Complicating the client's mental state is a period of time when he was trapped as Ghost Rider to save his own life. This incident left him feeling "other" in his own body, promoting a disconnect with people around him. Due to this, Ketch is at risk of seeing people as merely objects, not living, breathing peers.
While PTSD is Ketch's primary diagnosis, his self-reported history points to other possible diagnoses, if and when the writer is provided with enough information to tease out fact from fiction. His discussion of an individual named "Noble Kale" with whom the client shared his body, if inaccurate, points to Dissociative Identity Disorder. Similarly, the client's extensive descriptions of encountering demons, being trapped in Hell and being resurrected on multiple occasions would be symptoms of schizophrenia, paranoid type. Unfortunately, until the instructions to the writer are clarified, no such assessments can be fully explored.
The most problematic of unsubstantiated claims, at this time, involves the client's possible involvement in the suicide of a minor under medical care. As a mandated reporter, it is the duty of this writer to pass this information along to the proper authorities if it is deemed credible. The staff would urge those reading this report to fully disclose the accuracy of Ketch's reports so that this incident can be properly reviewed and, if deemed at all possible, reported to the police.
In the meantime, it is the recommendation of this writer that the client engage in individual Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). This approach should guide Ketch towards accepting that life, by nature, is not fair and therefore he is not responsible for the tragedies which befell his sister and thus around him as the only
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GHOST RIDER:
DANNY KETCH #1
cover by
Clint Langley |
thing he did was survive. It is also hoped that this approach will ground Ketch more deeply in the human experience and eliminate his emotional disconnect. It is also recommended that Ketch attend group therapy to deal with his other PTSD related symptoms.
Tim Stevens is a Mental Health Supervisor currently pursuing his Psy D who has experience in dealing with individuals with PTSD and schizophrenia.
Ketch has two follow up appointments in the month of October. On October 15, he meets with Doctors Jason Aaron and Tan Eng Huat, details of which can be found in the GHOST RIDER #28 report. Then, on October 22, the client with meet with Simon Spurrier and Javier Saltares. Their findings will be found under GHOST RIDER: DANNY KETCH #1. For more on Ghost Rider, visit Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.
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