Empathy

   Brandon does have a mental health concern and he is at first resistant to getting treatment for himself. This is where empathy becomes a huge driving force for his decision-making because if it were a close friend of his or a family member, what would he say or do differently? In the case of empathy, it’s important to put yourself out of the situation and imagine how you would react differently if someone you cared about was involved. Brandon’s coach displayed empathy for his student when he asked him to talk about his problems and proactively looked for resources in order to help him.  Would you tell them to seek treatment? Would you let them deal with the situation on their own? If someone we cared about was involved in a similar situation, we would try to encourage them to get help. Because Brandon is so afraid of his teammates dehumanizing him as a man, would you prefer for him to seek self-treatment instead? 

 

Outcomes

   If Brandon does not seek help for himself, how can his academic performance have been affected? How would Brandon react if his coach contacts the counseling center without his consent? Brandon's coach can potentially lose all of Brandon's trust if he contacts the counseling center without Brandon's knowledge. His grades and his passion for basketball could decrease because of the mental health issues that he was dealing with. If his grades are ruined to the point of no return, he would not be able to work in the job he is getting his degree in or he wouldn’t be able to continue playing basketball in the long run if he is trying to succeed in a basketball career. If he were to still get into the job he wanted to after college or if he was still able to continue his basketball career, his anxiety could affect his performance in either instance because the job is in a much larger scale of what he is typically used to. He could get a panic attack in a middle of an important NBA basketball game or in the middle of setting up a treatment plan for his patient. It is important to look at the outcomes in a situation because it is important to think about the best short term and long term goals to take note of the behavior or action that could potentially make these outcomes worth changing for. 

 

Character

   Character plays an important role in Brandon’s decision making because it takes into account his personal feelings about himself. He wants to become an Occupational Therapist and help other people. Therefore, he needs to think about helping himself out as well. Seeking help for his mental illness could make him feel like a better person intrinsically. Potentially, Brandon could be able to get his panic attacks under control and learn to cope with stressful situations. He could be able to get a handle on his grades again and could become a better basketball player. He might not feel as if he needs to hide anything from his teammates or his coach. He also might not feel such a pressure to be perfect. Brandon needs to think about the best possible course of action for himself and do something that would make him feel healthier. Going to the counseling center and receiving the help he needs will not only potentially help him live a healthier lifestyle, but it might also help him in the long run for his future career and deciding the best course of action for his patients. The question would be whether Brandon wants to be an individual who knows how to take care of his health and go to the counseling center or a man who can't control his emotions and is focused on other people's judgment.

 

Responsibilities

   Since Brandon Avery is suffering from stress and anxiety, it is his responsibility to get the proper care and treatment that he needs at the Counseling Center. The Counseling Center also carries the role of responsibility to provide Brandon with specific treatment that he needs in order for him to manage his stress and anxiety, as well as helping him manage the triggers to mental health conditions. The Counseling Center also has the responsibility to keep Brandon’s conditions confidential by safeguarding medical information. Also, it is the Counseling Center’s responsibility to provide Brandon an alternative service provider if both parties feel that the current treatment is does not fit Brandon’s stress and anxiety issues. Brandon’s parents and his coach also carry a responsibility of making Brandon more comfortable by supporting him. Furthermore, is it his peers' responsibility to support him if he decides to seek treatment for his stress and anxiety or do they not have a responsibility to support him but instead disconnect from him. 

 

Liberty

   Liberty is defined as respect for freedom, consent, and personal autonomy. Brandon can practice personal autonomy by choosing to get the treatment that he needs at the Counseling Center or not. By choosing or not choosing to take medication or alternative treatment that the counselor offers, Brandon can practice personal autonomy because it can not be forced upon him by the counseling center or his support group. Brandon also has the freedom to stop the treatment if he wants to if he believes it is triggering Brandon’s mental issues instead of helping him. The Counseling Center also needs to get Brandon’s consent in order to provide him the treatment that Brandon needs. Brandon's coach places an important role as well in this case of liberty for his situation. Does Brandon's coach need his consent on approaching to the Counseling Center how Brandon is handling his situation. Furthermore, what does this mean for Brandon if he refuses to acknowledge his problem and seek treatment.

 

Fairness

   Fairness is defined as how one can act equitably and balance legitimate interest. Brandon's most fair option is going to the Counseling Center and getting the treatment that he needs in order to improve his mental health. Brandon had a fair opportunity to go to the Counseling Center, but due to his social environment, his confidence decreased which caused a low level of interest in seeking help. Brandon seems like the individual who cares a lot about his pride. If Brandon is the star of his basketball team and he is stepping outside of his comfort zone to seek help, individuals will look at him as a public figure because he is doing something that a lot of people can not accomplish.

 

Authority

   Authority is defined as what do legitimate authorities (e.g. experts, law, my religion/God) expect of you. As a student at James Madison University, Brandon is encouraged to use every resource on campus to help him excel. By going to the Counseling Center, it would help him overcome his high levels of anxiety. Since Brandon's coach referred him to the Counseling Center, does that require Brandon to actually seek treatment since he is one of the prominent authority figures in this case. 

 

Rights

   Rights is defined as what rights apply to the given situation. Brandon has a right to decide whether he wants to go to the Counseling Center and seek treatment or not. If he doesn't decide to go due to fear of being dehumanized as a man, does that give him the right to be exempt from potential academic consequences?