Referral Rationale:
Mr. Michael Mastaglio has voluntarily sought a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. He has articulated a desire to gain clarity regarding his ongoing challenges related to mood, interpersonal relationships, attention, anxiety, and stress. Mr. Mastaglio hopes to achieve diagnostic insight, as these issues have begun to significantly affect his family dynamics.
Mr. Mastaglio is a resident of Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, where he lives with his wife and three daughters, aged 19, 15, and 13. The family has been residing in this location since 2012, following a decade-long period in Mt. Airy, Pennsylvania. Originally from Milwaukee, Mr. Mastaglio has also spent time in Colorado prior to settling in Pennsylvania.
Upon reflection on his early developmental history, Mr. Mastaglio indicated that his prenatal period was devoid of complications, and he was born at full term. He described his developmental milestones as somewhat delayed compared to peers, largely due to his younger age when starting school. However, he emphasized that he did not experience significant delays in critical areas such as walking, talking, or other foundational skills.
Throughout his educational journey, Mr. Mastaglio reported that he was never retained in any grade. Although he did not have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), he did receive supplemental support in the third grade, particularly in reading and writing, through early morning sessions with his teacher. He has never been diagnosed with a learning disability. He successfully graduated from Nathan Hale High School in 1991 with a GPA of 3.0, and achieved an ACT score of 23. Continuing his education, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire before transferring to the Madison campus, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, also achieving a GPA of 3.0. Mr. Mastaglio faced challenges with concentration during his studies, particularly in a demanding engineering program that heightened his tendency towards perfectionism. He noted that he required a quiet and minimally distracting environment to excel academically.
In his professional capacity, Mr. Mastaglio has been employed full-time as a traffic operations engineer at Urban Engineers since 2015. He expressed a strong affinity for his work, describing himself as driven and recognizing his reputation as a subject matter expert among clients. Despite feeling successful, he articulated a desire to pursue alternative careers, such as becoming a UPS driver, dentist, or teacher. He also shared a recurring sentiment of wanting to enhance his organizational skills and overall success, which contributes to his feelings of burden. It is noteworthy that Mr. Mastaglio is not receiving Social Security Disability benefits.
Reviewing his medical history, Mr. Mastaglio currently reports no physical health concerns and is not prescribed any medications. He has undergone several surgical procedures, including a knee replacement in 2019 and shoulder surgery. Neurologically, he denies any history of seizures, head trauma, loss of consciousness, or blackouts, and has no reported incidents of headaches or migraines.
From a mental health perspective, Mr. Mastaglio is actively engaged in therapeutic work with a relationship therapist, entering treatment approximately 4-6 months ago to foster improved family relationships. He has found this current therapeutic process beneficial. His prior experiences include a 3-4 year engagement with another therapist, as well as shorter tenures with two additional professionals: Dr. Darlene Link for one year and another therapist for about three months. Mr. Mastaglio's initial foray into mental health treatment commenced in 2005 after relocating to Philadelphia from Denver, Colorado. He has not used any mental health medications thus far but remains receptive to considering these options in the future. Importantly, he has not experienced inpatient psychiatric treatment or intensive outpatient care, nor has he undergone psychological testing to date.
In terms of social habits, Mr. Mastaglio does not use tobacco products. However, he consumes alcohol at a moderate level—averaging one to two drinks about four times a week. Previously, he held a medical marijuana card for joint pain and anxiety, utilizing the substance recreationally with an approximate frequency of twice a week in edible form. He acknowledged that the last occurrence of abstaining from both alcohol and marijuana for an extended period was several months ago, with a total duration of over two weeks being approximately six months ago. He does not have a history of substance treatment for drugs or alcohol.
Mr. Mastaglio enjoys a variety of recreational activities including sports, outdoor pursuits, and spending quality time with his family and their German Shorthaired Pointer. There are no identifiable legal issues influencing the purpose of this evaluation.
In summary, Mr. Mastaglio's engagement in this neuropsychological evaluation is driven by a complex interplay of family dynamics and personal aspirations, indicative of his commitment to fostering a more fulfilling and balanced life.