Cheatsheet
Biopsychosocial Case Formulation for Physical Symptoms
A structured way to separate known medical information, psychological processes, behavior, relationships, and practical conditions without searching for one guilty emotion.
Use when
- the client has recurring symptoms with several possible contributing factors;
- medical and psychological information feels fragmented or contradictory.
Do not use as a substitute for
- the symptom is new or rapidly changing and has not been medically assessed;
- the formulation is being used to declare a hidden emotional cause.
Criteria, checks, and next step
01
Known facts
Separate evidence from assumptions.
- What has been assessed, diagnosed, or ruled out?
- Which treatments and recommendations are currently active?
02
Current pattern
Describe the symptom and its context.
- When does the symptom appear, change, or ease?
- What sleep, activity, medication, or environmental variables may matter?
03
Psychological and social load
Explore without assigning blame.
- What emotions, expectations, or relationships add strain?
- Which practical conditions reduce recovery or access to support?
04
Working plan
Turn the formulation into coordinated action.
- What medical question remains open?
- What is one psychological and one daily-life support step?
Summary
Reduce the decision to a few points
- Write the formulation in neutral language.
- Choose one medical and one psychological priority.
- Set a date for reviewing the formulation when information changes.
Scope
What this cheatsheet does not solve
- The client may skip any question, change direction, or stop the exercise at any time.
- This session map does not diagnose a condition or prove that a physical symptom has a psychological cause.
- New, severe, or changing symptoms deserve medical assessment. Mental health work should not cancel prescribed treatment.
- These educational materials are not a substitute for professional judgment, supervision, local law, or scope-of-practice requirements.
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