Annie worked with Ben during her internship at Glenwood. He had difficulty developing relationships and was known to be was abusive to others, as well as himself. Although recently adopted, Ben's parents quickly admitted ignorance in how to deal with him. They made him sleep in a bubble bed at night, so he wouldn't hurt himself or destroy the house. Ben had been hospitalized multiple times, and he had been incorrectly diagnosed with autism. His prescribed treatment only seemed to make him worse. His adoptive mother told Annie that as a baby Ben did not want to be picked up or held. When he was held, he would cry until he was put down.
As Annie delved into his past, she learned that he was abandoned by his birth mother and removed from his first foster home because of abuse. She later learned he'd spent most of his time in a crib, locked in a room without windows. When a fire consumed the house, Ben was discovered only after the fire was extinguished.
A Shining Affliction: A Story of Harm and Healing in Psychotherapy