Assessments
What is the Role of Assessments in Therapy?
I am always surprised when I hear that not all therapists start the therapy process with some sort of assessment process. Assessments provide a data-driven foundation to the therapeutic process and balances the mostly-intuitive approaches that naturally characterize much of therapy. I like data and find it incredibly useful in creating a baseline for the therapy. I use assessments to identify child hood trauma, mood disorders like anxiety and depression, ADHD or other learning disorders and other psychological issues. I also screen for the kinds of medical issues that could be presenting as psychological ones, such as Lyme disease, head injuries or parasites. While I am not trained to treat medical issues, by steering a client in the right direction, you avoid spending time and money on a treatment that is not going to help very much.
Typically, I prefer 360-degree assessments, which means that I ask the client to not only assessment her or himself, but also to ask those closest to complete the assessment(s), as well. This allows me to get a well-rounded picture of how others’ perceive him or her as well as their own self-perception. Once I have all the data, I study and synthesize it and identify psychological, medical or other issues that may need to be addressed. Then, I share it back with client, so that s/he can also learn and gain insight into others’ perceptions. Together, we determine the best approach to treatment.
I typically use the following assessments in my work with clients:
Assessment-Based Interventions
Sometimes it’s not clear whether therapy is the right approach, especially in the case of children. For this reason, I offer a 4-session assessment based consulting offering, which allows me to provide parents with my point of view on the child’s key issues and potential treatment options. This helps parents make an informed choice about whether or not to invest time and money in child and family therapy.
Free phone consult
Even though therapy offers a chance to make long-lasting positive changes in your life, I know that starting therapy is often a difficult decision. I invite you to contact me to assess your needs at no cost by phone. There are no forms or paperwork to fill out. Why wait? Call today and start feeling better.