The Value of the Assessment

Have you or someone you know experienced setbacks while in therapy? Are you considering therapy but don't know where to begin? One of the most underutilized tools in counseling is the psychological assessment. Often, clients have tried many treatment protocols, medicines, and other interventions, and still struggle with symptoms. Other times, clients are aware that therapy is needed to address their symptoms and behaviors, but are unable to describe the problem in a notable way for their therapist. The beauty of testing and assessment tools is that they provide for us the mechanisms of reaching the unreachable. In other words, they help us describe what we are finding difficulty describing. I have given thousands of assessment instruments over the years. I formally worked at a youth residential center where upon intake the children received an evaluation to help guide the treatment process. I met with hundreds of children, many of whom had been through the ringer, so to speak, of therapeutic interventions. They had tried counseling, group work, and other therapeutic programs. Their parents had been to therapy themselves, and attended parenting classes. Sometimes these children had previously been placed in other facilities, only for the professionals involved to spin their wheels about what was needed for the particular child. Still, little change. I can't count the number of times, upon completion of the testing and assessment process, I sat looking over the data and making meaning of the results, and uttered to myself "so that's what's going on with this child!" Typically, it was a problem not yet uncovered. Many times, it was an emotional process not yet considered by previous therapists. And most frequently, it was a misdiagnosis of the symptoms. If you are at all familiar with therapy, you know that diagnosis drives the treatment. Well consider you are a parent. You've spent months, or maybe years seeking professional help for your child. Therapist after therapist gives a diagnosis based on their educated hypothesis. You struggle to figure out why the therapy and tools are not working. You've always suspected something more is going on. And now, suddenly testing and assessment reveals that there is something more going on - perhaps a diagnosis that had never been considered, but explains it all!

In these moments, we offer the opportunity to change the course of treatment (since diagnosis drives treatment) and change our possible outcomes. As Dr. Tim Doyle writes in his article, The Benefits of Psychological Assessments and when to Use Them, the assessment is a powerful tool. He writes, " The tests themselves act as both lens and lever: getting a unique perspective on relevant issues while also highlighting where and how therapy probably needs to be focused." In short, it's hard to consider why anyone would enter into therapy without a full assessment process. If you are realizing the importance of testing and assessment services, here are some things you should consider:

1. Ensure that your assessment is being performed by a qualified professional. In many instances, psychological assessments are completed by licensed psychologists. However, these assessments may also be completed by doctorate level clinicians with proper training and internships in testing and assessment. Be sure that your clinician is working within the scope of their expertise. Non-licensed psychologists (for example, a Licensed Professional Counselor) should be able to demonstrate through education and experience that they are competent to administer and interpret the tests which they are administering.

2. You should receive a comprehensive written report from your clinician performing the assessment. This report should include information gleaned from the instruments and tools used; a diagnostic impression; specific recommendations for treatment, school, work, etc. In other words, the report should tell you much more about the problem than you knew going into it, and should also give you strategies not yet considered.

3. The assessment is a confidential piece of material, however you should consider sharing your report with those providing ongoing treatment. While this is a personal decision, and is based upon your willingness to divulge the findings of the assessment with your clinician and other practitioners, consider that not sharing the findings leaves you potentially continuing to spin your wheels. Sharing the knowledge gained from the assessment with your therapist helps you both strategize continued treatment goals.

For more information about the value of the assessment, or to learn more about the process, contact Dr. Jessica Ryan directly at (251) 509-5100. For more on Dr. Doyle's article, click here - https://psychscenehub.com/psychinsights/psychological-assessment-introduction/