The Assessment Is Ongoing

[DISCLAIMER]

When providing professional care for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), I maintain that it’s important to let clients know that the assessment is ongoing. “Okay, Deric,” you may reply, “what does that mean?” Allow me to explain.

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines assessment as “in general, a judgment of the quality, worth, importance, or value of something or someone,” and in a “clinical context, this process is known as a psychological assessment.”

“Wait,” you may interject, “do you judge your clients?” Not necessarily. The APA defines judgment as “the capacity to recognize relationships, draw conclusions from evidence, and make critical evaluations of events and people.”

While it isn’t uncommon for fallible human beings to judge people, I try to instead focus on evaluating and appraising the thoughts and beliefs, maladaptive emotions and behavior, and other elements which correlate with self-disturbance. Sometimes this looks like judgment.

“Oh, so you’re examining what issues lead clients to seek mental health services rather than judging the clients themselves?” you may respond. Precisely! Regarding assessment, you may recall that the APA referenced “psychological assessment,” as this term is thusly defined:

[T]he gathering and integration of data to evaluate a person’s behavior, abilities, and other characteristics, particularly for the purposes of making a diagnosis or treatment recommendation.

Psychologists [as well as psychotherapists] assess diverse psychiatric problems (e.g., anxiety, substance abuse) and nonpsychiatric concerns (e.g., intelligence, career interests) in a range of clinical, educational, organizational, forensic, and other settings.

Assessment data may be gathered through interviews, observation, standardized tests, self-report measures, physiological or psychophysiological measurement devices, or other specialized procedures and apparatuses.

From the moment a prospective client first makes contact with me, the psychological assessment begins. The assessment is ongoing, and continues throughout the course of mental health care. “Can you provide an example?” you may ask. Not a problem.

Suppose that person X initiates contact with me for Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) services. When attempting to schedule an up-to 15-minute free telephonic consultation, this individual neglects to return my calls and fails to respond to texts and emails.

This avoidance behavior could indicate any number of concerns, such as ambivalence (uncertainty or indecisiveness about a course of action). If ever I again hear from person X and this individual decides to move forward with REBT services, then the assessment is ongoing.

For instance, I may pay close attention to whether or not person X is similarly neglectful when it comes to completion of negotiated homework exercises. Specifically, person X may not benefit from practice of the ABC model or unconditional acceptance (UA) outside of our sessions.

“That’s because ‘practice makes perfect,’ right?” you may reply. Oh, no, no, no! You cannot perfect the imperfectible, so I invite you to do away with any notion of perfection stemming from fallible creatures. It simply isn’t helpful to set unreasonable expectations in that way.

Instead, I stress that daily practice of the ABC model and UA is necessary in order for you, me, and person X to actually get better rather than to merely feel better. “Even you?” you may respond. Especially me! I don’t simply provide REBT services to others. I practice REBT daily!

That means that even regarding my own life, the assessment is ongoing. How else will I know if or when I’m making progress? “I get it now,” you may say, “when the assessment is ongoing, a person can adjust or readjust accordingly in order to get better!” You got it!

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

Photo credit, fair use

References:

APA. (2022, August 18). Understanding psychological testing and assessment. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/testing-assessment-measurement/understanding

APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Ambivalence. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/ambivalence

APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Assessment. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/assessment

APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Judgment. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/judgement

APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Psychological assessment. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/psychological-assessment

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