Assessment of clients for counseling and psychotherapy

What is the difference between assessment and formulation?

Can someone use a model of assessment that already exists?
Can someone use an already existing form of formulation? What is your rationale for the formulation you have chosen? Is it the client and the presentation? Is it your own way of working?

Included:

• Relevant information you have found out at assessment which pertains to the client’s presenting problem(s),

• Provide a good exploration of the social context of the client, their background in terms of culture, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality and any other relevant areas. Consider their access to resources and how all of this information shapes the assessment process for you and the client

• Discuss the context in which you work where you have assessed this client and how this shapes the work taking into consideration yourself as a clinician and your client and an examination of the similarities and/or differences between you

Critical Perspectives

 Critically discuss theory and research relevant to the client’s clinical presentation

 Any prior clinical diagnosis the client has disclosed may be discussed here and reflected on in terms of how you plan to work with the meaning of this diagnostic label for this client

 Discuss the implications of your chosen therapeutic interventions and why you have chosen to work with this client in this way.

 Incorporate a reflection on any discussion you may have had regarding pre-existing diagnostic labels that the client may have been assigned

Meta-Analysis

 Reflect critically on how you conducted the assessment session.

 Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of this assessment session on the client and on the therapeutic relationship.

 If you have continued to work with the client, critically reflect on your ongoing work together including how the relationship has changed over time.

 Through the medium of this meta-analysis, you need to demonstrate your grasp of theory and research findings and their implications for treatment/therapeutic intervention, and to be able to reflect critically on your work with the client.