Description
There is strong evidence to indicate that becoming a better therapist???a true artisan???requires
a deliberate strategy. Experience will deepen our preferred patterns; but it may not inspire us
to sharpen our skillset. Becoming an artisan of assessment means gathering useful data on the
productivity of the therapeutic partnership and reflecting on interpersonal engagement. This
flips the focus from evidence-based practice (EBP)???bringing research-approved techniques
into counseling???to practice-based evidence (PBE)???demonstrating the credibility of care at the
grassroots level. This workshop will emphasize assessment applications for mental health
professionals (MHPs) that create practice-based evidence. Contemporary best practice places
an ever-increasing emphasis on effectiveness, accountability, and client participation. For some
MHPs, mandated assessment increases the burden of paperwork while diminishing
opportunities to build rapport. Surprisingly, the intentional use of assessment can jump-start
and customize client treatment plans. For example, rapid assessment instruments, such as the
DSM-5 cross-cutting or disorder-specific measures can yield impressive information in mere
minutes on symptom frequency, severity, and duration. Via assessment, therapists can
approach each case as a research study with a one subject design without losing sight of the
overarching necessity for maintaining meaningful therapeutic contact. Mental health
professionals can improve the reliability and quality of care through selective clinical
assessment. Further, this workshop will consider the impact of assessment in cases where
clients have the expectation that therapeutic dialogue will result in faith enhancement. Mental
health counselors can develop competence in applying a variety of assessment methods that
actually inform therapeutic process. From initial intake to eventual outcome, assessment
applications can make a contribution to treatment success that is evident to both counselor and
client. Incorporating an assessment mindset can extend outcomes beyond symptom relief into
the domain of character development and life narrative enhancement. Assessment techniques
for immediate use will be provided both for counselor educators, clinicians, and, supervisors.
Specifically, 1) an assortment of practical (and free) rapid assessment instruments will be
provided; 2) the use of alliance tracking will be encouraged; and 3) the application of broad
personality measures to serve clinical outcomes, as well as character development, will be
outlined.
Presented by: Stephen Greggo, Psy.D.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
- Demonstrate the strategic role of assessment in therapeutic partnerships
- Utilize semi-standardized and standardized instruments for the benefit of the therapeutic relationship and realizing care objectives
- Apply the craft of selective therapeutic assessment to build practice-based evidence
