Psychotherapy: What to Expect?
Personal History: Biopsychosocial Approach
Prior to your first session, you will be emailed a selection of diagnostic assesssments to kick-start the therapeutic process. Intake assessments tend to have a broad focus and are primarily designed to bring to the surface areas of concern that may be unconscious.
Moving on to your first session, you will be given an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about myself or the thereapeutic process. We will also cover important housekeeping topics such as Informed Consent, Confidentiality, and Risk. You will then be invited to talk and provide details of anything you believe may be relevant to your psychological and mental health. During this time, with your permission, I will ask questions according to the Biopsychosocial framework to gather more information on your family, physical health, social supports, past therapeutic experiences, exercise, sleep etc. History taking can be difficult, especially if this is your first time in therapy. Be assured, it is you who guides the pace of disclosure, how deep you go, and what disclosures you make.
Diagnostic Assessments
Psychological testing is a procedure used by psychologists that helps diagnose mental illness, where appropriate. It involves a series of assessments called psychological tests. These tests are often an efficient complement to the clinical interview during the information gathering phase of psychotherapy.
Psychological diagnostic tests measure a person's behaviour, intelligence, cognition, mental abilities, emotions, brain type, communication style, personality, and areas of difficulty.
Diagnoses we can assess for include mood disorders (i.e. Major Depression, Dysthymia), anxiety disorders (i.e. GAD, SocAnx, Panic), ADHD (hyperactive/inattentive type), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Eating Disorders (Anorexia/Bulimia/BED/OSFED), emotional dysregulation, emotional intelligence, personality disorders, communication proficiency, and Left/right brain dominance.