#psych testing

One of the voices in question: “Dude, shut the hell up and circle always.”

Me: “No, because then I’m faking.”

Me: I'm pagan

Psych: and what do you do with this?

Me: not a whole lot, mostly just meditate

Psych person: *writes in report that I think I have magical abilities and powers of my mind, that I must have hallucinations and hear voices*

Me: *doesnt have hallucinations, hear voices, or think I have magical abilities tbh, never once stated I've got the ability to do shit with my mind*

Psychological assessment, or testing, is a formal way of capturing a picture of what is going on with a person psychologically. Assessment can help clinicians clarify diagnoses and get to the root of a client’s problem. Psychologists are trained to translate your symptoms into diagnoses. But this tells you little about the underlying causes of what your are experiencing or how to address it. Assessments can be used to fill in these gaps and answer these questions. Unlike other medical professionals, psychologists are not able to run lab tests such as drawing blood or taking x-rays to examine the underlying causes of symptoms. Therefore, they use assessments to better understand what is going on internally with a person.

It can be helpful to think assessment results as a map of your psychological functioning. Therapy is an investment, so it’s helpful to have a roadmap before you start your journey.

Oftentimes, assessment is conducted at the outset of treatment in order to get a clear picture of a client’s diagnosis, strengths, and goals. It can inform the treatment and help provide clarity for both the clinician and client. Assessments are also sometimes conducted during the course of treatment either to monitor progress or better understand roadblocks to progression. In addition to clarifying a diagnosis and establishing a treatment plan, assessments also highlight your strengths so that they can be used to your advantage.

How do I know if and when I need an assessment?

We recommend completing an assessment before beginning therapy. An assessment will provide diagnostic clarity and reveal what may the underlying causes of your complaints. Additionally, your assessment will identify your relative strengths, which will be beneficial in treatment planning. Other times assessments may be recommended are:

Around major life transitions such as marriage, divorce, starting a family, medical procedures, etc.

You are considering making a career change

You are interested in going to college or graduate school

You are feeling stuck in therapy

You have tried many things and are still struggling

You feel stagnant in your career

You cannot keep up in work or school

You are interested in receiving accommodations at work or school

You are considering going to rehab or getting sober from drugs and/or alcohol

You have heard several diagnoses from different doctors over the years

Your functioning in some domain has noticeably declined

You find yourself repeating similar patterns in interpersonal relationships

You or your health care providers suspect you have a cognitive or neurological disorder (i.e., ADHD, learning disability, concussion/traumatic brain injury, dementia, etc.)

What should I do to prepare for my testing session?

All assessments will include a formal informational interview where the clinician will gather background information. Most assessments come in the form of paper and pencil tests. You will be asked to answer questions about your feelings and preferences. You may also be asked to respond to various questions in which your performance will be evaluated, such as with cognitive testing that can answer questions about job performance or neurological functioning. Some assessments are very short and consist of a series of questions that can be answered in a couple of minutes. Other assessments will take a few hours to complete. Your clinician will choose the appropriate tests for answering the question that you and your other healthcare providers are asking.