Chapter 4
THE EVALUATION SESSION
- Effective cognitive behaviour therapy requires you to evaluate patients thoroughly, so
you can accurately formulate the case, conceptualize the individual patient, and plan
treatment.
- Even if a patient has been evaluated by a different clinical, you will need to
supplement the evaluation with additional data collection.
- Assessment is limited to the first meeting with a patient. You will continue to collect
assessment data at each session to confirm, change, or add to your diagnosis and
conceptualization.
Goals of the assessment session
- In addition to correctly diagnosing patients, the assessment helps you:
Formulate the case and create an initial cognitive conceptualization of the
patient.
Determine whether you will be an appropriate therapist.
Determine whether you can provide the appropriate “dose” of therapy (e.g., if
you are able to provide only weekly therapy but the patient requires a day
program).
Determine whether adjunctive treatment or services (such as medication) may
be indicated.
Initiate a therapeutic alliance with the patient (and with family members, if
relevant).
Begin to socialize the patient into the structure and process of therapy.
Identify important problems and set broad goals.
- It is especially important that patients have had a recent medical check-up.
Occasionally patients suffer from organic problems, not psychological ones.
- Inform the patient during the initial phone call that it is often useful to have a family
member, partner, or trusted friend accompany the patient to session to provide
additional information and/or to learn how he or she can be helpful to the patient.
- Make sure patients understand that the evaluation will help you determine whether
they are good candidates for cognitive behaviour therapy an whether you believe you
will be able to provide the needed treatment.
THE EVALUATION SESSION
- Effective cognitive behaviour therapy requires you to evaluate patients thoroughly, so
you can accurately formulate the case, conceptualize the individual patient, and plan
treatment.
- Even if a patient has been evaluated by a different clinical, you will need to
supplement the evaluation with additional data collection.
- Assessment is limited to the first meeting with a patient. You will continue to collect
assessment data at each session to confirm, change, or add to your diagnosis and
conceptualization.
Goals of the assessment session
- In addition to correctly diagnosing patients, the assessment helps you:
Formulate the case and create an initial cognitive conceptualization of the
patient.
Determine whether you will be an appropriate therapist.
Determine whether you can provide the appropriate “dose” of therapy (e.g., if
you are able to provide only weekly therapy but the patient requires a day
program).
Determine whether adjunctive treatment or services (such as medication) may
be indicated.
Initiate a therapeutic alliance with the patient (and with family members, if
relevant).
Begin to socialize the patient into the structure and process of therapy.
Identify important problems and set broad goals.
- It is especially important that patients have had a recent medical check-up.
Occasionally patients suffer from organic problems, not psychological ones.
- Inform the patient during the initial phone call that it is often useful to have a family
member, partner, or trusted friend accompany the patient to session to provide
additional information and/or to learn how he or she can be helpful to the patient.
- Make sure patients understand that the evaluation will help you determine whether
they are good candidates for cognitive behaviour therapy an whether you believe you
will be able to provide the needed treatment.
