Week 2 - Intake Assessment B Flashcards
Recap: Goals of Intake Interview
These can vary but in general:
Establish rapport and therapeutic alliance with client
Get an understanding of the presenting problem(s)
Get an understanding of relevant history
Assist with diagnostic decision making
Elicit hope & establish plan for further assessment & treatment
Recap - microskills
Attending – use a repertoire of skills
Paraphrasing – content and/or feelings
Summarising
Questions – open or closed => what purpose?
Collaboration
Respecting the client’s agency – working with rather than delivering to
What does collaboration look like?
client suggests own goals,
working together on tasks,
providing space for client to share their story in their own fashion (e.g. Cindy)
Intake Interviews: Check out Other Information
Prior to interview, if possible check what information is already held re. client
In the course of the interview, useful to check out what other service providers they’ve seen, or are involved… get consent to get info.
But don’t just rely on this info & don’t let this “blind” you
Intake Interview Structure
Introduction
Opening
Body
Closing
Termination
Introduction
Ask how the client wants to be addressed
Make explicit:
- -Who you are (i.e., name, discipline, role)
- -The purpose of the interview
- -With whom the information you gather is shared
- -Confidentiality
- -Recording of the session (if relevant)
- -Note-taking (agreement?)
Intake Interview: Body
Presenting problems:
- -Identifying -
- -Evaluating - (e.g., frequency, duration, intensity),
- -Exploring client problems
Background information
Identifying goals
Background information
History of presenting problem
Psychiatric history
Developmental history
Personal history (e.g., relational/social)
Educational/occupational history
Medical/health history
Presenting problems
What is happening NOW that the client is having trouble with?
- Work out the general areas first
- –Then explore more deeply for better understanding What information do you need?
- Triggers / context, onset, frequency, duration and intensity of each symptom:
- -What is the symptom?
- -When does it occur? (triggers / context)
- -When did this start happening? (onset)
- -How often does it occur? (frequency)
- -How long does it occur for? (duration)
- -How bad is it when it occurs? (intensity)
Histories
History of presenting problem
Psychiatric history
Developmental history
Personal history –
relationships
Educational / occupational history
Medical / health history
Goal setting
Why is it important to set goals?
- -Gives direction
- -Scientist-practitioner approach
- -Part of therapeutic alliance process
Goals should be collaboratively decided
- -Why?
- -How?
Goals should be based on SMART principles
SMART GOALS
Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timely
Closing
Closing involves:
- Reassuring and supporting
- Summarising critical themes and issues
- Instilling hope
- Empowering
- Clarifying where to (go) next
Session ending
Timely session endings
- Summarising as segue to closing
- Goal setting
- Forward planning (what and when next?)
Watch for client’s termination behaviour and/or statements
Consider your own response to ending the session
Things to keep in mind…
Time management (useful to make explicit with client) … you may need to note areas where more info. will be useful later and move on
“Do I need this info.? Do I need this info. now?”
–Assisted by use of agenda
Don’t be afraid to gently interrupt & refocus (summarising is useful for this)
Note-taking – useful, but nice to get client permission first
Actively seek client’s assistance in understanding them…”is there anything else you think would be useful for me to know…”
Some Important Points…
Remember the importance of balancing information-gathering with “engaging” the client => both process & content are important
Guided by practitioner’s orientation & personal style
Responsive to client style
Ze Essence?
Get to it!
