What Happens During a Psychological Assessment?
Dr Hannah Odendaal | DClinPsy UK
“You don’t have to have everything figured out before an assessment“
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, particularly if you’re unsure what to expect. You might be wondering what we’ll talk about, whether you’ll need to share everything straight away, or how we’ll work out what might help. A psychological assessment is an opportunity for us to explore these questions together and begin to understand what you’re experiencing.
There is no expectation that you have everything figured out before we meet. You don’t need to know exactly why you’re struggling or have all the answers. Part of the assessment is to make sense of things together, at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
1. Getting to know you
The first few appointments will usually form an assessment phase. This is an opportunity for you to talk about what has brought you to therapy, in your own words and to share what you would like help with. I’ll ask some questions about the difficulties you’ve been experiencing, how they affect your day-to-day life, and what you’ve already tried to manage them. I’ll also want to get to know a little more about you as a person, including your background, relationships, interests and the things that matter to you.
2.
Understanding the bigger picture
Our experiences rarely happen in isolation, so we may also explore how different aspects of your life connect with the difficulties you’re facing. This could include your current circumstances, past experiences, relationships, physical health, or the demands and pressures you’re managing.
3.
Identifying what you would like to change
We’ll also spend time exploring what you would like life to look like moving forward. This might involve identifying specific goals, thinking about what is important to you, or considering how you would like to respond differently to challenging situations.
Sometimes people arrive at therapy with a clear idea of what they want to work on. At other times, things may feel more complicated and it can be difficult to know where to start. Both are completely understandable. We can use the assessment to clarify what matters most to you and identify a useful starting point.
4.
Agreeing a way forward
Towards the end of the assessment phase, we can bring together what we’ve discussed and consider how psychological therapy might help. I’ll share my understanding of the difficulties you’re experiencing, and we’ll discuss possible approaches.
5.
What if I feel nervous about the assessment?
It’s completely normal to feel nervous about starting therapy. Talking about personal experiences can feel unfamiliar, and you may not know what to expect from the process.
You don’t need to prepare anything in advance or worry about saying the ‘right thing’. You don’t need to explain everything perfectly. I’ll guide our conversations by asking questions and helping you explore what feels relevant. The aim is for you to feel heard, understood and involved in deciding the next steps.
In summary…
You don’t need to prepare anything in advance or worry about saying the ‘right thing’. You don’t need to explain everything perfectly. I’ll guide our conversations by asking questions and helping you explore what feels relevant. The aim is for you to feel heard, understood and involved in deciding the next steps.
