Ирина Архипова – English for Psychotherapy and Counselling: Handbook for Practitioners. Английский для психотерапии и консультирования: практическое руководство (страница 21)
• Create a brief background story for your character
• Respond naturally to questions
• Provide enough detail but also some ambiguity that requires follow-up questions
After the role-play, switch roles and try a different scenario.
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE:
Structuring an Initial Assessment Session
Sample Assessment Structure
A typical initial assessment session (usually 60—90 minutes) follows this general structure:
1. Introduction and Informed Consent (5—10 minutes)
• Introduce yourself and explain your role
• Explain confidentiality and its limits
• Discuss the structure and purpose of the session
• Answer any questions the client has
• Establish initial rapport
2. Presenting Problem (15—20 minutes)
• Use open-ended questions to understand why the client is seeking help
• Explore onset, duration, frequency, severity
• Identify triggers and patterns
• Understand the client’s perspective on the problem
• Explore previous attempts to address the issue
3. Psychosocial History (20—30 minutes)
• Developmental and family background
• Educational and occupational history
• Relationship and social history
• Medical history
• Past psychiatric history
• Substance use
4. Mental Status Examination (Ongoing throughout session)
• Observe appearance, behaviour, speech
• Assess mood and affect
• Note thought process and content
• Evaluate cognition, insight, and judgment
5. Risk Assessment (5—10 minutes)
• Assess suicidal ideation, intent, plan
• Assess risk of harm to others
• Identify protective factors
6. Summary and Next Steps (10 minutes)
• Summarize key information gathered
• Share preliminary impressions (when appropriate)
• Discuss treatment options and recommendations
• Schedule follow-up appointment
• Answer questions
Useful Phrases for Conducting Initial Assessment
Opening the Session:
• Thank you for coming in today.
• Before we begin, I’d like to explain how our session will work.
• Everything we discuss is confidential, with a few exceptions I’ll explain.
• Do you have any questions before we start?
• I’m here to listen and help you understand what’s been happening.
Exploring the Presenting Problem:
• What brings you here today?
• Tell me what’s been happening.
• When did you first notice this problem?
• How has this been affecting your daily life?
• What have you tried so far to address this?
• What made you decide to seek help now?
Gathering History:
• I’d like to learn more about your background.
• Tell me about your family.
• How would you describe your childhood?
• Walk me through your work history.
• Have you experienced mental health difficulties before?
• Is there any family history of mental health issues?
Asking Sensitive Questions:
• I need to ask some important questions that I ask everyone.
• These questions might feel uncomfortable, but they’re important for understanding your situation.