Assessment Is Not a Diagnosis
In counseling, as in prehospital emergency medicine, assessment is a process, not a label.
As a counselor and longtime paramedic, I’ve learned to approach assessments as tools for understanding, not for defining. A blood pressure reading doesn’t tell the whole story. Neither does a questionnaire.
Why Assessments Matter
Assessments help us explore areas that might otherwise stay hidden, e.g., trauma symptoms, patterns of thought, interpersonal struggles, or even readiness for change. In counseling, assessments are often conversational, collaborative, and woven into the therapeutic process itself. When used with care and proper training, they can inform and enrich treatment.
The Danger of Overreliance
A pulse oximeter can misread someone with poor circulation or dark skin. An automated blood pressure cuff might fail to pick up a weak pulse. And in counseling, assessments, especially standardized tools, can sometimes misrepresent a person’s true experience. The whole person has to be evaluated, including their culture, background, and belief systems.
We must treat the person, not just the numbers.
Assessment Is Ongoing
Just like in EMS, reassessment is a best practice. A single snapshot doesn't capture how the person responds to treatment and changes over time. Counseling assessments should be part of an evolving understanding of the client, not a once-and-done checkbox.
Findings from a single assessment might prompt immediate action, but we never stop reassessing. Counseling deserves the same ongoing attention.
Some types of formal testing require specific training and credentials, and counselors play a vital role in screening and assessment. When used with care, assessments can inform treatment, foster understanding, and support progress without reducing clients to a set of scores or labels. You are more than a diagnosis and more than a psychometric assessment finding.
Strategize Your Success
At Tactical Counseling, I use assessment as a guide, not a gatekeeper. Whether you're exploring your mental health, seeking recovery support, or navigating a life transition, assessment is a starting point, not the final word.
Let’s work together to understand what’s going on beneath the surface and build a plan that’s right for you.
Resources for Further Reading:
- Assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning: A map for the journey ahead -- Counseling Today
- Assessment and Diagnosis in Counseling: Strategies for Understanding Clients -- Keiser University