The Assessment Series

The Assessment Series is a group of 6 trainings that focus on skills in clinical interviewing, assessment, and diagnosis.

The Assessment Series is a comprehensive training program designed for mental health professionals seeking to enhance their diagnostic and assessment skills. This series covers essential aspects of clinical evaluation, providing participants with the knowledge and tools needed to conduct thorough and effective assessments.

Included Courses:

  • The Art of Diagnosis

  • The Clinical Interview

  • Making Sense of the DSM

  • Making Sense of the MSE

  • Making Sense of the CFI

  • The Diagnosis Club

The Assessment Series is ideal for clinicians at all stages of their careers, whether you're just starting or looking to refine your assessment skills. Join us to elevate your practice and provide the highest standard of care to your clients.

The Art of Diagnosis: 10 hours

Delve into the intricacies of diagnostic processes, learning how to differentiate between various mental health disorders with precision and confidence. This course emphasizes critical thinking and the application of diagnostic criteria in real-world scenarios.

$150 for 10 Hours

Learning Objectives

  • Explore common diagnostic mistakes clinicians make.

  • Learn the major influences that affect our diagnostic process.

  • Evaluate critical assessment tools to aid in diagnosis

  • Practice assessment utilizing clinical assessment tools.

Making Sense of the DSM: 6 hours

Gain a deep understanding of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This course provides practical insights into navigating the DSM's complex structure, ensuring accurate and consistent application in clinical practice.

$90 for 6 Hours

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the major philosophical & categorical changes in the DSM5.

  • Learn the essential features of each disorder group in the DSM5.

  • Examine the assessment tools published with the DSM5.

  • Practice diagnosis using the DSM5 through clinical vignettes.

The Clinical Interview: 6 hours

Master the art of conducting effective clinical interviews. Learn techniques to build rapport, gather comprehensive client histories, and identify key symptoms and concerns. This course focuses on enhancing communication skills and fostering a therapeutic alliance.

$90 for 6 Hours

Learning Objectives

  • Identify the primary goal(s) and the structure of the clinical interview.

  • Gather useful listening and verbal skills that support rapport.

  • Explore how to direct and redirect clients and path of the interview.

  • Learn strategies to manage common scenarios that challenge the interview.

Making Sense of the MSE: 5 hours

All clinicians need to develop skills in conducting and interpreting the Mental Status Examination. This course offers a detailed exploration of the MSE components, enabling participants to assess cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning accurately.

COMING SOON…

Learning Objectives

  • Identify & describe the key components of the MSE

  • Learn to conduct a more thorough MSE exam

  • Practice recognizing elements of the MSE in vignettes

  • Recognize the influence of cultural background and individual traits on MSE

Making Sense of the CFI: 5 hours

Explore the Cultural Formulation Interview, a vital tool for understanding the cultural context of a client's experience. This course highlights the importance of cultural competence in assessment, providing strategies to integrate cultural considerations into the diagnostic processes.

COMING SOON…

Learning Objectives COMING SOON

  • Objective 1:

  • Objective 2:

  • Objective 3:

  • Objective 4:

Differential Diagnosis: TBD

This is a practical, clinician-centered training designed to sharpen diagnostic accuracy and confidence. We’ll walk through the full spectrum of DSM-based diagnoses with emphasis on required criteria, specifiers, duration, impairment, and common clinical look-alikes. Through clear frameworks, case vignettes, and decision trees, participants will learn how to distinguish overlapping presentations, apply specifiers appropriately, and document rationale.

COMING SOON...

Learning Objectives

  • Practice a prioritized differential diagnosis using DSM criteria, including symptoms, duration and impairment.

  • Evaluate diagnoses with similar presentations.

  • Explore specifiers to further refine diagnoses.

  • Evaluate a clear diagnostic rationale that justifies the final diagnosis and considers alternatives.

The Diagnosis Club: 1 hour weekly

The Diagnosis Lab is a weekly webinar where clinicians collaboratively practice building and refining diagnoses in real time. Each session features a case vignette, structured information gathering, and a facilitated walk-through of DSM criteria, specifiers, differential considerations, cultural formulation, and documentation language. This is a monthly membership (can cancel anytime) *No CECs available

$60/month membership • BEGINS 4/1/26

Learning Objectives

  • Apply DSM criteria to construct and justify a working diagnosis from a case vignette.

  • Differentiate between at least three common diagnostic look-alikes.

  • Practice concise documentation that links symptoms to functional impairment.

  • Incorporate cultural formulation and client voice into the diagnostic rationale.

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