ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the nature of assessment within the clinical context, considering several aspects of assessment, including its relationship with diagnosis. The action of diagnosing produces a diagnosis, whereas the action of assessment can produce a diagnosis, but need not necessarily do so, and should always do more. In fact, diagnostic formulation is a genuine attempt at "knowing" or "perceiving" "through" or "thoroughly" and comes close to a being with approach to assessment. Encouraging and enabling negative illness-behaviour is not the only adverse effect of assessment and diagnosis. If assessment has been done well, along the lines of diagnostic formulation and with an attitude of being with, it can often inform the management plan without actual diagnosis. In contrast to the harmful assessment is the assessment that proves to be, or even sets out to be, of direct therapeutic benefit. In clinical practice the relationship between assessment and management is one of enmeshment.
