ABSTRACT
The concept and use of mental health diagnosis is a mainstay community mental health practice. Yet, with the updated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, now in its 5th edition (DSM-5) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013; hereafter referred to as DSM), a growing minority of mental health professionals continues to voice concerns about the DSM and the diagnostic system upon which it is based. Whereas diagnosis can be a positive factor in mental health counseling, a number of critics have pointed to inherent biases and problems that are still present in the DSM-5.
