ABSTRACT
Assessment is a vital aspect of all elements related to our work with clients. We have found that both formal and informal assessments provide us with critical data and assist us in multiple areas. They can enhance our understanding of a client’s worldview and life story, can direct us toward a diagnosis, can provide a foundation for treatment planning, and can assist us in our efforts to advocate for a client. Assessment includes more than testing, though. While the results from administration of a single instrument may be illuminating, any decision made must be based on data gathered from multiple areas, including life outcomes, observer ratings, self-report, and tests (John & Soto, 2007). When a client first arrives in our office, we know very little other than what might have been gathered during a telephone conversation. Engaging in appropriate exploration during an intake and then continuously throughout a series of sessions can provide us with substantial information, which can be supplemented with reports from other providers and from people close to the client.
