Individual Mental Health Assessment (up to 90 mins)

All therapies start with an assessment, to develop a joint understanding of the concerns, including how they have developed, what triggers and maintains them, and what is helping. If appropriate, a mental health diagnosis is made based on the latest DSM-V international diagnostic criteria (American Psychiatric Association, 2014). This assessment might also include the use of psychometric assessment (questionnaires) using international standard assessment systems with local normative samples.

Our standard initial mental health assessment is up to 90 minutes. Some clinicians conduct these with the parents and child together; others conduct these with the parents alone. You will be advised of this depending on the clinician you are working with.

The first appointment usually includes a comprehensive discussion about both the concerns and the young person's earlier development leading up to them. Exactly what is asked will depend on what the presenting concerns are, and what your goals are for coming to Totally Psyched.

If there are any safety concerns, these will be assessed and a plan developed to address them in the first appointment - please be sure to bring any safety concerns up immediately so support can be put in place.

When the assessment is complete, a plan for further formal assessment or therapy will be discussed and agreed upon collaboratively with you and your therapist.

This often means weekly or fortnightly appointments (or 'sessions', as they are called), and the frequency and duration of these varies for everyone. Your clinician will guide you - how long it takes generally depends on the severity and complexity of the difficulties and the motivation of the person or people in therapy.