One of the hallmarks of clinical practice is having an adequate description of a client's problems in living. Psychological assessment is a systematic way of learning necessary information about that adjustment. The reasons for assessment are varied (see my Assessment page). If someone is depressed it is important to know how depressed they are compared to national norms for depression. If it is a marital issue we need to know about the central facets of marital functioning. I have been involved with the development of relationship tests that allow partners to talk about their relationship in a way that helps me plan a course of treatment. I also am called upon to do evaluations for various agencies, where issues of competence for independent living is at question. In a word, most of my clinical work involves some form of assessment. 

This is not a practice that everyone follows. Some prefer starting therapy immediately without a formal period of assessment. Others, like myself, feel assessment is the very basis for treatment planning. In part, this bias reflects my academic training that commits me to working with the best available research based instruments. It also emphasizes  my approach, which is to identify problems and set out to solve them.

For a discussion of assessment concepts see Basics