What's the deal with diagnosis?
What's the deal with diagnosis?
- posted: Apr. 02, 2025
Diagnosis….. For a lot of us, ‘diagnosis’ can be a big, daunting word, especially when it comes to mental health. Often, clients see a benefit in mental health support but feel wary of systemic consequences of taking on a diagnosis. As a therapist, I don’t take assessment and diagnosis for granted and recognize the importance of using diagnosis ethically. In many cases, diagnosis is a means towards personal understanding, resources, and growth - though diagnosis can also be unhealthy without a comprehensive treatment plan for navigating the symptoms of the diagnosis.
These are some common misconceptions I hear about mental health diagnosis:
- “Great! I know what I ‘have’ now what do I do about it?”. At its core, ‘diagnosis’ is a word to classify a cluster of symptoms experienced by an individual. Often those symptoms developed through a complex interplay of genetic and experiential forces which will appear differently across different individuals. There is no universal treatment plan for any one diagnosis. As a clinician, I enjoy the creativity in exploring these unique experiences and looking for opportunities for personal growth.
- “A diagnosis means that I’ll need medication”. Medication is one tool in an elaborate toolshed for treating mental health and may not be appropriate for all individuals of any diagnosis. People may have a similar diagnosis and even similar presenting symptoms though differ significantly in treatment plans. Note: BLC therapists are not prescribing physicians.
- “I’ve found this on reddit and I think I definitely have…..” Assessment and diagnosis is a complex and dynamic process. Your clinician will use qualitative and quantitative data, consult with colleagues, and may refer you to a specialist for further evaluation if you would like to explore a particular diagnosis.
- “We want to reduce stigma by talking freely about…..” Stigma, and negative connotations about mental illness is certainly a major barrier to access to mental health resources for many people who are coping with significant challenges. However, without an extensive evaluation, and ethical diagnostic process, using words such as ‘bipolar,’ ‘dissociation’, and ‘ADHD’ in casual contexts can further marginalize those facing challenges from these disorders on a daily basis.
So…. why is it important to have a diagnosis?
- Insurance doesn’t pay your clinician for “just needing someone to talk to.” (though we wish it would!) Any payment from your insurance must be supported by a claim with a valid diagnostic code. If you have questions about what your clinician uses for your diagnosis, please ask!
- The pathway to health is not an exact science. There is no universal treatment plan or approach for any mental health diagnosis, BUT a diagnosis does give your clinician some insight into therapeutic modalities that may and may not be suitable for your treatment.
- Individual care plans, special ed, FMLA….. Diagnosis is necessary for mobilizing resources through schools, and workplaces. Most supportive systems can only be accessed through a diagnosis; a recommendation for accommodations from a clinician would not be sufficient.
- You aren’t ‘crazy’..... There’s a word for what you’re experiencing. Diagnosis can be empowering in self-awareness and understanding. Many people internalize messaging about being ‘lazy’, ‘overly emotional’, or ‘unhinged’, and carry deep wounds from masking these symptoms. Diagnosis offers visibility to challenges that we’ve masked for years. This can be an important step in healing and growth.
Navigating ethical diagnosis
Like other therapists at Blooming Leaf Counseling, I do not think lightly of the responsibility I have in providing a diagnosis to my clients. In one session, a client joked with me “Wow, you must just have a big clipboard where you are writing ‘NUTS’ as you talk to me.” This statement was made in a light, joking tone - and we both knew that this could not be further from the truth. Any diagnosis that I consider as a therapist is developed through a variety of assessment tools to explore both qualitative and quantitative data in my clients’ mental health. I am very conservative in assigning a diagnosis, discussing this with clients as needed/requested and documenting only necessary information in medical records. Diagnosis, as part of a medical record is protected by confidentiality. In addition, client autonomy is very important to me especially when it comes to pursuing psychiatric evaluation. If at any time, a client is hesitant to pursue a complex diagnosis, for any reason, my response is “Well how about we explore the challenges you’re experiencing instead of dwelling on the title?”
The Bottom line:
A diagnosis won't fix all your problems, it might not even be the first step to healing. If you are considering a psychiatric evaluation for a particular diagnosis, consider talking to your therapist about how this might benefit you.
What's the deal with diagnosis?
- posted: Apr. 02, 2025
Diagnosis….. For a lot of us, ‘diagnosis’ can be a big, daunting word, especially when it comes to mental health. Often, clients see a benefit in mental health support but feel wary of systemic consequences of taking on a diagnosis. As a therapist, I don’t take assessment and diagnosis for granted and recognize the importance of using diagnosis ethically. In many cases, diagnosis is a means towards personal understanding, resources, and growth - though diagnosis can also be unhealthy without a comprehensive treatment plan for navigating the symptoms of the diagnosis.
These are some common misconceptions I hear about mental health diagnosis:
- “Great! I know what I ‘have’ now what do I do about it?”. At its core, ‘diagnosis’ is a word to classify a cluster of symptoms experienced by an individual. Often those symptoms developed through a complex interplay of genetic and experiential forces which will appear differently across different individuals. There is no universal treatment plan for any one diagnosis. As a clinician, I enjoy the creativity in exploring these unique experiences and looking for opportunities for personal growth.
- “A diagnosis means that I’ll need medication”. Medication is one tool in an elaborate toolshed for treating mental health and may not be appropriate for all individuals of any diagnosis. People may have a similar diagnosis and even similar presenting symptoms though differ significantly in treatment plans. Note: BLC therapists are not prescribing physicians.
- “I’ve found this on reddit and I think I definitely have…..” Assessment and diagnosis is a complex and dynamic process. Your clinician will use qualitative and quantitative data, consult with colleagues, and may refer you to a specialist for further evaluation if you would like to explore a particular diagnosis.
- “We want to reduce stigma by talking freely about…..” Stigma, and negative connotations about mental illness is certainly a major barrier to access to mental health resources for many people who are coping with significant challenges. However, without an extensive evaluation, and ethical diagnostic process, using words such as ‘bipolar,’ ‘dissociation’, and ‘ADHD’ in casual contexts can further marginalize those facing challenges from these disorders on a daily basis.
So…. why is it important to have a diagnosis?
- Insurance doesn’t pay your clinician for “just needing someone to talk to.” (though we wish it would!) Any payment from your insurance must be supported by a claim with a valid diagnostic code. If you have questions about what your clinician uses for your diagnosis, please ask!
- The pathway to health is not an exact science. There is no universal treatment plan or approach for any mental health diagnosis, BUT a diagnosis does give your clinician some insight into therapeutic modalities that may and may not be suitable for your treatment.
- Individual care plans, special ed, FMLA….. Diagnosis is necessary for mobilizing resources through schools, and workplaces. Most supportive systems can only be accessed through a diagnosis; a recommendation for accommodations from a clinician would not be sufficient.
- You aren’t ‘crazy’..... There’s a word for what you’re experiencing. Diagnosis can be empowering in self-awareness and understanding. Many people internalize messaging about being ‘lazy’, ‘overly emotional’, or ‘unhinged’, and carry deep wounds from masking these symptoms. Diagnosis offers visibility to challenges that we’ve masked for years. This can be an important step in healing and growth.
Navigating ethical diagnosis
Like other therapists at Blooming Leaf Counseling, I do not think lightly of the responsibility I have in providing a diagnosis to my clients. In one session, a client joked with me “Wow, you must just have a big clipboard where you are writing ‘NUTS’ as you talk to me.” This statement was made in a light, joking tone - and we both knew that this could not be further from the truth. Any diagnosis that I consider as a therapist is developed through a variety of assessment tools to explore both qualitative and quantitative data in my clients’ mental health. I am very conservative in assigning a diagnosis, discussing this with clients as needed/requested and documenting only necessary information in medical records. Diagnosis, as part of a medical record is protected by confidentiality. In addition, client autonomy is very important to me especially when it comes to pursuing psychiatric evaluation. If at any time, a client is hesitant to pursue a complex diagnosis, for any reason, my response is “Well how about we explore the challenges you’re experiencing instead of dwelling on the title?”
The Bottom line:
A diagnosis won't fix all your problems, it might not even be the first step to healing. If you are considering a psychiatric evaluation for a particular diagnosis, consider talking to your therapist about how this might benefit you.