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Banned

Banned
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Can a therapist make a firm diagnosis, or can s/he only "be comfortable with" saying someone has a certain disorder?
 

David Baxter PhD

Late Founder
Sometimes, there is little or no question about the diagnosis and one can be quite confident. Other times, a practitioner will provide a "provisional" or "working" diagnosis, which may even include certain "rule out" suggestions.

It really depends on how clear cut the symptoms are and whether there are sympsoms of more than one issue or disorder.
 

Banned

Banned
Member
Ok but "legally" or "ethically" - it is possible - it's not like one would have to be referred to a psychiatrist instead of a psychologist for a true - on paper - diagnosis?
 

David Baxter PhD

Late Founder
Oh, I see what you're asking.

In Canada, only certain professionals have the legal right to "convey a diagnosis". For mental health issues, these include psychologists, psychiatrists, and other physicians.
 
It depends upon the situation. In the US, one must have a certain level of licensure to diagnose. Right now LCPCs, LCSWs, Licensed Psychologists and Psychiatrists (of course physicians) can diagnosis. Ethically, if a person has not had the training to diagnosis then they should not be doing so as it would be outside of their area of competency.

I don't know how things are done in Canada. As David said, a therapist can diagnosis provisionally, and the personality disorders can be used but instead of the full disorder, one can use PD features.
 

David Baxter PhD

Late Founder
Yeah but I misspelled "mental health"... eeek!

Social workers don't have the legal authority to diagnose in Canada. I'm not sure what a LCPS is...
 

Banned

Banned
Member
Ok - that helps. I wasn't sure if a Chartered Psychologist could make a diagnosis; for some reason I thought only a psychiatrist or person with medical training could, but apparently not!

Thanks!
 
I noticed the metal health! HEHE!

BG...Master level therapists in the US can diagnosis. Physicians can but I think they should have mental health training to diagnosis. Psychologists tend to have more experience in terms of diagnosis than other master level clinicians.
 

Banned

Banned
Member
I probably could have diagnosed myself on this! I have 16 of 24 symptoms for PTSD. To me it's a no brainer, to my therapist it's a no brainer...sometimes...it's just a no brainer!!!
 
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