therapy questions to ask patients

Can you tell me about your hopes and dreams for the future? To get a better flavor of these questions, let’s consider some examples. Bashir, L. (2018). (change oriented) What is your main concern today? Self-Efficacy Scale. Electrotherapy is the use of electrical energy for medical … Retrieved from https://mentalhealthweek.ca/check-in-on-your-mental-health/. Singh, A.K. What were your thoughts regarding the signs and symptoms of this mental health issue? So you landed an acute care physical therapy interview. When she isn’t getting super ‘psyched’ about her favorite topics of creativity, motivation, engagement, learning, and happiness, she loves to surf and travel. But you're going to crush it because you're going to be prepared for the questions they'll ask, and you'll have practiced your answers in advance. Basic Questions to Ask a Prospective Therapist It’s often uncomfortable to talk with a physician about cost or their credentials—but both those topics can have a momentous effect on your ability to continue to seek treatment and the trust you place in your provider. If you’re considering psychotherapy, often simply referred to as therapy, it’s … When I sleep, how would I describe the quality of my rest? The mental health continuum: From languishing to flourishing in life. The catch-all term “mental health group” can refer to several different things. The Life Skills Assessment Questionnaire (Saatchi et al., 2010); A Mental Health Questionnaire (2017) designed by researchers Talesara & Bano. How about other things that matter to me? He argues that can we view mental health through this lens instead, as: “…a syndrome of symptoms of an individual’s subjective well-being” or “…a syndrome of symptoms of positive feelings and positive functioning in life.”. Your article was very well put together and has helped spark some ideas for a YT video around mental health I wanted to do. Learn more. But of course, you can always check in with yourself as regularly as you like. O’Donnell, M. L., Bryant, R. A., Creamer, M., & Carty, J. It may help to keep track of your responses over time and take notice of any differences in your answers. (2019). The following may help: How much confidence do you have that you can successfully: As with all the other questions in this article, you’ll probably want to tweak and amend these items to suit your audience. There are a list of questions to ask your client before you begin massage therapy. The ‘absence of negative feelings of ill-being,’ was understandably related to a higher perceived quality of life. How many close friends would you say you have? How do I feel most of the time? It should go without saying that the earlier you seek out any help you may need, the better. Tell me about how confident you have been feeling in your capabilities recently? (2019). A study by the Lancet Mental Health Group has identified some of the key priorities for researchers to look at (Tomlinson et al., 2009). Faith. A “change map” (often called “treatment goals”) is then created to guide you in solving the problems that are currently plaguing you. How long does this type of treatment last? thankyou in advance, Yes, feel free to use these questions in your research and just include a citation for this post . Asking the right questions can change the course of your prescribed treatment, so make sure you're asking the most important ones! Get information on class assignments from the library? (2008). Examples include: The more purposeful, meaningful, and constructive a client perceived their activities to be, the better. Many therapists can provide psychological treatments but aren’t able to prescribe medication if it is necessary – you’ll need a psychiatrist or general practitioner (GP) for that. Mental Health Screening Tools. Or is it simply the absence of mental illness? 10 Introductory Questions Therapists Commonly Ask, Learning To Trust Yourself Again After Betrayal, Many Seniors with Depression Faring Well During Pandemic. ACMH. Psych Central does not provide medical or psychological What brings you here? In an article The Mental Health Continuum: From Languishing to Flourishing, Positive Psychologist Corey Keyes (2002) is very adamant about not oversimplifying the mental health concept, writing: “….mental health is more than the presence and absence of emotional states.”. As Keyes describes in his 2002 article, we can think of our mental health as a continuum – with languishing at one end and flourishing at the other. Try not to view peer support or group discussions as a panacea for mental conditions. The following are 10 of the best survey questions clinicians can ask if they want to learn how patients view them and their practice. Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/getattachment/Get-Involved/Raise-Awareness/Engage-Your-Community/Say-it-Out-Loud/Say-it-Out-Loud-Discussion-Group-Facilitation-Guide.pdf, NHS.uk. In Bashir (2018), several assessments are used to assess mental health, including: The study itself found “a positive significant relationship between the mental health of senior secondary school students with life skills and self-efficacy” (Bashir 2018), suggesting that the two measures together can be used to get an understanding of students’ mental health. She enjoys researching and using her HR knowledge to write about Positive and Organizational psychology. Required fields are marked *, About By design, they do not assess indicators of well-being, such as flourishing, life satisfaction, or happiness. (2019). What prompted you to seek therapy now? What treatments or therapies are you licensed to administer? Everything that is said in therapy should remain confidential – nothing from the discussion should be shared outside of the group setting; Bear in mind that not everyone in the discussion will be at the same stage. – Nicole | Community Manager. Depending on the client, this may take a very short amount of time, however, it’s important to understand exactly why we ask these questions, and why they’re so important. Delucca asks her new clients this... 3. Life skills questionnaire. These are just a few examples, of course, and they are primarily concerned with identifying any potential signs of anxiety and depression. info@positivepsychology.com. Here are some of the questions you may be asked and why: 1. Do I find pleasure in things that usually make me happy? Knowing what to ask can also help you determine whether there could be a good fit between you and your new therapist. While they may be a great place to get suggestions or clarity, mental health is about feeling good in more than one way. Bowlby’s 4 Stages Explained, 3 Positive Body Image Activities & Worksheets, What is Peak-End Theory? How relaxed do I feel most of the time, out of 10? What questions have you asked yourself before? It’s also important to ask how long you’ll be receiving chemotherapy. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Describe how ‘supported’ you feel by others around you – your friends, family, or otherwise? In my therapeutic work with clients, I strive to be totally transparent with sharing my hunches, ideas, and feelings with them.I also regularly invite their feedback about any recommended adjustments I need to make to help them feel more satisfied with our work together. A Psychologist Explains How Our Memory Fools Us, Body-Mind Integration: Training Attention for Mental and Physical Health, How Psychology Combats False and Self-Limiting Beliefs, Cognitive Distortions: When Your Brain Lies to You (+ PDF Worksheets). World Health Organization. At MD Anderson, we give our patients a printout for each medication they’ll be receiving. How frequently have you been bothered by not being able to stop your worrying? Prompt or encourage them to seek out professional help if it is necessary. (Never/Sometimes/Often)”. I strive to be compassionate as I challenge this thought process in a therapy session. Before committing to a mental health practitioner, you’ll need to know a few things about the services they provide. World Health Organization. You’ll find questions about: Depression – e.g., “How bothered have you felt about tiredness or low energy over the past two weeks?”, “How bothered have you felt about thoughts that you’ve let yourself or others down?”, Anxiety – e.g. How often have you felt as though the future was bleak, over the past few weeks? How will I know if the treatment is having an effect? Explain what is the use of Electrotherapy? Happy? How have you been coping with the problem (s) that brought you into therapy? The healthcare system is changing, and gone are the days when a patient sat passively for a diagnosis or prescription (Rogers & Maini, 2016). “Over the last two weeks, how bothered have you been by feelings of fear or dread, as though something terrible might happen?”, “How often have you been bothered by so much restlessness that you can’t sit still?”, Mental Health for Young People – e.g., “How often have you felt fidgety or unable to sit peacefully? The Netherlands Questions to ask your GP – What To Discuss. To that end, I wanted to share with you, in no particular order, what I consider to be the five best PT evaluation questions I ask my patients. A goal of at least 50 responses can provide an adequate representation. – Nicole | Community Manager, Hello, Have you ever experienced a terrible occurrence that has impacted you significantly? How frequently have you had little pleasure or interest in the activities you usually enjoy? Do you ever feel that you’ve been affected by feelings of edginess, anxiety, or nerves? So, we can look at other self-efficacy and life skills measures to get a good idea of some example mental health questions for students. Tell me about any important activities or projects that you’ve been involved with recently. Open-ended questions are likely to feature the typical "who, what, where, when, why, and how" used in good journalism. Thank you for sharing. First of all, you may want to start with a focus for your discussion – ask someone to share a story, experience, or step in as a facilitator with a video about the theme at hand. Consider reading one of these recommended mental health books if you are still unsure about seeking help. Questions of this type were related to feelings such as agitation, restlessness, sleep, pain, and somatic symptoms. Following the question is an example of what it might sound like. One way to monitor progress is for the therapist to ask the client to rate his symptoms. How about spending time with my family? What was your first reaction? How would you react if you noticed these in someone you care about? The Canadian Mental Health Association provides some self-report questions that you can start with; these questions cover six areas and require only agree/disagree responses (CMHA, 2019). They tailor art therapy sessions to meet patients’ needs, discuss patients’ artwork with them, and document patients’ progress. Emotional intimacy is created when you know the honest answers to the questions above. Cost-effective Interventions for Low-Resource Settings – e.g., How can affordable interventions be delivered in settings where resources are scarce? This might be done at the beginning of each session. Now comes the scary part: the interview! Do I feel like I’m maintaining a healthy balance between leisure, myself, my career, physical activity, and those I care about? Am I having trouble focusing at work or school? Kind of you to be concerned for your lodger. The therapist might ask the client, "How is you depression today, on a scale of 1 to 10?" But if you need some inspiration, these sample questions are the kind you can slip into the conversation to elicit answers specific to certain needs: How often do you get to meet up with friends? All rights reserved. Copyright © 1995-2020 Psych Central. The therapist wants to know if there’s something going on in your life that... 2. GSHS Core Questionnaire Mental Health Module. Let’s talk about how often you have felt satisfied with yourself over the past X months. Rehab Insights is a weekly blog written by Burke Rehabilitation professionals to offer practical information for patients, families and the community. Retrieved from https://www.mhanational.org/questions-ask-provider/. (2013). Aug 29, 2020 - Explore Jamie Kyle's board "Therapy Questions", followed by 195 people on Pinterest. Tell us two or three words that best describe you. (attention, community) Can you and your partner really talk together? Sad? Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) Topics – e.g., How can HPSR help us create parenting and social skills interventions for early childhood care in a cost-efficient, feasible, and effective way? Bear this in mind, and consider the following questions when you’re deciding whether a provider is right for you (Armstrong Center for Medicine and Health, 2019; Think Mental Health WA, 2019): Mental Health Week takes place every year in October. Do I need to bring someone with me for each treatment? The Anxiety and Depression Detector is one instrument designed by Means-Christensen and colleagues (2006), that can help you assess depression and anxiety disorders – and it’s only five questions long (O’Donnell et al., 2008). Saatchi M, Kamkkari K, & Askarian M. (2012). If you’re looking for some writing or journal prompts to help you get started, you can try putting your responses to these questions down on paper (Post Trauma Institute, 2019). What: Most often leads to facts. It closes with eight questions patients and caregivers may want to ask on their first visit in order to get the most out of treatment. Have you noticed any changes? Some general questions could include: What brought each of you into the group? Could you tell me about any times over the past few months that you’ve been bothered by low feelings, stress, or sadness? You may not be able to diagnose someone who isn’t doing 100%, but with a little insight into their state of mind, you can play a valuable role in supporting them to get the help they need. Mental Health America. Open University Press. You can find some tips for doing so here. But I’ve found the following questions valuable in many circumstances: You might ask … hi miss catherine, you’re questions are really helpful, can i use this for my research ? Improvements that impact the patient experience should be a priority, along with those that can be implemented quickly and easily. The effective counselor asks good questions. What are my energy levels like when I finish my day? Think Mental Health, WA. Open-ended questions are never a bad thing when you’re trying to start a discussion about mental health. So, ask for the name of each drug you will be receiving. Am I socializing with my friends as much as I usually do? Where do you take a mental health conversation once you’ve opened with, “How are you feeling?“. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Another useful source of questions can be found on this website by Mental Health America (2019a; 2019b). So, mental health is not about the absence of mental illness – as we’ve stated in our other articles on the topic. I hope this helps, and best of luck. Please feel free to use the questions for your research Creating peer support groups in mental health and related areas: WHO QualityRights training to act, unite, and empower for mental health (pilot version) (No. Hi Catherine, thanks for sharing this information. So what questions can we ask to get some discussion flowing in a mental health group? The right questions can help you help others by giving you insight into their well-being, and help align them with the benefits of mental health. Thanks a lot (2019a). How much enjoyment do you get from these? Your email address will not be published. Here are the top questions you should ask a therapist before making an appointment. What actions could you take to help someone who is exhibiting these signs and symptoms? Am I withdrawing or pulling away from those around me who matter? It is an awareness-raising campaign that encourages you, me, and everyone else to tune in early to the symptoms of mental illness. Questions to Ask Your Mental Health Professional About Treatment Options, Medications, and More. What does a typical appointment with you look like? Check-In On Your Mental Health. In this article, we’ll cover some mental health questions to ask yourself, your clients, or even your students.