PSYC6233 ASSESSMENTS in COUNSELLING

Assignment 1: Clinical Intake Assessment - Assignment 1 Clinical Intake Assessment 14 Nov

2022 - 00:00 27 Nov 2022 - 19:55 27 Nov 2022 - 19:55 100
Summary:
Value: 30% of the final grade.
Due: on or before 11:55 p.m. AT on Sunday of Unit 2.
Learning Objectives
Critically examine initial intake assessment information and integration into practice.
Develop skills specific to interviewing a client to obtain initial intake information.
Develop a working understanding of the necessity of an initial intake assessment as it informs
goals setting and treatment recommendations.
Select the results of a variety of formal and informal assessment tools based on client need,
quality of the instrument, availability, and counsellor theoretical orientation and qualifications.
Purpose
Students will learn how to conduct a clinical assessment with their client and gather pertinent
information as well as present it clinically and professionally.
Instructions
In this assignment, you will be paired with a partner by your instructor. It is listed in the Course
Bulletins in Week 1. You will conduct an intake assessment (i.e., the first session of counselling)
with your partner using the tools and directions below. You will record the session and provide
the link in your assignment submission.
Tools and Resources to Prepare you for this Assignment:
1. Review the following videos in the MACP Skills Learning Lab listed on your course
dashboard.
Module: Safe & Effective Use of Self:
Video: Guidance for self-disclosure in learning activities
Video: Right-sizing Expectations for Role Plays
Module: Assessment
Video: Session Rating Scale with Dr. Renee Schmidt
Video: Intake Session with Dr. Edwards
2. Clinical Intake Tool: This form is a tool that you will use in the session, but it will not be
submitted in the assignment. It is what will guide the session’s direction and the information you
will need. However, to be clear, this should not be used as a “question and answer” with the
client. This form is to inform your direction, not dictate your therapeutic flow. You may also
use one provided by your work (if you are working in mental health) or it is recommended that
you scan the internet for an intake form. These are typically called ‘assessment, intake
biopsychosocial’ forms.
3. Assignment 1 Template: This template is required for preparing your final submission and
summarizing your collected data into a clinical presentation. All sections must be completed.
4. Learning Teams Agreement Form: This does not need to be submitted but we do encourage
students to review it for considerations on how to work together and resolve any future conflicts
of partner-work)
5. Recording Session:
Your partner session will be recorded and students will submit a shareable link from their
Yorkville OneDrive account into the template (bottom section)
Use tutorial resources for Microsoft Teams and/or Zoom
Links that do not work will not be graded. See guidance for video below.
6. Zuckerman's text will guide your assignment.
Zuckerman, E. L. (2019). Clinician's thesaurus: The guide to conducting interviews and writing
psychological reports (8th ed.). The Guilford Press.
This textbook is available with unlimited access but moving forward has restricted
downloadability to all students from https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=nlebk&AN=1920667&custid=s7439054
Note: The role play partner is allowed to indulge or “lean into” presented symptoms to make the
reason for treatment clear for the counsellor. For example, the role play partner may report more
exaggerated symptoms of depressed mood or anxiety than subtle references. However, students
are not allowed to present severe psychological issues for the intake session such as suicidal
ideation, extreme chemical dependency, psychosis, alternative personalities, dissociative states,
etc. Note to the counsellor: these elements must be included in your screening during the intake
assessment even though you are aware that the client will not “have” them.
Remember the goal of this learning opportunity is for each student to understand the process of
collecting information from a client based on an initial intake session.
Please go to the Course Bulletin to find your roleplay partner. Stay with the same partner
throughout the entire course, do not change partners.
With your partner, decide who will be the therapist and who will be the client for each scenario.
Students are encouraged to exaggerate or embellish aspects of symptomatology that do not
directly reveal their own personal information. Students can also create a scenario of who they
will play as the client. This should not be shared with the counsellor ahead of time. This should
mimic a real intake session, which means the counsellor would not know details about the client
before meeting them.
Students can elect to meet in Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Your client session must be recorded.
Be aware to exercise appropriate caution based on jurisdictional pandemic precautions (i.e., face-
to-face meetings may not be recommended in your region).
Using the tool provided Clinical Intake Tool (Consider examples from our course text and
readings, from an internet search and/or from your employment, choose an intake form that will
cover the domains on the Intake Assignment Template.
Remember to utilize the Session Rating Scale (SRS) at the end of your client session to assess
your therapeutic alliance.
Now switch roles and create the second client scenario. The client presentation must be different
from the first client scenario (e.g., if the first client had anxiety, the second client may have
depression).
Each student uploads their Assignment as the therapist. Videos length/requirements are below.
Session Rating Scale

As a reminder, the therapeutic relationship is the vehicle in which assessment rides. An intake
assessment should not be “question after question after question.” Counsellors are expected to
establish a therapeutic relationship and maintain it during intake assessment.
The template presented for this assignment should be used. Please use the resources for how to
present a report writing in a professional, clinical counselling style. Keep in mind, that in a
professional setting, a client can request their assessment report. Therefore, practice writing this
intake assessment in a manner that demonstrates respect and dignity for the client.
Guidance for Video
For the video submission part of your assignment: The link should be submitted in the
assignment template (listed above). This session should be approximately 30-50 minutes as the
therapist. When your link is submitted, please list the timestamp of when your role as the
therapist begins (i.e., 0:00 or 44:54). Again, the session must demonstrate a verbal narrative and
discussion with the client (not solely asking questions from the form).
Links that do not work will not be graded. Please make sure the submitted link is
accessible/viewable. It is highly recommended to test the video link before submitting for
grading.

*Students with links that do not allow access to videos will be emailed once by their professors
and must grant access within 24-48 hours or will be given a 0.*
Structure
Required components: Title page, template
Length of Assignment: The text body of paper (i.e., not including title page or optional
references) should consist of a minimum of 750 words, (i.e., generally between 2-6 pages, single
spaced, Times New Roman font size: 12).
Format: Please, format your assignment in Word (files with extension .doc or .docx), or Rich
Text Format (files with extension .rtf).
References: Are optional, in-text citations are not required in this assignment unless your
recommendations are specific to a tailored treatment plan.
Considerations:
Reminder for Self-Monitoring & Resources
These role plays are solely for the purpose of practice and preparation as a counsellor. These are
not intended to serve as personal counselling for students. If a student needs more support or
resources as a result of role play, then please visit Yorkville's Student Success Centre: Mental
Health & Wellness: https://success.yorkvilleu.ca/wellness
MACP encourages self-work and personal counselling through appropriate sources (i.e., subject
to province-based guidelines for counselling services)
Information Regarding Citations
Any sources used to support your Written Narrative should, of course, be cited using correct
APA format. And although it can be a useful starting place to gather very general information, in
order to later verify it with more substantial sources, no Wikipedia references will be accepted as
scholarly citations. Here's just one reason why:
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/30699302/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/t/student-
hoaxes-worlds-media-wikipedia/
Notes:
Please review the instructions for Submitting Turnitin Assignments found in Module 2 of the
MACP Student Orientation.
Please review the instructions for Reviewing Feedback in Turnitin found in Module 2 of the
MACP Student Orientation.
The system will not allow you to resubmit after the due date. In the event of an emergency
situation preventing you from submitting within this time frame, special permission must be
obtained from your professor. Documentation substantiating emergency is required. In such a
circumstance, if the extension is granted, the professor will reopen the submission function for
you on an individual basis. Please do not email your submissions to your professor, either before
or after the due date.
Criteria
% of Final Grade
Developed and maintained a therapeutic relationship through the assessment process with the
client within the video.
/20
Sufficiently obtained relevant information during the session based on the presenting problem,
within the video and report.
/35
Professionally summarized and presented client information from the intake session within the
report.
/20
Addresses aspects of the Session Rating Scale within the video and report. Report included video
link with no issues. (audio/visual of intake)*
/15
Professional writing style. (grammar, spelling, clinical vocabulary used, clinician lens integrated)
/10
TOTAL
/100