Limitations of Psychological Diagnosis

Clinical and psychiatric diagnoses are sometimes given for expediency, other times because they help us pinpoint the exact nature of a person's problem. We believe that people are human beings and not objects to be cavalierly placed in a psychiatric category and labelled with a mental illness to give you a pill. We find this demoralizing. When we conduct assessments, if diagnoses are appropriate, we discuss the potential implications of labels with each client or their parents to determine what is in their best interests and how this should be documented in professional reports.

When it comes to therapy, medication may take the edge off for some people, but it never gets to the cause of your suffering. That is why, regardless of any diagnosis given, people need to talk to a caring professional trained in listening, being empathetic, understanding your feelings and conflicts, and helping you transcend your suffering through genuine relatedness and ongoing dialogue.

You may also be interested in our general page on talk therapy and our treatment philosophy.