Diagnoses

There’s a big, hairy problem shadowing our field: what, exactly, is a mental disorder? Is using diagnostic language helping or hurting our clients? The way... Read more

By obscuring the truth about kids’ adaptive responses to stress, the ODD diagnosis interferes with genuine solutions and effective treatment. Read more

Take a magical journey beyond the DSM’s pathologizing legacy to a place where therapists can name and categorize suffering, while still taking into account... Read more

Although people might benefit from the sense of certainty that accompanies a self-diagnosis, it can also mislead them into embracing a fixed—or even a... Read more

When we hear the word diagnosis, it’s hard not to think of the DSM. The dreaded DSM. But hating this particular book is nothing new... Read more

Increasing numbers of young people are wanting the validation of an autism diagnosis, even when assessments reveal they don’t meet the criteria. Read more

A lot can go awry when you identify a person with a disorder—but avoiding diagnosis altogether isn’t always the right solution either. How are therapists... Read more

Allen Frances, formerly of Duke University, wrote the clinical diagnosis for narcissistic personality disorder that first appeared in the third edition of the... Read more

What does the diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder mean to clinicians and grieving individuals? Read more

Therapists need to consider not only what diagnosis to give, but also the pain or hardship that can result from sharing it with a client. Read more