| Have you made the decision to have your clients | | | | important when it comes to dealing with issues relating |
| mental status evaluated? Have you found yourself | | | | to psychological assessment. Therefore, you will be |
| having difficulties preparing a lawsuit? Do you want to | | | | best served by making sure that your consultant has a |
| fine-tune your lawsuit? | | | | practice which is largely clinical and treatment-oriented. |
| If that is the case, you may want to check out what | | | | Clinicians are best at developing that all-important |
| options are available to you when it comes to seeking | | | | rapport with your client, and when testing is only part |
| and finding a mental health assessment expert. | | | | of their practice, they justifiably create the impression |
| Through this article, you are provided with the guidance | | | | of being a well-rounded and seasoned practitioner, |
| that you will need in order to identify those mental | | | | rather than that of being the operator of an |
| health experts who will be of the greatest use and | | | | assessment mill. |
| service to you and your clients. | | | | In your analysis of various professionals rendering |
| When you are looking to find a consulting psychologist | | | | assessment services, you will want to consider their |
| to assist you with assessing a clients mental state, the | | | | credentials. For instance, typically a psychiatrist has |
| first factor to keep in mind is the reputation of a | | | | only about three years of training in mental health, |
| particular professional. Obviously, when you are dealing | | | | which is obtained during the residency. |
| with subjects as important, sensitive and potentially | | | | The overwhelming majority of their training is in |
| life-changing as your clients disabilities or injuries, you | | | | chemistry, biology and general medicine. They mainly |
| want to make sure that you connect with a reputable | | | | prescribe medication, do very little counseling or |
| practitioner. | | | | psychotherapy and receive no specialized training in |
| As with other areas in todays world, there are less | | | | psychological testing and assessment. |
| experienced professionals who inject themselves into | | | | On the other hand, the psychologist has the bulk of his |
| the field of forensic psychology, the psychological | | | | training in counseling, psychology, mental health and |
| evaluation of accident victims. Therefore, be cautious | | | | psychological assessment. This is obtained during his |
| about the consulting psychologists that you consider | | | | last 2 years of college, his 3 to 4 years of graduate |
| engaging for your clients assessments. | | | | and professional school and his internship. |
| Ask how many years the psychologist has been | | | | Where psychological assessment is concerned, there |
| practicing. At least 15 years is appropriate and check | | | | is no question that the consulting psychologist will be |
| with your state Board of Psychology to determine if | | | | more suitable to the assessment needs of your |
| any disciplinary action has ever been taken against him. | | | | practice. Therefore, make sure that those |
| In addition, make certain that you connect with a | | | | professionals who you are considering have their |
| professional who does not have the reputation of | | | | doctoral degree in psychology and are licensed to |
| being a commercial purveyor of testing services to | | | | practice independently. |
| lawyers. Practitioners who run testing or assessment | | | | The Internet rapidly has become a valuable tool for |
| mills can be superficial, careless, impatient and | | | | lawyers who are in need of psychological services for |
| unavailable by phone and email. | | | | their clients. There are a number of different resources |
| Their arrogant and haughty attitude can be a real | | | | available to you today in this regard. |
| turn-off to your client who can be resistant to giving | | | | You will find that by accessing the web site of the |
| such personal information to someone who is | | | | American Psychological Association or your states |
| offensive and whom he does not already know. The | | | | psychological association, you will be in an excellent |
| ability to develop a genuine rapport with your client is | | | | position to make wise and faster decisions pertaining |
| imperative to eliciting useful information from him. | | | | to your practices needs for mental health assessment |
| The psychologists clinical experience is particularly | | | | services. |