Diagnosis is just another word for information gathering, analysis, and hypothesis generating, for the purpose of treatment planning. It’s not necessarily about slapping a pathologising label on you and sending you off for medication. Here’s an example: I have had so many clients come into my office, telling me that they’re not happy. They’re not getting things done, they feel stagnant, bored and unfulfilled. I mean, come on, it’s normal in our middle years, after decades in a committed relationship, the repetitive ho-hum of work and home, maybe throw in kids, extended family and you’ve been looking at the same faces and having the same conversations over and over again for years. You’ve tried to freshen it up but trying new hobbies or whatever, but nothing sticks. Your life feels unsatisfying and you’re unmotivated.
But is this a “midlife crisis”, is it depression, trauma, burnout, a lack of meaningful purpose, or undiagnosed ADHD or ASD? We can talk away and try to develop strategies, but nothing will particularly stick because we don’t really know what is underlying your life malaise and we aren’t tackling it directly and indirectly.
An accurate diagnosis from a clinical psychologist offers a deeper understanding of your mental health, leading to more effective, long-term solutions than a simple symptom-based treatment plan. While addressing symptoms is important, it often provides only short-term relief without targeting the underlying issue. A clinical psychologist can assess the full scope of a person’s emotional, cognitive, behavioural, and relational patterns, as well as any biological influences, thus identifying the root causes of distress.
And we can achieve this either at Deb’s clinic in Watsonia or via telehealth.
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