Exam Prep Blog

It’s hard for me to believe, but we’ve been at this blog for 19 weeks now…we’re rolling through our 50 Topics pretty quick!  This week, our attention turns to Stages of Development.  You can guarantee that there will be a … Continued

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The rumors are true.  The BBS will be changing the exam process for the MFT and LCSW exams but not until January 1, 2014.  This is a change from the January 1, 2013 date that was originally proposed. In January … Continued

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This week brings us to Factors Affecting Mental Health.  Most of these factors, including environmental and psychosocial factors, are recorded on Axis IV of the DSM Multiaxial Assessment.  You will see these factors in many test questions and will often … Continued

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This week, we’re moving on to Axis III — Medical Conditions.  A medical condition warrants recording on Axis III of a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis when it affects the client’s mental health (so if someone has diabetes, but has had it for … Continued

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While the DSM-IV-TR considers Mental Retardation one of the Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence, we’ve decided to look at it as part of our tour of Axis II Disorders.  Mental Retardation is on Axis II because … Continued

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Ah, Personality Disorders.  This category of disorders is guaranteed to come up on the exam, both in terms of differential diagnosis and in terms of treatment interventions/approaches.  Let’s take a look at a sample test item: Sample: A 24 year-old … Continued

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This week, we’re taking a look at Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders.  It’s important that you feel comfortable bringing up the issue of sex with your clients; they may present with feelings of shame, embarrassment, anger or confusion and it’s essential … Continued

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When a news story focuses on mental illness, it’s often Schizophrenia, Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder that takes center stage.  Recently, however, a news story put a different kind of mental illness in the spotlight, and I have to … Continued

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Hey all, this week we are looking at grief and Bereavement.  This topic comes up on the exam in a few ways: differential diagnosis (usually between Bereavement, Adjustment Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder); stages of grief; and the expression of … Continued

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Again, my apologies for the delay in getting the post up.  This week, we’re looking at Anxiety Disorders.  These can come up on the exam in a variety of ways: in reference to medications, treatment modalities, diagnoses…the list is long.  … Continued

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