Exam Prep Blog

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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It’s Tuesday…late on Tuesday, but still Tuesday, so it’s Hot Topic time!   Now that we’re into the diagnostic categories, it’s important to start looking at questions and thinking about differential diagnoses – what information do you need for an initial … Continued

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I don’t know about all of you out there, but until I interned on an acute inpatient psychiatric unit, I really had no idea what a person experiencing psychosis really looked like (clinically speaking). This category of disorders, distinguished by … Continued

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This week’s Hot Topic is a little different – there are many clinicians out there who have never (and will never) treat or work with an infant, child, or adolescent…so why do we have to know about disorders that are … Continued

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It’s Hot Topics Tuesday and this week we’re looking at substance abuse.  Regardless of what setting you work in or the population that you work with, you will come across clients who are dealing with the ill effects of substance use, abuse … Continued

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At my last job, I was fortunate to be trained in crisis intervention and treatment, an extremely useful skill in the world of clinical practice.  Regardless of where you work or what population you work with, encountering a client in … Continued

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I know, I know, it’s Valentine’s Day, who wants to hear about Danger to Others?  BUT, the Therapist Development Center loves all of the therapists out there who are making the commitment to grow professionally by becoming licensed! Danger to … Continued

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