Where to Start and What to Ask: An Assessment Handbook

by Susan Lukas

This book is intended to help therapists and especially beginning students organize their approach to the initial phase of treatment. It offers the necessary tools for garnering information from the client and provides a framework for thinking about that information and formulating a thorough assessment. The author describes how to conduct first interviews with children, adults and families, and includes sample forms and questionnaires.

Genres: Social Work, Psychology, Nonfiction, Counselling, Grad School, Self Help, Mental Health

182 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book for a starting practitioner. She has pretty helpful pointers and, more than anything, I just love how she comes across in her writing. It was calming and wise, just what I want to read as a green student or clinician. It’s a little dated but not as much as you might think. This is one of only about 3 books that I will be holding onto from graduate school.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very helpful book. The author writes like she is reading your mind, and answers your questions. I would recommend it to anyone doing social work/addiction counseling etc.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required text for Psychological Assessment for Counselors course.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course covers the basic principles and methods of individual psychological assessment. Among the topics covered are interview methods (with adults, children, couples and families), the mental status examination, and the administration, scoring and interpretation of standardized assessment instruments.This course provides an overview of the varieties of clinical assessment that counselors may encounter in their careers. Introductory issues will include understanding the goals of psychological assessment, the types of measures used by counselors, and a consideration of the breadth of settings in which assessments take place. We will review test construction, norms, standardized scores, reliability and validity as foundational issues. We will begin the course with a review of professional and ethical issues and discussion of cultural and multi-cultural issues as they relate to psychological appraisal and assessment.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as supplemental to my masters program. Not a ton of new information for me personally (been doing intakes already for a while now), but what was new seemed very helpful, and everything she mentions squares with what the best clinicians at my work do, so it seems solid. It is well-written and clear with lots of good information.

[Hamze Jirde]

it was excited book. i would like to recommend my friends to read it.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A primer for new therapists and supervisors

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this in 1 day! Such a great read and guide. I will definitely be using this in the future with clients.

[Ambs Kanoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a good how to book for social workers. It was read for academic purposes but I found it very helpful.

[Hilary Heilberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight for learning how to work with clients.

[Molly Riordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as these kinds of books go this was easier to read than most and had a lot of useful information for new practitioners in mental health, even non social workers

[Ashley Martin]

Read this for work and I’m certainly counting it in my book count lmao

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

as a new clinician this book was very reassuring to read

[Nothing Heretosee · Rating 2 out of 5]

basic, is what is though, enjoyed it for that

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

These days, in preparation for my internship in the fall, I'm trying to read books that will remind me how to work clinically. This one is excellent, and I deeply wish I had read it in my second or third year of graduate school. I had to learn a lot of this stuff on the job, through floundering and making mistakes, and my field experiences would have been worlds easier if someone had just told me these things. This is an extremely practical (NO theory) how-to book for social work/psychology students who are just starting out and want to know how to conduct initial interviews with various clients -- adults, children (and their parents), couples, families, etc. It also covers issues such as assessing for violent potential, suicidality, and child abuse/neglect. It's written in a very simple manner and the style and information is appropriate for students rather than professionals. However, it's serving as an excellent review for me. I also recommend it to supervisors as a good resource for providing guidance to their supervisees.

[cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my most dog-earred book. It contains little psychological theory, but I found it the most practical thing I read in grad school. Lukas gives rookies the nuts and bolts of first (and second) interviews with a range of clients, from young children to chronically-impaired adults. There are many useful tips for conducting comprehensive assessments and mental status exams, as well as reminders about keeping yourself safe when you are working with potentially volitile patients. I could not have survived my first year of training without this text. If you are just beginning a psych or social work career, I'd add this one to your library.

[Nara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a great introduction book for those who start their social work practice. "Where to start and what to ask" gives an overview how to conduct first interview with various groups (i.e. adults, children, couples, families substance abusers), but the list isn't comprehensive.
The book doesn't talk about ethical issues: ethical decision making and ethical practice. I understand that it is an introductory assessment handbook, but social worker values and ethics should come first (even before first interview). I would also prefer to see an extensive (thematic) bibliography of recommended books for those who would like to go beyond the scope of this book.

[Aaron K · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for looking at the very basics of interviewing for social workers, nurses, counsellors, etc. It really is where to start and get a good idea of how the interview process should proceed. Covers a number of areas, including individuals, families, children and also has a good look at what to do for suicidal clients.

Having said all that, I would not recommend this book for basically experienced clinicians. The simplicity of the title really shows where the books is coming from and who the audience is.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read this one cover to cover, but I remember it was useful when I first started doing assessments. Of course, skillful interviewing is refined by experience; this book is best used as a guideline for starting clinicians to both relieve anxiety and get your bearing in the interview. Seasoned clinicians might also benefit from reviewing it and considering ways to adjust their approach.

[Chavonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute gem for clinicians. I read it for a class while in school and just finished reading it as I prepared for my first initial assessment as a bonafide therapy (huzzah!). This is easily read and implemented and is incredibly useful for allaying the fears of any new therapist.

[Sam Mandel]

This is a pretty good beginner book for anyone thinking about going into therapy. That being said it is pretty basic and a bit outdated, but always good to refresh on some of the basics, especially in regard to initial interviews and assessments.

[Janeen · Rating 2 out of 5]

simple and straighforward, good intro to social work/counseling book.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading it for school. I recommend it for anyone who wants to go into social work.

[Laurelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for starting social workers who have no idea what to do. Somewhat dry, but then again some may say that so is the field!

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think i'm going to keep this book forever. i'm not so worried about doing assessments and interviews now :)

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERY basic but important goodness for those just starting out..

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information, but a little repetitive. The lists of questions at the end of each chapter will probably be helpful to look at to make sure you cover all the basics with a client early on.

[Lisa P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative easy read that touches on many topics. Example of how to write an assessment in the last chapter.

[Jill Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good tool to have on your shelf as a social worker, helps in client assessment and rapport-building. Read when starting my MSW program at SDSU.

[Katherine Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great guide for the new clinician. When I was starting out in the field it gave me a lot of good ideas on how to engage clients of all types.

[Jesseca · Rating 4 out of 5]

great info for beginning the therapeutic relationship