The Pros and Cons of a Mental Health Diagnoses.

One of the most common questions that I get from clients through an episode of care is “So…do I have a diagnoses?”. Diagnoses in mental health have a very beneficial purpose. However, it is important to recognize the cons of putting too much weight on a diagnoses as well.

When you look back at the history of mental health counseling, diagnosis was not always a signficant part of it. Therapy was more about the alliance between client and therapist as they worked through whatever personal struggles/exploration the client was coming into address.

As therapy transitioned further into the field of healthcare, diagnosis became a necessary component as the focus on reimbursement, measurement based care and standardized treatment became emphasized.

While there are many benefits to the objective aspects of a diagnosis, I will often tell my clients to be wary of the consequences of diagnosis as well. I have personally seen many clients limit themselves based off of a diagnosis. The narrative they will subscribe to include putting themselves in box (rather then recognizing the individuality of their issues), limiting themselves thinking they are defined by their diagnosis (“well I have depression; what do you expect”) or hyperfixating on if their diagnosis is correct.

My approach in therapy includes being mindful of diagnosis; however I focus on the symptoms presented in therapy based off of my clients unique circumstances, perspective and experiences. I encourage my clients to view the concept of diagnosis the same.

If you have mental health concerns (diagnoses or not), Philadelphia therapist Noam Dinovitz can help!

Noam can be reached at Noam@DinovitzCounseling.com or 484 424 7722