Week 4 discussion response to classmates | Psychology homework help

rovide an explanation of why counselors refer clients to a psychiatrist for a psych eval (what is and what is not in our scope of practice). When dealing specifically with bipolar disorder (as with other mental illnesses), it is important to understand that it is believed that most forms have biological as well as environmental origins, and therefore, treatment will be most effective with a combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy (Sinacola, Peters-Strickland, & Wyner, 2020). Given this, it is important that the counselor understand the importance of referring the client to a psychiatrist for further evaluation. It is not within the mental health counselor’s scope of practice to suggest or prescribe medications. According to the ACA Code of Ethics (2014), Section C.2.a states that counselors are to “practice only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, state and national professional credentials, and appropriate professional experience (p.8). It is, however, within the mental health counselor’s scope of practice to recognize the effect that physical illness has on mental illness, and to subsequently refer the client to the appropriate medical professional (Sinacola et al., 2020). Explain what collaborative behavioral healthcare is. The American Psychiatric Association describes a collaborative care model as one in which the primary care provider leads a team that includes psychiatrists, behavioral health managers, and other mental health providers to develop and implement a client care plan that is patient-centered, and is based on best practices to meet clinical goals (APA, 2020). Include a description of two circumstances when a counselor would refer a client for a psych evaluation.

• A client exhibits signs and symptoms of Bipolar Disorder Type 1 – i.e. describes episodes of mania, depression, or mixed mood states (Sinacola et al., 2020).
• A client exhibits signs and symptoms of Schizophrenia – i.e., reports experiencing hallucinations, delusions, or paranoia (Sinacola et al., 2020).

Describe two circumstances when a counselor would use the Release of Information (ROI) signed by a client.

• When working as part of a collaborative care team to include the client’s primary care provider, psychiatrist, and/or any other mental health professionals involved in the patient’s care.
• When the client wishes to allow other people to have access to their care plan, i.e. a spouse, child, etc.

Include an empathetic reflection to Betty:

Betty came to her second session with you describing what appear to be manic and depressive episodes. You have valid questions and concerns and want to get a formal psych eval. How would you explain to Betty that you have concerns about her symptoms and want to refer her to see a psychiatrist for evaluation? Write out a mini script showing what you, the counselor, might say to Betty. Betty, based on what you’ve described, I believe that you may be experiencing symptoms of Bipolar Disorder. I can see that these symptoms are causing you significant distress, and I’m concerned about the possible long-term effects they could have on your mental and physical well-being. I realize this may sound scary, but I want you to understand that this is a physical condition that affects your brain chemistry. The good news here is that it is treatable. The first thing we need to do, however, is to have you undergo a formal assessment to determine for sure if this is what is causing your symptoms. Once we get that established, we can move forward with finding the treatment plan that works best for you. So, are you open to a referral? I’d be happy to help you set something up.

References:

American Counseling Association. (2014). ACA code of ethics. Retrieved from http://www.counseling.org/docs/ethics/2014-aca-code-of-ethics.pdf?sfvr American Psychiatric Association. (2014). Learn about the collaborative care model. Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/professional-interests/integrated-care/learn Sinacola, R. S., Peters-Strickland, T., & Wyner, J. D. (2020). Basic psychopharmacology for mental health professionals (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Pearson.