June 14 - Society for Personality Assessment

Therapeutic AssessmentImmersion Course:Essential Concepts and Skills TrainingThis training week is designed forpsychologists and advanced psychologygraduate students who wish to gain in-depthknowledge about Therapeutic Assessment, and itis a first step for individuals who want to achievecertification in Therapeutic Assessment. Dr. Finnand his colleagues will lecture on the essentialconcepts and skills involved in TherapeuticAssessment of adults, children, adolescents,and couples. Then participants will view videoexamples presented by different members of theTherapeutic Assessment Institute that illustrateeach step in a Therapeutic Assessment: InitialSessions, Standardized Test Administration,the Extended Inquiry, Assessment InterventionSessions, Summary/Discussion Sessions, andFollow-up Sessions. Following each didacticportion, attendees will participate in structuredrole-plays in which they will practice the essentialskills of Therapeutic Assessment with guidancefrom the workshop faculty. Role plays will betailored to focus on the types of clients in whichworkshop participants are most interested.ObjectivesAt the end of the workshop, participants will beable to:• discuss the concepts of self-verification anddisintegration anxiety and how they apply topsychological assessment• discuss how recent research in neurobiologyrelates to psychological assessment• assist clients in forming questions during theinitial sessions of a psychological assessment• conduct an extended inquiry following astandardized administration of variouspsychological tests• plan and conduct an assessment interventionsession• plan and conduct a summary/discussionsession• describe client-friendly written assessmentfeedback• conduct an assessment follow-up sessionLocationThe training will take place in room 3.102 of theThompson Conference Center, at the University ofTexas at Austin, 2405 Robert Dedman Drive. Ampleparking is available at the Center.ScheduleThe workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00p.m. each day from June 14-June 18. There willbe a lunch break each day and lunch is availablefor purchase in the cafeteria of the ThompsonConference Center. On Friday evening, there isan optional dinner for everyone.Continuing Education CreditThis workshop qualifies for 33 hours of TypeI CE credits for psychologists. The Society forPersonality Assessment is approved by theAmerican Psychological Association to sponsorcontinuing education for psychologists. SPAmaintains responsibility for the program and itscontent.Prerequisite TrainingThis workshop is open to psychologists andadvanced graduate students. Participants shouldhave previous basic training in psychologicaltesting, and will be provided with readings prior tothe workshop to help them prepare. Professionalswith previous training and experience inTherapeutic Assessment are also encouragedto attend, as the most current information andtechniques will be presented in this training.HousingA special rate of $99 (single/double occupancy)has been negotiated for workshop participantsat the Doubletree Hotel Austin University Area,1617 North-IH35, Austin, TX, 78702. Rooms maybe reserved by calling the hotel directly (512-479-4000) or by calling central reservations (877-236-1361) and referring to the “THERAPEUTICASSESSMENT” group. You may also go to www.austinuniversity.doubletree.com and enter TASinto the group/ convention field when making yourreservation. All reservations must be received byMay 12, 2010. Reservations received after the duedate will be honored on a space available basis atthe prevailing best available rate. The hotel is onemile from the conference site.Therapeutic AssessmentTherapeutic Assessment is a semi-structuredform of collaborative psychological assessmentdeveloped by Stephen Finn and his colleaguesat the Center for Therapeutic Assessment.Therapeutic Assessment can be used for many ofthe same purposes as traditional psychologicalassessment: diagnostic clarification, treatmentplanning, and treatment evaluation. However, inaddition, research has shown that TherapeuticAssessment can be a powerful therapeuticintervention for clients and their families, reducingsymptomatology, increasing self-esteem and selfcompassion,and promoting positive relationshipsbetween family members. For more informationabout Therapeutic Assessment, visit the TAwebsite: www.therapeuticassessment.com.The Therapeutic Assessment Institute(TAI)The Therapeutic Assessment Institute was formedin 2009 to promote and coordinate training inTherapeutic Assessment. The members of the TAIare psychologists from varied backgrounds, whohave studied and practiced Therapeutic Assessmentin a variety of settings. The TAI is currentlyestablishing criteria for formal certification inTherapeutic Assessment. The founding membersof the Therapeutic Assessment Institute are JenniferChapman, Stephen Finn, Marita Frackowiak,Jennifer Imming, Melissa Lehmann, Hale Martin,Mary McCarthy, Dale Rudin, Pamela Schaber, andDeborah Tharinger.The Lead PresenterStephen E. Finn, Ph.D., is a licensed clinicalpsychologist in practice in Austin, TX and anAdjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychologyat the University of Texas at Austin. He is the authorof In Our Clients’ Shoes: Theory and Techniques ofTherapeutic Assessment (Erlbaum, 2007), A Manualfor Using the MMPI-2 as a Therapeutic Intervention(1996, University of Minnesota Press), and of manyarticles and chapters on psychological assessmentand psychodiagnosis. Dr. Finn is a fellow of theAmerican Psychological Association and of theSociety of Personality Assessment, for which heserved as President in 2002-2004. He presentsfrequently around the world on psychologicalassessment.