Stephen E. Finn , Ph.D.

January 27, 2007
Oahu, Kapiolani Community College, 6 CE

 

Psychological assessment is typically viewed as something one does to diagnose psychological disorders or to plan for or evaluate an intervention.  This workshop presents a new paradigm, where psychological testing itself is a powerful intervention for individuals, couples, families, children and adolescents.  Grounded in humanistic, interpersonal, and intersubjective theories, the collaborative techniques of Therapeutic Assessment are respectful of clients from diverse cultural backgrounds.  

Also, clinicians from all professional backgrounds will find this workshop stimulating and inspiring, whether or not they conduct psychological assessments themselves.  

In this introductory workshop, Dr. Finn will provide his conceptualization for how Therapeutic Assessment works and will present the different steps for how to conduct this method in practice.  In addition to the presentation of didactic material and discussion, Dr. Finn will show video vignettes from his sessions with clients to demonstrate the power and impact of his model.  The workshop assumes some familiarity with standard psychological assessment practices.  However, explanations will be given of all technical material presented, and the workshop is open to all mental health professionals and students in training. .

Objectives:

At the end of the workshop, participants will:

• understand a model that uses psychological assessment as a therapeutic intervention as well as an information gathering tool.  

• understand the active therapeutic factors in psychological assessment and how to maximize them.  

• understand how Therapeutic Assessment is applicable to clients from diverse cultural backgrounds.

• know how psychological assessment can help illuminate puzzling and difficult behaviors in clients.

• understand when it might be useful to refer clients for a psychological assessment.

Stephen E. Finn, Ph.D., is an international expert in personality assessment and has pioneered work on Therapeutic Assessment, a method that systematically integrates psychological assessment with depth psychotherapy.  Dr. Finn is the founder of the Center for Therapeutic Assessment in Austin, TX, a private practice group specializing in the integration of psychological assessment and psychotherapy. 

Dr. Finn received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 1984 from the University of Minnesota.  Formerly Associate Director of the Clinical Psychology Training Program at University of Texas at Austin, he currently is Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.  Dr. Finn is a Fellow and former President of the Society for Personality Assessment and a Fellow of Division 12 of the American Psychological Association.  He was Chair of the Psychological Assessment Work Group for APA’s Board of Professional Affairs, which published two important reports on the benefits and costs of psychological assessment and problems and limitations in the use of psychological assessment in healthcare delivery.  In 2003, Dr. Finn received the Martin Mayman Award from the Society for Personality Assessment for the best non-quantitative article in personality assessment.            

Dr. Finn is the author of A Manual for Using the MMPI-2 as a Therapeutic Intervention, published in 1996 by the University of Minnesota Press, and of over 35 articles and chapters, especially on psychological assessment and psychodiagnosis.  He has a forthcoming book on Therapeutic Assessment, In Our Clients’ Shoes:  Theory and Techniques of Therapeutic Assessment.  Dr. Finn frequently lectures In the U.S. and around the world on topics related to assessment.