Clients as Partners
At Ellenhorn, we see each client as our partner in the treatment process. A client’s active role in their own treatment starts at the very beginning, as they choose the style of initial assessment and goal setting that best suits their needs – either our Whole Person Diagnostics and Assessments, or our Open Dialogue process.
Our Whole Person Assessment consists of many assessments, each addressing a facet of a complex individual. Included are neuropsychological and psychological tests, psychiatric and neurological exams, and assessments of physical wellness, family dynamics, substance use, spirituality, social/developmental issues, and educational and vocational experiences.
Our assessment helps a person and their family reach a greater understanding not only of the person’s clinical picture, but of their social situation as well. This includes how they plan for meaningful integration in the community around them, and what gets in the way of their goals.
Too often, people receiving mental health treatment are given conflicting diagnoses. In contrast, our multi-faceted assessment provides a stable, thoughtful and holistic picture of their situation. It reflects the person so thoroughly that it provides a base from which they can seek and receive the right kinds of interventions throughout their lives.
Most important, our assessments are living documents, focused not simply on a diagnostic picture, but aimed to then develop a highly personalized plan for recovery. Once an assessment is complete, the client’s team meets with the client and develops a comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment plan based on multiple factors drawn from the assessment. This treatment plan is called “The Roadmap to Recovery.” The Roadmap to Recovery targets life-goals developed by the client that the client and team feel are achievable.
Open Dialogue Process
While our Whole Person Assessment relies somewhat on the input of clinicians, the Open Dialogue process is an alternative to formal assessments. Over several weeks, as a new client participates in weekly discussions with their team, they gain self-understanding about their challenges and dreams. This self-knowledge enables a client to design their own treatment plan called the Roadmap to Recovery, determining the nature of their treatment and helping to establish life goals.