Working with clients who fall into the “schizophrenia spectrum and other psychot

Working with clients who fall into the “schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders” moves us as counselors to become familiar with the symptoms and possible causes that marks this disorder. Not all persons who come in to see you will have the same symptoms. Some will have delusions, other hallucinations, and others will experience both. These symptoms are the “touchtone” of criteria for diagnosing someone with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The challenge for all counselors is to make sure that we do a complete assessment of the client before we decide which is the “right diagnosis.” We need to especially evaluate the use of substance abuse and how it may be impacting the client’s list of symptoms. Again, there are several diagnoses that fall into the schizophrenia spectrum and psychotic disorders. In this week’s activity we will be reviewing “What is schizophrenia?”
Instructions
Review the relevant section of the DSM V and the article “What Counselors Need to Know about Schizophrenia”. Then address the following:
1 Based on your reading from the DSM-V, how would you succinctly describe schizophrenia in your own words?
2 What are the potential challenges in diagnosing a client with schizophrenia or a psychotic disorder?
3 According to several of the counselors interviewed in the article, what is necessary for a counselor to build a therapeutic relationship with a client diagnosed with schizophrenia?
4 How important is it to help educate family and friends of a client diagnosed with schizophrenia? Why or Why not?