has T requested or have you offered to do psych testing?

I was wondering if therapists often ask clients to do psych testing to know have a better idea of what is going on and how to help.

I have only been going to my T for a few months and he started out believing everything was PTSD, but he has started talking lately like he is not sure if there is more going on. He has not requested testing but I am wondering if it would help him to know and have a better battle plan.

Just wondering what typically happens and if anyone has ever just offered.

No, my therapists never suggested testing. I think clients often have multiple diagnosis and that it can take time to be clear about them all. Many of them overlap, and some therapists think that it not important to have that level of clarity.

Do you mean personality tests like MMPI or neuropsych tests?

My therapist does Rorschach testing as a consultant to sometimes clarify diagnoses for other therapists, but even so, he never suggested it for me. He said he'd give me the test if I wanted to take it, but that was only because I asked.

Not testing per se, but the clinic really believes in questionnaires! Many ways to ask the same questions, then 3 "intake" appointments to go over all the damn questionnaires.

I wouldn't think to offer, but I probably wouldn't refuse if T asked me to.

Nobody has ever asked me to have it done. I don't think it is very common unless there is a major issues because it is so expensive.

I started seeing a therapist in March and he did ask me to do testing. I didn't want to at first, but agreed to after awhile. He wasn't pushy or demanding about it. The testing took about two and a half hours and in a few weeks my therapist and the one who did the testing sat down with me and went over the results. Honestly I don't remember much about the testing because I was so nervous. The psychologist who did it was incredibly observant and the results were very interesting. I thought it was really, really, really helpful to me and my therapist.

My T is trained in testing. She said she didn't have to test me because she knew my diagnoses were correct. But she did say one day she would like to give me an IQ test.

That's interesting. Did she say why?

My T did ask/suggest that I take the Millon test. She wasn't pushy but she did mention more than once that it would be worth taking if I felt comfortable enough to do so. I think that in the beginning she wasn't really sure what to do with me. I needed help, that was clear - but she had no idea how or where to start. She's admitted multiple times that she simply can not read me and relies a lot on asking me things she could pick up on with most people (she's learned a lot over the last year though and doesn't have to ask as often but also seems more comfortable in asking if she needs to). I pushed off taking the test for a long time and finally expressed to her my fears as to why. She put them at ease and a week or two later I decided to just do it. She gave me my diagnosis (which she is trained to do) and it was worth it for both of us. It gave me clarity and her a starting point.

I did the Myers-Briggs personality one, not sure I spelled it right cuz I'm half asleep lol.

She knew my diagnoses were correct because my past is documented in detail. She's done testing so much, that she doesn't need a score to tell her I suffer from BPD, depression, and anxiety. We can rule out all the other diagnoses because even I know I don't fit them. I do have other symptoms that don't "fit a mold", but they can however be linked to other symptoms of my diagnoses.

I have never taken an IQ test. My dad is a genius. And many people have told me similar. I already know I'm smart, but it has never really been that important to me. I enjoy using what intelligence I have to help others learn to find confidence in themselves. So my T is just curious to know how I would actually do on an IQ test. Part of me is curious, but then I also fear if I do score high, that people's expectations will only be higher.

I was only offered testing as a kid and was inpatient. Otherwise it's been intake interviews, which is the most common means of assessing people. In depth Psych testing (not Myers Briggs tests or ones you can do online) can only be done by a doctorate level T or psychiatrist. They're usually done for thought disorders like schizophrenia or psychotic disorders perhaps. There is also neuropsych testing for pervasive developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders or ADHD. I know there are lots of other tests that can be given like anxiety scales and such, but I don't know how often they're given in the outpatient setting or how useful they are to T's.

I appreciate the insight. Just curious how often this is done and if it would be helpful.

It wasn't expensive at all for me. Insurance covered it and I paid a small co-pay. But that is something you would want to check before you have it done.

I think mine was a little over $70

Quite a few years ago first t sent me to a psychologist for testing to see if i really had DID. Went to see this lady several times, took a bunch of tests, spent a lot of money, and she told me what I already knew, that I had DID

I had testing done for PTSD and Dissociation traits a couple of years ago. Also something else that asked alot of crazy questions like true or false? I am often on the cover of magazines. I had this testing done by a clinical psychologist to support the diagnoses from my therapist for SSDI application. It verified what I already knew..PTSD/DD-NOS

I got myself checked at the national mental health hospital's youth clinic. This is how I knew I had OCD and they referred me to my school T for follow-up. I've already been seeing her prior to this and she was surprised that I went there. After this she did suggest that I do a more detailed test with the mobile branch of the hospital targeted at schools but I did not because it required parental consent.