The PHQ-9 (and all its variants) instructions ask: “How often have you been bothered by the following problems?” followed by a list of depression symptoms. Most people simply count how often the symptom occurred, ignoring the “bothered by” part entirely. That gap between intended and actual interpretation can mean the difference between the lowest and highest possible score on the same item. Here’s what you can do in practice.

Around 10% of the population meets criteria for a dissociative disorder in their lifetime, yet most clinicians receive little training in detecting it. Dr Mary-Anne Kate’s webinar and the MID-60 screening tool explain why dissociation is so easy to miss, why it’s transdiagnostic, and how to screen for it in routine clinical practice.

The DSM-5’s categorical system has six structural limitations — comorbidity, symptom repetition, heterogeneity, low reliability, arbitrary thresholds, instability. How the dimensional HiTOP model predicts outcomes better.

Drawing a parallel to the history of thermometry in medicine, Dr Buchanan notes that while clinicians once relied on “the hand on the forehead” to detect fever, modern practice demands the precision of a “measuring stick” to provide better therapy outcomes for mental health clinicians and their clients.

For behavioral health providers, percentile ranks in psychometrics offer an intuitive comparison against the general population; for instance, a score above the 90th percentile indicates a client is struggling significantly compared to 90% of the community.

Trauma-informed assessment goes beyond screening tools. How SAMHSA’s framework (trauma aware, safety, choice, empowerment) shapes every step of clinical assessment.

The Maladaptive Schema Scale (MSS) is a modern, open-source, Rasch-validated alternative to the YSQ — 27 schemas, evidence-based cutoffs, and a dual developmental/relational framework for formulation.

Dr Chris Ludlow (Swinburne University) on how AI turns session transcripts into causal formulation diagrams, comparing therapeutic lenses without replacing clinical judgement.

NovoNote output quality just got even better. As the leading Mental Health AI Scribe, we’re constantly making improvements to our note quality. This post explains our quality improvement framework and some of the parameters we evaluate note quality on.

Ask most clinicians which part of a diagnostic assessment is the least reliable, and structured interviews are rarely the first answer. We were trained to

ADHD is common, frequently masked, and serious when missed. How to recognize inattentive and internalized presentations, screen with the ASRS, track progress with the ACOS, and support clients in a neurodiversity-affirming way.

Dr Ben Buchanan reviews the recent research on AI-generated psychological and psychiatric reports. What the evidence really shows about accuracy of AI Scribes in psychological assessment

Adult separation anxiety disorder (SEPAD) affects 6.6% of adults — more common than panic disorder or GAD — yet most clinicians miss it. Dr Vijaya Manicavasagar’s webinar and the ASA-27 screening tool walk through how adult attachment theory, SEPAD, and the therapeutic relationship intersect in clinical practice.

Bipolar disorder is among the most frequently misdiagnosed conditions in mental health practice. Approximately one in five adults presenting to mental health services with depressive symptoms in fact have bipolar or a bipolar-related disorder. Diagnostic delays carry substantial human cost — prolonged exposure to ineffective treatments, elevated relapse risk, occupational and relational disruption, and increased suicidality.

I became a psychologist for the same reason most mental health clinicians do: to make a dent in suffering. The work was intense, and it was also deeply meaningful. Watching someone move from stuck to unstuck—from self-criticism to self-compassion, from avoidance to action—never gets old. And then, about two years ago, I made a big change.

For decades, psychologists and psychiatrists have relied on the DSM to bring order to a very complex human landscape. The DSM has helped with communication, research and treatment planning. But it has also come with obvious limitations.

NovoPsych gives you two tools purpose-built for telehealth mental health sessions: remote psychometric assessments and telehealth clinical note-taking. Free 15-day trial. Administer psychometric assessments for telehealth and generate structured clinical notes during telehealth sessions with NovoPsych and NovoNote AI Scribe.