27 Nov Conducting intake interviews is a major part of most counselors’ roles

Conducting intake interviews is a major part of most counselors’ roles. Before conducting an intake interview, you should have a plan for how you will sensitively and naturally obtain all the information you need to assess the case and write thorough notes. Most experienced counselors can interview new clients with flexibility and easily guide the conversation to answer all necessary questions, but that skill takes experience to develop. As a new counselor, you will need to have a list of questions you need to ask to make sure that you are thorough in your interview. As a part of the Biopsychosocial-spiritual (BPS-S) model, make sure that you address spirituality as an area of the intake.

In preparation for your interview next week, post your interview plan here and provide a discussion of your rationale. Write it in a format that will be easy for you to remember and possibly consult during the interview. You may have a list of questions and some discussion in paragraph form. If you are unsure of what to include, remember that the goal of an intake interview is to obtain the information used to write the Initial Interview Assignment and Mental Status Exam Assignment.