Sound Judgment

Several years ago, I was asked to teach a course on the mental health diagnostic process. I knew I didn't want to do what everyone else was doing, e.g., simply teach each of the Axes and show a video or two. Because I view the mental health diagnostic process as somewhat sacred, something that requires insight and careful consideration - an integral part of the wellness process, I wanted to come up with something more interesting and life enhancing for the students. I first checked on Amazon.com for some activities books I could use while teaching this topic. I couldn't find any that suited my purpose, so I decided to use my own imagination. This handy book is the culmination of that trial and error process. I enjoy teaching diagnosis much more, now that I have a clear vision and a goal and some fun activities for students. I hope you will have as much enjoyment as I have had. This book will appeal to classroom instructors who want to encourage more student involvement when teaching the use of the DSM and the mental health diagnostic process. Future counselors, social workers, psychologists and marriage and family therapists will develop diagnostic skills using a creative and interesting case study format. In the absence of living, breathing people - with genuine, unfeigned emotional problems, written case studies have been a part of mental health education for a very long time. It seems that if we were to find ways to bring case studies to life, taking the process from a one dimensional procedure to a multidimensional learning adventure, much more could be accomplished in the classroom. The result can be a better skill at mental health diagnosis and charting. All of the music suggested in this book is easily located on YouTube. The great potential for using music to enliven a case study is the diverse emotional reaction it can inspire in each of us. Music, when paired with a mental health issue, can stir very subjective, individualized diagnostic results, liven up classroom discussion and arouse deeper, more meaningful personal growth. Likewise, where a particular piece of music may provide an emotionally powerful experience for one student, the same music often comes across quite differently for another. Each student will be affected in h/er interpretation of the particular song, based on h/er distinct memories, cultural experiences, social upbringing, environment, mood and personality. Each of these factors has the potential to guide the student's establishment of a mental health diagnosis. Many of the case studies in this text suggest a diverse cultural influence on the subject's development. Readers are encouraged to explore the cultural backgrounds of each of the subjects, while in the process of developing the diagnostic chart.