Lately, in my posts on this page, I have mentioned being an exam prep coach. As a result, I have gotten some recent private messages asking about coaching–questions such as “What it entails?” “What is it?” “How can it help?” So today I thought I would take the time to write up some information about what I do as an exam prep coach. Please note that each coach is going to vary in style, process, etc. so this is simply what I do as a coach. Other exam prep coaches will have their own strengths and processes to help you pass your exam.

Coaching is included in some packages purchased from AATBS. Customer Service will help guide you with packages that suit your particular needs.

The amount/type of coaching differs for the various licensures and packages offered

--Scheduled in 15-30 minute sessions, mostly by phone, some by email. I prefer to do all of my coaching sessions by phone for clear communication and understanding. 

--Scheduled by appointment with availability on weekends and weekdays

--All coaches are licensed in the disciplines in which they coach for exam prep

What is coaching?

• One on One Support

• Personalized and individualized for each customer based on important considerations such as--Learning style, Date of exam and amount of time to prepare, How to study efficiently, How to stay accountable and consistent, Burn out prevention

When I work with customers, we examine and break down test taking strategies

--We review questions together

–Examine thought process--Are you Overthinking? Making Assumptions?, Overlooking Key Words?

--Together we identify concerns, amplify strengths

--How to comprehend and retain content material, even breaking it down by content looking at different strategies for different areas of content

We also look at more than just the exam itself…

• Discuss anxiety management strategies

• Help to identify thoughts associated with exam

• Time management

Coaching also includes:

• Building confidence in your test-taking abilities

• Removing uncertainty of preparation

• Feeling prepared for exam day

• Knowing and understanding material beyond memorization…To pass the exam

With the overall goal: To be a better clinician/licensed professional

Select your answer and share in the comments. The answer and rationale will be posted in the comment soon...

A client who has been in therapy for 6 months requests a copy of their full treatment record. The social worker believes that reviewing the raw psychotherapy notes may be emotionally destabilizing for the client due to recent trauma work. What should the social worker do NEXT?

a. Refuse the request because releasing records could harm the client
b. Provide a treatment summary instead of the full record
c. Provide access to the records or offer a summary, documenting the clinical reasoning
d. Require the client to obtain a court order before releasing any records

Hi all.

I am studying for the law and ethics exam upcoming in July. I am looking for a study partner. I have test anxiety and have already failed. If anyone is available to study. Let me know your availability, and I will work it in my schedule. I work Monday- Friday 8am - 4:30. Thank you for the support.

Although clients have the right to review and obtain information from their records, they do not have the right to all of the material contained in them. For example, clients would ordinarily not have the right to see your informal notes about them or information transmitted in confidence to you by another person. 

a. Ethical Standards: The Code of Ethics says the following with regard to clients’ access to their records: • You should provide your clients with reasonable access to records concerning them. 

• If you are concerned that such access will result in misunderstanding or serious harm to the client, you should

(a) provide the client with help in interpreting the records, and 

(b) consult with the client about the records. 

• You should limit a client’s access to his/her records, or part of the records, only in exceptional circumstances, as when there is compelling evidence that seeing certain information in the record would result in serious harm to the client. 

• If you limit a client’s access to all or part of his/her records, you should document in the client’s file 

(a) the client’s request for the records, and 

(b) the reasons why you withheld all or part of the records from the client. 

• When providing clients with access to their records, you should take steps to protect the confidentiality of other people identified or discussed in the records. 

b. Legal Guidelines: Because HIPAA provides patients with greater access to their own protected health information (PHI) than does California law, HIPAA sets the legal standard for determining when a patient may be denied access to that information (California Office of HIPAA Implementation, 2005). In terms of your legal obligations, HIPAA’s Privacy Rule stipulates that patients must be permitted to review and amend their medical records. Under HIPAA you may deny a client access to his/her records only if access is reasonably likely to endanger the life or physical safety of the client or another person or if the information in the record makes reference to another person (unless that person is a health-care provider) and access is likely to cause substantial harm to the other person. Finally, Health and Safety Code (H&SC) Section 123110 specifies requirements regarding the timeframe for responding to the request of a client or client representative for access to the client’s records: 

• Section 123110(a) states that a health-care provider, including mental health professionals, must permit a client or client representative to inspect the client’s records during normal business hours within five working days following receipt of written request. 

• Section 123110(b) states a health-care provider must ensure that a copy of the client’s record is transmitted to the client or client representative within 15 days after receipt of a written request for the copy. 

Although H&SC Section 123130(a) allows a health-care provider to prepare a summary of the record for inspection or copying, HIPAA permits this only if the client agrees in advance to receiving a summary. (As noted above, when HIPAA grants clients greater right of access, it preempts California law.) For clients who request a summary, Section 123130(a) specifies the time allowed for responding to the request: It states that the health-care provider must make the summary available to the client within 10 working days from the date of the client’s request. If more time is needed because the record is of extraordinary length or because the client was discharged from a licensed health facility within the last 10 days, the health-care provider must notify the client of this fact and the date that the summary will be completed, but in no case shall more than 30 days elapse between the request by the client and the delivery of the summary. 

Select your answer and share in the comments. The answer and rationale will be posted in the comments soon...

A therapist begins working with a new adult client in a community mental health setting. During the first session, the client starts sharing detailed trauma history. The therapist realizes they have not yet discussed limits of confidentiality or obtained informed consent. What should the therapist do NEXT?

a. Allow the client to continue sharing to build rapport, and address informed consent at the end of the session

b. Immediately pause the session to review informed consent, including limits of confidentiality, and obtain the client’s agreement to proceed

c. Document that the client voluntarily disclosed information and review informed consent at the next session

d. Redirect the client to less sensitive topics until informed consent can be formally completed later