Assessments can be daunting and being prepared often helps people feel more in control.
Below is a list of things that you can do to help you prepare for your Functional Capacity Assessment with Boutique Psychology.
Understanding the assessment process
We will meet with you a few times to go through all of the activities and ask all of the questions we need answers to, to develop a comprehensive understanding of your individual strengths and limitations.
Psychosocial Functional Capacity Assessments typically include a clinical interview undertaken via zoom (which can last up to 2 hours) where you will be asked about how you grew and developed when you were younger, and they will ask about things that you find easy and that you may find tricky.
The second appointment will be in person where we may ask you to do some activities (including using blocks) and ask you some more questions.
You may have up to 2 or 3 in person appointments with the Psychologist or Provisional Psychologist they will keep you informed of how many times you need to see them.
The final appointment will be via zoom where the Psychologist or Provisional Psychologist will go through the report with you.
What can you do to help?
Before your first appointment gather all of the information that you think may help, this could
include school reports, medical reports, treatment plans, the names of medication you may
be currently taking or have previously taken. This information can help the
Psychologist/Provisional Psychologist with background to your medical history and some
insight into your ongoing health needs.
List daily activities and challenges – You are encouraged to write (or think up of) a list of
daily activities that you have challenges performing. This could be things that are difficult to
do at home, at school or challenging you may have accessing the community. Being specific
can help the team at Boutique Psychology understand the specific supports that may assist
you achieve your goals.
Set goals – Prior to seeing one of our friendly Psychologists/Provisional Psychologists
consider the goals that you would like to achieve, some short term and some long term.
Understanding your individual goals can assist the clinician provide targeted
recommendations to assist you achieve your goals.
Be well rested – Assessments can be tiring so its important to ensure that you are well-
rested and well feed prior to starting the assessment activities (bring your water bottle if you
need to). Also consider if the assessment is at the best time for you, early morning
assessments can be hard if you like to sleep late. Discuss your preferences with our friendly
administration team.
Plan for support – there are a lot of questions and sometimes it can be helpful to have a
family member, friend or support worker with you to provide you with support, articulate your
concerns and help ensure that important information is shared.
Talk to the person doing your assessment and ask lots of questions – if you are nervous
about something, feel free to discuss it with your Psychologist/Provisional Psychologist. The
more we understand about your everyday experiences and challenges the better we can
tailor the assessment and corresponding report to your needs.
Don’t worry if you forgot something, we meet a few times so you can bring it at a later date
or email it to us if that helps.
By preparing for the Functional Capacity Assessment you can help ensure that the information accurately reflects your needs and abilities and ensure that targeted supports and interventions are recommended.
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