Where to Start and What to Ask: An Assessment Handbook [Paperback]

Susan Lukas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 1993 | ISBN-10: 0393701522 | ISBN-13: 978-0393701524 | Edition: 1

A "sink or swim" philosophy frequently prevails in mental health settings today.

As a life raft for beginners and their supervisors, Where to Start and What to Ask provides all the necessary tools for garnering information from clients. Lukas also offers a framework for thinking about that information and formulating a thorough assessment. This indispensable book helps therapeutic neophytes organize their approach to the initial phase of treatment and navigate even rough clinical waters with competence and assurance.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Susan Lukas, MSW, LCSW, received her degree in social work from Hunter College and practiced in New York City and in Nyack, New York. She died in 2008.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (January 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393701522
• ISBN-13: 978-0393701524
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Compulsive Behavior

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, practical, how-to book to prepare social work/psychology students for practicum, May 1, 2007

By 

Anonymous - See all my reviews

This review is from: Where to Start and What to Ask: An Assessment Handbook (Paperback)

These days, in preparation for my internship in the fall, I'm trying to read books that will remind me how to work clinically. This one is excellent, and I deeply wish I had read it in my second or third year of graduate school. I had to learn a lot of this stuff on the job, through floundering and making mistakes, and my field experiences would have been worlds easier if someone had just told me these things. This is an extremely practical (NO theory) how-to book for social work/psychology students who are just starting out and want to know how to conduct initial interviews with various clients -- adults, children (and their parents), couples, families, etc. It also covers issues such as assessing for violent potential, suicidality, and child abuse/neglect. It's written in a very simple manner and the style and information is appropriate for students rather than professionals. However, it's serving as an excellent review for me. I also recommend it to supervisors as a good resource for providing guidance to their supervisees.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for graduate students or mental health professionals, March 18, 2008

By 

K. L. Smith (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Where to Start and What to Ask: An Assessment Handbook (Paperback)

This book is a quick read that clearly outlines exactly what the title says, where to start and what to ask. Questions to assess for suicidality, homicidality and abuse are provided. Intake interviews and the specific nuances involved are written about as well as a comprehensive set of questions to ask during an intake interview. There is a set of developmental and medical questions that really help to cover all the milestones. Some of the questions are quite detailed, but you can easily pick and choose what you want to utilize or leave out. I used many of the questions when developing my own intake interview questionnaire. Working with children, adults, couples and families are addressed as well as questions to ask during an initial intake interview for them. Pitfalls to look out for are given. This is a highly applicable book for those in the mental health or social work field.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book!, September 22, 2004

By 

Mendy (Laurel, Md.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Where to Start and What to Ask: An Assessment Handbook (Paperback)

This is a really good book... I only wish I had it when I was a graduate student social worker. It would have helped me so much. What a terrific resource. My only regret: Susan you ought to write more books for student and entry level social workers. The reading was enjoyable, clear and took the mystery out of how-to-begin. Thank you, Susan.