Course Description
This training is designed to help participants develop a deeper understanding of individuals by recognizing each person as an individual with a diagnosis who requires support. The program introduces psychiatric diagnosis as a cognitive framework or “map” that helps both clinical and non-clinical staff organize and interpret information about mental health conditions.
Participants will explore the purpose and evolving nature of psychiatric diagnoses, including how diagnostic criteria change through ongoing evaluation and revision. The training provides an overview of major diagnostic categories, including neurodevelopmental, mood, and anxiety disorders, while emphasizing that many individuals meet criteria for multiple conditions.
The program also discusses the limitations of diagnostic labels and highlights the importance of understanding each individual’s unique functional impairments rather than focusing solely on symptoms. Finally, the training emphasizes a trauma-informed approach, encouraging a shift in perspective from “What is wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” in order to better support each individual’s path toward recovery and wellness.
Course Objectives & Learning Outcomes
- Define a psychiatric diagnosis
- Differentiate between major diagnostic categories
- Distinguish between signs/symptoms and impairment/distress
- Recognize the patient as a person-in-environment
6.5 RN Contact Hours & Social Work CE
If you have questions, need more information, or require special accommodations contact Genny Grimshaw at (989) 358-7842 or ggrimshaw@nemcmh.org. Course materials will be emailed on or about April 6, 2026. There will not be printed packets available at this training unless you print and bring them yourself. If you need assistance with printing, please reach out.
Target Audience
Front Line/Support Staff, Social Workers, Counselors, Nurses and Psychologists (We welcome all community members!)
Content Level
Beginner to Advanced