Diagnosis and Assessment in the Age of Social Media - 3 hours

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• CE Hours Included: 3 (please see below for details)
• Format: On-Demand Webinar (“Asynchronous”, Non-Interactive) ~ At your leisure this recorded video is to be viewed at your own pace. You may pause, rewind, and fast forward at any point during the videos. You are in complete control of how you view this workshop. It also comes with a PowerPoint and references. There is a quiz at the end to ensure viewing and required by all CE approval organizations.
  • NOTE: Your certificate will be dated when you complete the course - Click here for more detailed information on the best way to do this: https://www.theknowledgetree.org/p/help
• Investment: $87 (provides lifetime access!)
• Presented by: Melanie Wilcox, Ph.D., ABPP (see bio below)
• Date of Recording: October 23, 2026
• Instruction Level: Introductory
• Target Audience: Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists
• This workshop is not yet available; by pre-registering, you will receive immediate access when it becomes available in November.

Learning Objectives:

After completing this workshop in its entirety, you will be able to:

• Critique commonplace diagnostic practices (e.g., symptom checklists) for neurodevelopmental disorders
• Explain scholarly findings on mental health misinformation on social media and its impacts
• Demonstrate baseline knowledge in the neurobiology of trauma
• Discuss trauma-informed approaches to conceptualization and assessment for judicious psychodiagnosis

Workshop Description:

“According to TikTok, I have ADHD!” Exchanges like this in psychotherapy and assessment are increasingly common. Mental health information on social media has helped to reduce stigma and raise awareness; research also suggests, however, that much mental health information on social media—especially as it pertains to neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder—is inaccurate. Thus, many clients may seek therapy or assessment, believing they have a neurodevelopmental disorder, and possibly even hoping for such a diagnosis. At the same time, complex, trauma-informed psychodiagnostic practices are not often taught in graduate programs; this may be one major reason why diagnosis rates of neurodevelopmental disorders far exceed evidence-based population base rates. This is especially concerning given the research on the prevalence of trauma and adverse childhood experiences, as well as on racial disparities in overdiagnosis.

In this presentation, attendees will learn about judicious diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders as well as common differential diagnostic concerns; social media misinformation on mental health diagnosis; and both clinical assessment (i.e., in the therapy room) and comprehensive psychological assessment (e.g., cognitive and personality testing) considerations and approaches to diagnosing neurodevelopmental disorders. Given its importance to adequate conceptualization, the neurobiology of trauma in the context of executive function and interpersonal symptoms will be reviewed. Strategies for discussing diagnosis, especially in the context of the mental health information available on social media, will be discussed.

Workshop Agenda:

• Diagnostic Paradigms: Critiques and Considerations (60 mins)
  • Prevailing Diagnostic Paradigms (i.e., the DSM-5-TR)
  • Diagnostic Criteria for Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Differential Diagnosis and Common Pitfalls
  • Social Media Misinformation
• Understanding Trauma: Prevalence and Neurobiology (75 mins)
  • Conceptualizing Trauma Beyond the DSM-5-TR (e.g., C-PTSD)
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (the original 10 and beyond)
  • Pervasiveness of Trauma in the United States
  • Neurobiology of Trauma, the Trauma Response, and Common Symptomology
• Assessment and Clinical Strategies for Working with Expectations (45 mins)
  • Trauma-Informed Assessment Strategies (formal and informal)
  • Discussing Diagnosis when Clients Hope For a Particular Outcome
  • Is Comprehensive Psychological Assessment Necessary?
  • Strategies for Presenting Feedback to Clients

Presented by: Melanie M. Wilcox, Ph.D., ABPP

Melanie M. Wilcox, Ph.D., ABPP is a licensed psychologist and board-certified specialist in counseling psychology. Her clinical specialties include trauma, addiction, assessment, and complex diagnosis. Dr. Wilcox has years of experience conducting both psychotherapy and psychological assessment both in person and (now) by telehealth, and is passionate about trauma-informed care.

3 "Asynchronous" CE Hours Included - Details by License Type Below:

• PSYCHOLOGISTS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company maintains responsibility for this program and its content. For more detailed information on the current CE ruling in Georgia, or if you are licensed in another state or country, please click here.
• COUNSELORS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP), ACEP No. 7153. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
  • GA: Counselors in GA will receive 3 Core Hours for completing this course. Please click here for more detailed information.
• SOCIAL WORKERS: The Knowledge Tree, a Summit Professional Education Company, provider #2470, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 1/14/2026-1/14/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 3 general continuing education credits.
  • GA: Social Workers in GA will receive 3 Core Hours for completing this course. Please click here for more detailed information.
• MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPISTS: TKT has applied for approval for this workshop through the Georgia Association for Marriage & Family Therapy (GAMFT). If you are licensed in another state or country, please click here for more detailed information.

We are an approved vendor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for easy reimbursement of educational expenses for VA employees.