Lesson 1Validated screening instruments: PHQ-9, GAD-7, AUDIT-C, C-SSRS — administration, scoring, interpretation, and cutoffsThis part looks at main self-report tools for depression, anxiety, alcohol use, and suicide risk. Learners practise standard administration, scoring, cutoff application, and clinical explanation, including when to repeat measures and how to share results sensitively.
Selecting suitable screening instrumentsStandardised administration proceduresScoring rules and severity cutoffsInterpreting scores in clinical contextCommunicating results to patientsLesson 2Assessment workflow for first 2–3 sessions: sequencing questions, building rapport, and structuring session timeThis part teaches how to organise the first two to three sessions, balancing rapport building with information collection. Learners plan question order, pacing, transitions, and time handling while keeping warmth, teamwork, and clinical attention.
Setting agenda and expectations earlyPrioritising urgent assessment areasSequencing sensitive questions carefullyBalancing rapport with data gatheringTime management and session closureLesson 3Documentation and legal/ethical requirements for initial assessment, consent, and confidentialityThis part outlines documentation standards and legal-ethical responsibilities in intake. Learners review informed consent, confidentiality boundaries, required reporting, and risk documentation, and practise writing clear, defensible notes that support ongoing care.
Elements of informed consentExplaining confidentiality and its limitsMandated reporting and duty to protectWriting clear, defensible intake notesManaging records and information sharingLesson 4Risk assessment protocols: assessing suicidal ideation, intent, plan, protective factors, and safety planningThis part covers structured suicide and violence risk evaluation, including ideation, intent, plan, means, and protective factors. Learners practise using tools like C-SSRS, recording risk level, and creating joint, practical safety plans with clients.
Eliciting suicidal thoughts and historyAssessing intent, plan, and access to meansIdentifying protective factors and buffersDetermining risk level and monitoringDeveloping collaborative safety plansLesson 5Identifying strengths and resources: social supports, work functioning, motivation, prior coping skillsThis part stresses identifying client strengths, values, and resources alongside symptoms. Learners assess social supports, work and role functioning, coping history, and motivation, and blend these assets into case formulation and joint treatment planning.
Mapping social and community supportsEvaluating work and role functioningIdentifying past effective coping skillsAssessing motivation and readinessIntegrating strengths into treatmentLesson 6Culturally responsive assessment: asking about family norms, stigma, language, and preferred terms for distressThis part focuses on blending culture into assessment, including beliefs about mental illness, family roles, language, and ways of expressing distress. Learners practise respectful questioning, adapting questions, and avoiding stereotypes while respecting client preferences in Zimbabwean culture.
Exploring cultural identity and migrationAssessing family roles and expectationsUnderstanding stigma and help-seeking normsAsking about language and preferred termsAddressing religion, spirituality, and meaningLesson 7Comprehensive psychiatric intake: presenting problem, symptom timeline, functional impairment, substance use, trauma, family and social historyThis part details parts of a full psychiatric intake for adults. Learners organise information on presenting problems, symptom course, functional impact, substance use, trauma, and family and social history into a clear clinical view.
Clarifying the chief complaintMapping symptom onset and timelineAssessing functional impairment domainsScreening substance use and traumaGathering family and social historyLesson 8Standard diagnostic criteria: DSM-5-TR criteria for major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and differential diagnoses (bipolar, PTSD, substance-induced, medical causes)This part reviews DSM-5-TR criteria for major depressive disorder and generalised anxiety disorder, stressing differential diagnosis. Learners distinguish unipolar from bipolar depression, rule out PTSD, substances, and medical causes, and record clear reasons.
DSM-5-TR criteria for major depressionDSM-5-TR criteria for generalised anxietyScreening for bipolar spectrum disordersDistinguishing PTSD and trauma reactionsSubstance-induced and medical conditionsLesson 9Collateral information and biopsychosocial formulation: gathering information from PCP, partner, medical records, and cultural contextThis part explains how to collect collateral information and build a biopsychosocial formulation. Learners coordinate with medical providers and family, blend records and cultural context, and turn data into clear ideas about symptom causes.
Obtaining releases and contacting collateralsReviewing medical and psychiatric recordsIntegrating cultural and contextual factorsBuilding a biopsychosocial case modelCommunicating formulation to the clientLesson 10Assessing sleep, circadian factors, and digital behaviour (social media) in the intakeThis part teaches how to assess sleep quality, circadian rhythm, and digital behaviour as they relate to mood and anxiety. Learners practise targeted questions, brief sleep screening, and evaluating social media and device use patterns that worsen symptoms.
Screening insomnia and hypersomniaAssessing circadian rhythm disruptionsNighttime rumination and worry patternsEvaluating social media and device useLinking behaviour patterns to symptoms
