Diagnostic and statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

The Diagnostic and statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is the bible of therapy. This is the resource that allows therapists to categorize diagnosis in to common types. The first edition I used (in 1980) was the DSM III with 494 pages. The most recent one (DSM IV-TR) has 942 pages. Doubling the number of pages in itself comments on the complexities of determining a mental disorder. This also shows how difficult the profession of counseling has evolved in the last 25 years.

If anyone reading this is thinking of training to be a counselor, please do do. It is a rewarding field of work.