Mood Assessments
A comprehensive mood assessment provides clinical clarity about what you are experiencing — replacing guesswork with accurate, personalized insight that makes treatment more targeted and more effective.
What is Mood Assessment?
A mood assessment is a structured clinical evaluation that uses validated, standardized tools to build an accurate and detailed picture of your current emotional and psychological functioning. It goes beyond a general conversation about how you have been feeling — it systematically evaluates the nature, severity, duration, and pattern of your mood-related symptoms in order to identify what is clinically present and what treatment approach is most likely to be effective for you specifically.
Mood disorders are among the most common and most undertreated mental health conditions — in part because they present differently in different people, in part because their symptoms can be mistaken for personality, circumstance, or simply “how things are.” A clinical assessment cuts through that uncertainty. It provides a clear, evidence-based diagnostic picture that neither you nor your clinician has to guess at — and it ensures that the care you receive is built on accurate information rather than assumption.
Mood Assessment at TrueMe® Counseling
At TrueMe® Counseling, mood assessments are conducted by trained clinicians using the most rigorously validated instruments available. Results are never handed over in a report and left unexplained — your clinician will walk you through every finding in detail, discuss what they mean in the context of your specific history and circumstances, and provide concrete recommendations for treatment and next steps. The assessment is not the end of the process. It is the foundation that makes everything that follows more purposeful and more precise.
Common signs a Mood Assessment may be for you:
- Your mood feels persistently off — but you are not sure what is actually happening
- You have tried treatment but it has not worked as expected
- Your mood cycles in ways that feel unpredictable or hard to explain
- You want a clear, accurate baseline before beginning treatment
If you identify with 2 or more of these, you may be a good candidate for our testing and assessment.
OUR CLINICAL APPROACH
How we treat you — and why it works
Most therapy fails because it’s generic. At TrueMe® Counseling, our therapists use a structured, evidence-based framework built around your specific needs, history, and goals — not a one-size-fits-all program. Whether you’re across the street or across the state, we’re here — in person or virtually throughout California.
Understanding What You're Experiencing
Everyone experiences emotional highs and lows, but when changes in mood begin affecting your relationships, work, school, or daily life, they may indicate something more than everyday stress. Our assessment begins with understanding your emotional experiences, symptom history, life circumstances, and overall functioning to determine what's contributing to the challenges you're facing. Our goal is to provide clarity—not assumptions.
Conducting a Comprehensive Evaluation
A mood assessment is more than completing a questionnaire. When clinically appropriate, we may also use standardized psychological assessments—such as the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), or other evidence-based measures—to provide a more comprehensive understanding of your symptoms and support an accurate diagnosis.
Differentiating Mood Disorders from Other Conditions
Mood-related symptoms can overlap with anxiety disorders, ADHD, trauma, grief, personality disorders, medical conditions, substance use, and other mental health concerns. Our assessment carefully evaluates these possibilities to determine whether symptoms are consistent with depression, bipolar disorder, persistent depressive disorder, cyclothymia, or another condition, ensuring you receive the most accurate diagnosis possible.
Helping You Understand the Results
Receiving answers can bring both relief and new questions. Once your assessment is complete, we'll review the findings with you, explain what they mean in clear, practical language, and discuss how your symptoms may be affecting different areas of your life. Whether your evaluation confirms a mood disorder or points to another explanation, you'll leave with greater understanding and a clearer path forward.
Developing a Personalized Treatment Plan
Every person's experience with a mood disorder is different. Based on your assessment results, we develop an individualized treatment plan tailored to your symptoms, strengths, goals, and lifestyle. Recommendations may include psychotherapy, evidence-based interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), lifestyle strategies, referrals for medication evaluation when appropriate, and ongoing support to help you regain emotional stability.
Moving Forward with Clarity and Confidence
A mood assessment is more than arriving at a diagnosis—it's the first step toward understanding what you're experiencing and why. With the right information and support, emotional struggles become more understandable and manageable. Our goal is to provide the insight, practical recommendations, and personalized guidance you need to make informed decisions, build resilience, and move forward with greater confidence and hope.
YOUR THERAPY JOURNEY
What to expect in therapy
Starting therapy can feel intimidating — especially when you’re already carrying so much. Here’s exactly what the process looks like, step by step.
Free consultation call
Before anything else, you’ll have a brief, no-pressure call to share what you’re going through and ask any questions you have. There’s no commitment — just a conversation to make sure we’re the right fit for you.
Your first session
Your first session is a relaxed, open conversation — not a test. Your therapist will take time to understand your history, your current experience, and what you’re hoping to achieve. Many clients leave their first session already feeling a sense of relief just from being heard.
A personalized plan
Your therapist will work with you to create a plan tailored specifically to your needs — not a generic program, but a personalized roadmap designed around your unique history, goals, and what you’re going through right now.
Ongoing sessions & real tools
Each session builds on the last. Using CBT and other evidence-based methods, your therapist will help you identify the thought patterns and behaviors holding you back — and equip you with practical tools you can use in real life between sessions.
Tracking your progress
Healing isn’t always linear — and your therapist knows that. Progress is regularly reviewed and your plan is adjusted as needed to ensure you’re always moving in the adirection at the right pace for you.
Life beyond therapy
The goal of therapy isn’t just symptom relief — it’s lasting transformation. You’ll finish therapy with a deeper understanding of yourself, a toolkit you carry for life, and the confidence to face whatever comes next.
Meet Our Therapists
TrueMe® Counseling is a team of MFTs and PhDs with decades of combined clinical experience.
Marina Edelman
Founder | Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #51009
Cheryl Baldi
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #39801
Dr. Rachel Chistyakov
Doctor of Psychology | Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #150001
Sharalee Hall
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #135374
Chris Calandra
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #164783
Suzanne Perry
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #163151
Hayley Willis
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #163642
Jasmine Johnson
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist #137660
Sean Palmer
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist #161917
FAQ - MOOD ASSESSMENT
Frequently Asked Questions About Mood Assessment
Honest answers from our therapists — before you take the first step.
1. What is the difference between a mood assessment and a therapy session?
A mood assessment is a structured, time-limited clinical evaluation using standardized instruments to produce an accurate diagnostic picture — identifying what is present, how severe it is, and what treatment is most likely effective. A therapy session is ongoing healing and growth over time. Think of a mood assessment as the foundation that makes therapy more purposeful and precise — when your therapist knows exactly what they are working with, every clinical decision becomes more targeted and effective.
2. How long does a mood assessment take — and what does the process involve?
The full process typically involves an initial consultation, one or more assessment sessions, and a follow-up to review findings. The entire process generally takes two to three weeks from consultation to results review. You will not be handed a report and left to interpret it alone — your clinician walks you through every finding, explains what the results indicate, and provides specific, actionable recommendations for the next steps in your care.
3. Can a mood assessment help determine the right medication or treatment approach?
Yes — and this is one of its most clinically valuable applications. When mood disorder treatment hasn’t produced expected results, an inaccurate or incomplete diagnosis is frequently the reason. A comprehensive mood assessment identifies the primary condition, co-occurring presentations, severity levels, and clinical features that determine which approaches are most likely effective. We also work with Genomind genetic testing where relevant — bringing greater precision to treatment planning than trial and error alone can provide.
4. What happens after I receive my mood assessment results?
Your clinician reviews your findings in full — explaining what the assessment identified and what it means in the context of your history. You leave with a clear, concrete path forward. Many clients describe the results session as one of the most clarifying and relieving experiences of their mental health journey — the moment when years of uncertainty finally have an accurate and actionable explanation.
5. Is a mood assessment covered by insurance?
TrueMe® Counseling is a private pay practice and does not bill insurance directly. However, your plan may include out-of-network benefits that partially reimburse assessment costs. We are currently partnered with Mentaya and you can check our Fees & Insurance page to check your eligibility. We are happy to provide documentation supporting reimbursement claims and will walk you through everything before you commit to anything.
