Practice management
Script: Responding to a Request for a Diagnosis for Non-Clinical Purposes
This script provides ethical and firm language for declining requests for diagnostic letters for.
It’s a familiar scenario: a client needs a letter for their employer, a custody hearing, or a university disability office. While the request seems straightforward, it often puts you in the difficult position of being asked to perform an evaluation outside the scope of your therapeutic work. Refusing can feel unsupportive to the client, but complying could be an ethical overstep with professional consequences.
This script provides clear, firm language to decline such requests while preserving the therapeutic relationship. It helps you articulate the distinction between your clinical role and that of a formal assessor, explaining your position without defensiveness or jargon. The client walks away understanding your professional limitations and why this refusal is a necessary part of maintaining the integrity of your work together.
Script: Responding to a Request for a Diagnosis for Non-Clinical Purposes
Subject: Following up on your request for a letter
Dear [Client Name],
This is to follow up on your request for a letter for [state the specific purpose, e.g., your employer, the court, school administration].
After reviewing your request, I want to clarify my policy on providing documentation for third parties. My role as your therapist is to support your personal treatment. The clinical assessments and diagnoses we may discuss are tools for guiding our work together. They are not suitable for administrative, legal, or employment evaluations, as these require a different type of assessment process. Using a therapeutic diagnosis for these purposes is outside my professional scope and can be counterproductive for you.
For these reasons, I am unable to provide a letter containing a clinical diagnosis or my opinion regarding your case.
However, I can offer a letter that confirms your dates of service with me and that you are engaged in therapy. This letter would not include a diagnosis or any other clinical information. Please let me know if this would be sufficient for your needs.
We can use time in our next session to discuss this further and to consider other ways I can support you or find appropriate resources for the evaluation you need.
Sincerely, [Your Name, Credentials]
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