Here is a tightly-focused, reader-friendly guide to making sense of--and using--any of the diagnostic systems used by the outside mental health professionals you encounter. It will help you cut through the jargon and get to the real meaning of what's bothering Johnnie or Janie. You'll learn to understand the coded language of the mental health professionals you deal with. Become familiar with the coded vocabulary of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). You'll be able to sharpen your counseling skills and become a greater asset to your school and to the students you serve. You'll be able to * Cut through the jargon * Translate diagnostic codes into language that makes sense to everyone * Sharpen your knowledge of learning disorders, attention-deficit disorders, and conditions specifically related to problems of adolescence You'll be able to communicate the results of diagnostic testing to educators and parents in terms they can understand. This is an essential reference that belongs on the shelf of every school counselor.