Mental health professionals have a profound responsibility to diagnose individuals in a way that is ethical and honors lived experiences. This presentation will benefit learners with a wide range of experience related to using the DSM. The goal is for beginners and those who are supervising, teaching, or mentoring individuals new to the mental health field to have a starting point for their discussions. In this presentation you will learn about the history and evolution of the DSM. There will be an overview of benefits and criticisms of the DSM, which will also lead to what professionals should know as they begin to use the DSM. During this presentation you will learn about the cross-cutting measures and other tools to benefit the interviewing and diagnostic process. The presentation will close with a discussion on how to diagnose and create clinical impressions that will justify the diagnoses given.