Outcome measures for NZ counsellors
See whether your clients are actually getting better — session by session. Free CORE-10, recurring check-ins, and 190+ validated instruments for counsellors across Aotearoa New Zealand, scored the moment your client submits.
ClientForms gives counsellors in Aotearoa New Zealand routine outcome monitoring — the feedback-informed practice that helps you see whether therapy is working, rather than relying on recall. Send CORE-10 (free, validated distress measure), ARM-5 for the therapeutic alliance, and GAS for client goals — on a recurring schedule — and each result is scored the moment your client submits, charted on their trend with clinical-range bands. Beyond outcomes, counsellors have 190+ validated instruments covering common presentations (DASS-21, K10), couples work (Relationship Health Profile), alcohol and other drugs (AUDIT, DAST-10, DUDIT, PGSI), and trauma (PCL-5, ITQ). Uses the counselling register — “client”, not “patient”. HIPC 2020 and Privacy Act 2020 compliant, data hosted in Sydney (IPP 12). Cliniko Connected App. Free tier includes 10 responses; paid plans from $9/month.
HIPC & Privacy Act 2020
All 13 Information Privacy Principles addressed. Australian data hosting meets IPP 12 cross-border rules.
Compliance details →Instant scoring & trends
Every result is scored on arrival, with severity bands and a progress trend across sessions.
Cliniko Connected App
Results written into treatment notes with the PDF attached. Client list syncs. Included on every plan.
Routine outcome monitoring for counsellors
See whether your clients are actually getting better — session by session.
PACFA encourages routine outcome monitoring, yet most counsellors have no system for it. ClientForms is that system: send CORE-10 for distress, ARM-5 for the therapeutic alliance, and GAS for client goals — on a recurring schedule — and watch each client’s trend build between sessions.
Spot the clients who aren’t improving early, when you can still change course.
CORE-10, ARM-5 and GAS are free, validated instruments — scored the moment your client submits. The CORE family is free to use under its non-commercial licence.
CORE-10 distress scored at every check-in and charted with clinical-range bands — so you can see who is responding to therapy, and who is not.
Tools for how counsellors actually work
Organised around your fields of practice — every card lists only the instruments we actually have. No fake tools, no padded lists.
General & common presentations
CORE-OM, CORE-10, DASS-21, K10
The everyday outcome and distress measures, scored against clinical cut-offs.
Couples & relationships
Relationship Health Profile (6 instruments)
A side-by-side radar comparison for couples work — see section below.
Alcohol, other drugs & gambling
AUDIT, DAST-10, DUDIT, PGSI
Screen for alcohol, drug, and problem-gambling severity in minutes.
Trauma
PCL-5, ITQ, IES-R
DSM-5 and ICD-11 trauma screening for trauma-informed practice.
Grief & loss
CORE-10 + recurring check-ins
We don’t yet have a grief-specific tool — track distress over the grief journey with CORE-10 on a schedule.
Wellbeing
WHO-5, SWLS, WEMWBS*
Strengths-and-wellbeing measures to balance a distress-only picture.
* WEMWBS requires a licence for commercial use — we recommend WHO-5 or SWLS for the wellbeing slot.
One assessment, the whole picture
When you want more than a single-domain score, two composite measures give you a structured, one-look read.
CORE-OM
34 items. Four domains. One score.
The full Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation measure folds four domains into a single clinical score with a dimensional breakdown — a structured outcome picture in one assessment, free to use.
Browse the assessment library →
Relationship Health Profile
6 instruments. ~28 minutes per partner. One comparison report.
Both partners complete the same battery independently. ClientForms generates a side-by-side radar chart comparing satisfaction, communication, trust, and shared meaning — surfacing where perceptions diverge before the first session. Supporting whanaungatanga — the relationship connections central to hauora.
Popular instruments for NZ counsellors
Validated tools counsellors reach for most — every one scored instantly with clinical severity bands.
DASS-21
Depression, Anxiety & Stress Scales — 21 items, 3 subscales with severity cut-offs
Widely usedK10
Kessler Psychological Distress Scale — 10 items, a familiar distress anchor
DistressCORE-10
Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation — 10-item session-by-session outcome measure
Outcome monitoringCORE-OM
The 34-item CORE — wellbeing, problems, functioning and risk in one score
Outcome monitoringAUDIT
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test — 10-item WHO alcohol screen
Alcohol & other drugsPCL-5
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 — 20 items measuring post-traumatic stress symptoms
TraumaSupporting holistic hauora
Outcome measures track distress and symptoms — one part of the picture. Used within a Te Whare Tapa Whā approach, they support a programme of care across all four dimensions of wellbeing.
Taha Hinengaro
Mental and emotional wellbeing — CORE-10, CORE-OM, DASS-21 and K10 track distress and outcomes over time.
Taha Whānau
Family and relationships — the Relationship Health Profile supports couples work and social connection.
Taha Tinana
Physical wellbeing — CORE-OM includes somatic items, and AUDIT screens where alcohol affects the body.
Taha Wairua
Spiritual wellbeing — GAS goal tracking keeps the work anchored to what matters to the whole person.
ClientForms doesn’t measure hauora directly — these standardised instruments support, rather than replace, a holistic and culturally grounded counselling practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which outcome measures should counsellors use?
CORE-10 is the counselling outcome workhorse — free, validated, and just 10 items, built for session-by-session use. Pair it with ARM-5 for the therapeutic alliance and GAS for client goals, or use the 34-item CORE-OM for a fuller four-domain picture. DASS-21 and K10 are familiar distress measures, and both are included.
Do I need to be a registered psychologist to use ClientForms?
No. Counsellors in Aotearoa New Zealand are typically members of NZAC (the New Zealand Association of Counsellors) under its Code of Ethics, rather than registered psychologists. ClientForms works for any counsellor or psychotherapist — you don’t need psychology registration to send assessments and track outcomes.
Is CORE-10 free?
Yes. CORE-10 and the wider CORE family (CORE-OM, YP-CORE) are free, validated outcome measures, scored instantly in ClientForms. The CORE instruments are free to use under their non-commercial licence, applied unaltered with attribution to the CORE System Trust.
Can I track client progress over time?
Yes. Send the same outcome measure on a recurring schedule — fortnightly, monthly, or your own cadence. Each result is scored on arrival and charted on the client’s trend with clinical-range bands, so you can see who is responding to therapy and catch anyone who isn’t improving early.
Is ClientForms HIPC compliant?
ClientForms is built to comply with the Health Information Privacy Code 2020 (HIPC) and the NZ Privacy Act 2020. All clinical data is hosted in Sydney, Australia with AES-256 encryption, meeting NZ cross-border requirements under IPP 12. See our NZ compliance page for the full detail.
Does ClientForms work with Cliniko?
Yes. ClientForms is a Cliniko Connected App. Assessment results are written into Cliniko treatment notes with the full PDF report attached, and your client list syncs automatically. The integration is included on every plan, including the free tier.
How much does ClientForms cost?
ClientForms has a free tier with 10 responses included — no credit card required to start. Paid plans begin at $9/month for unlimited responses, instant scoring, recurring check-ins, and Cliniko integration.
Start tracking outcomes today
Join counsellors across Aotearoa New Zealand using ClientForms. Free to begin — CORE-10, recurring check-ins, and 190+ validated instruments. No credit card required.