Psychological Evaluations

Tailored to meet the needs of the presenting concern, psychological evaluations provide general diagnostic information, and are especially helpful for treatment planning and guiding treatment recommendations. Examples include assessing for anxiety disorders, mood disorders such as depression, and evaluating for disruptive, impulse control, or conduct disorders. Psychological evaluations provide insight into an individual's social and emotional functioning.

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ADHD Evaluations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder typically first seen in childhood. There are three subtypes of ADHD:

ADHD Inattentive Type (Formerly known as ADD) - Individuals with this subtype often present as having difficulty paying attention or focusing, may seem forgetful, struggle to complete tasks, or daydream often. This subtype may not always be noticed as early as the others.

ADHD Hyperactive-Impulsive Type - Individuals with this subtype are often impulsive, overactive, "always on the go", have difficulty sitting still, fidget often, and may interrupt others. 

ADHD Combined Type - Individuals with this subtype exhibit both symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. 

An ADHD evaluation is appropriate if you have concerns that some of these symptoms are impacting your child or teens functioning at home or school. Results from ADHD assessments guide treatment recommendations at home, work, and the individual's learning environment. 

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Psychoeducational Evaluations

For clients experiencing learning challenges, psychoeducational evaluations provide important information regarding a person's cognitive strengths and weaknesses, academic skills, memory and attention capabilities, and emotional functioning. A psychoeducational assessment is used to determine the underlying cognitive processes that affect a person's educational and functional performance and are used to diagnose specific learning disorders such as Dyslexia (reading problems), Dyscalculia (problems with math), and Dysgraphia (writing problems). 

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Cognitive/IQ Evaluations

Cognitive assessments or intelligence tests are used to identify an individual's cognitive strengths and weaknesses in relation to their age group and may be helpful in understanding capabilities with regard to academics and general functioning. In general, these assessments help us better understand how one comprehends and uses information constructively. 

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Process/What to Expect

Assessments begin with an intake appointment. Depending on the presenting concerns, this initial session may be parent only or may include the child. This will be determined during the initial phone consultation. During this time, a comprehensive history is obtained, as well as an overall assessment of past and current functioning, symptoms, and areas of strength and concern. Assessments typically involve parents, the child/adolescent, and sometimes teachers completing report forms. In-person testing may range from 2-6 hours, depending on the presenting concerns. These are typically broken up into more manageable chunks of time as to not overwhelm the child. Information from the intake, assessment results, report forms, and clinical observations are scored and interpreted to identify diagnostic impressions and treatment recommendations. These will be written in a comprehensive report. During the feedback session, I will discuss all results and recommendations and help guide caregivers to the next best step. Parents will receive a copy of the written assessment report after the feedback session. If clinically appropriate, a brief, separate feedback session will be held involving the child/adolescent. They work hard throughout the testing process and it is often quite beneficial for them to be given feedback in an encouraging and supportive manner. 

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At parents' request, I am happy to consult with doctors, psychiatrists, and/or teachers. Consultations lasting more that 15 minutes may be billed at a prorated hourly rate.