Psychological Evaluations
How is a psychological evaluation helpful?
If you have experienced challenges in school, with relationships or you have tried therapy in the past and it did not seem to help, a psychological evaluation can pinpoint barriers to success. A psychological evaluation is a comprehensive process that identifies strengths, areas of challenge, why they developed and what need they are serving. It helps to clarify a diagnosis, identify learning disabilities, personality traits, and provides a guide to treatment. It provides unique and specific recommendations to help you thrive.
Generally, I administer two categories of tests – cognitive and personality. A psychological assessment focusing on cognitive areas typically assesses cognitive ability (IQ), school related challenges (reading difficulties, math difficulties, etc.), ADHD, memory, and impulse control. This allows us to guide interventions and/or accommodations that can be integrated into an educational plan (IEP or 504), or a plan to help someone better succeed at work.
A psychological evaluation focusing on personality dynamics helps answer questions about why someone may be having problems in their relationships with others, clarifying a diagnosis (such as depression or anxiety), looking at how someone perceives others, understanding behavior, and identify strengths. Learning about one’s strengths facilitates growth and provides tools to navigate challenges.
What to expect
Typically, I will begin with a gather a thorough history. Then I will give you some tasks to complete, like puzzles, games, or questionnaires. It can take anywhere from an hour to two hours, and we may meet a few times. After our meetings, I will put together all the information and write a detailed report. We will have a meeting, and I will explain the results to you and provide you with a copy of the report.
What to bring
The day of, be sure to bring your glasses and/or hearing aids if needed. Prior to the assessment, I will ask you for report cards, copies of previous assessments (psychological, psychiatric, IEP, etc.) and other documents that will help me better understand how you are doing in a variety of areas.