Assessment

How can an neuropsychological/psychoeducational assessment help?

Understand whether learning differences exist - they may contribute to anxiety, sadness, low self-esteem, or behavior problems
Understand how an individual learns best
Help match expectations to an individual’s specific strengths and weaknesses
Understand why ongoing treatment has stalled
Formulate an individualized treatment plan that is effective and focused

What concerns can be addressed by an assessment?

IN CHILDREN & TEENS:

Feeling overwhelmed by schoolwork
Taking a long time to complete homework
Difficulty concentrating on schoolwork
Anxiety about schoolwork or going to school
Difficulty expressing thoughts clearly in writing
Poor grammar
Punctuation or capitalization errors
Slow, laborious reading
Difficulty grasping math concepts
Difficult-to-read, laborious handwriting

IN ADULTS:

Difficulties concentrating
Feeling overwhelmed
Difficulty organizing or communicating ideas effectively
Time management problems
Difficulty finishing tasks
Interrupting others
Making impulsive decisions
Anxiety specific to work or coursework

How does the process work?

1. Optional 15 min Phone Call. Should you wish, I am happy to talk to you about the assessment process and answer any initial questions you may have.

2. Initial Intake. Assessments begin with a 90 min intake with parents or adult patients (video or in-person). I will do a comprehensive clinical interview and then recommend an assessment personalized to your child's/your unique needs. At this point, you would decide if you want to proceed with the assessment (steps 3-7 below).

3. Questionnaires. Your child, parents, and teachers complete complete questionnaires so we can obtain standardized data about how your child functions relative to his or her peers.

4. School Observation/Collateral Calls. Depending on the age of the patient and clinical appropriateness, I may do a school observation or talk to relevant team members (e.g., psychiatrists, therapists).

5. Testing & Child Interview. I conduct in-person testing and a child interview (if appropriate). All testing is usually completed over the course of up to two days. Testing must occur in the mornings/early afternoons to get an accurate assessment. I test on weekdays.

6. Feedback Meeting. Once all of the above are completed, I will meet (video or in-person) with parents to review findings and provide written, detailed recommendations so that you can immediately implement an individualized treatment plan. I will also meet with adolescents to provide a shorter summary of the results.

7. Detailed Written Report. I will send a detailed written report with the data needed for documentation as well as explanations for parents/patients to understand assessment results. A shorter overview document is also provided listing strengths and weaknesses.

8. Optional Follow-Up Services. I can also provide a number of optional follow-up services. This may include attending IEP meetings, additional meetings to address follow-up concerns/process results further, and providing therapy.

*If you would like to proceed, please begin here.*

What are the different types of assessments?

Learning disability assessments

- A combination of intelligence testing and academic achievement testing is used to assess whether a learning disability in math, reading, writing, or handwriting is present.

ADHD assessments

- A clinical interview, standardized questionnaires, intellectual testing, and executive function testing is used to assess for the presence of ADHD and to characterize an individual's unique neurocognitive profile.

Integrated neuropsychological assessments

- Learning disabilities, ADHD, anxiety, and depression frequently co-occur, and an integrated evaluation will blend two or three of the above evaluations. Learning or attention problems can be a source of anxiety or low self-worth – identifying this is an essential first step of a comprehensive treatment plan.

Intellectual assessments

- These are required for admission to some private schools.

Individualized assessments of executive functioning, memory, processing speed, learning

Assessments of functioning associated with neurodevelopmental, neurological, cardiovascular, genetic disorders, or concussions.

- This may include impairment related to prenatal difficulties

Please note: While I work with individuals on the autism spectrum and can screen for ASD, I do not conduct in-depth *diagnostic* evaluations for ASD.

My expertise

I am highly trained in developmental cognitive and affective neuropsychology, meaning I am skilled not only in recognizing attentional and learning difficulties throughout development, but also in distinguishing them from the commonly co-occurring feelings of stress, anxiety, and sadness. I am well-versed in the latest research and will incorporate this into your personalized treatment recommendations.

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