Testing/ Assessments/ Evaluations

Information:

What are psychological assessments?

Psychological assessments include the use of clinical interviews and structured tools/tests to evaluate things related to mental health, cognitive abilities, or readiness for medical procedures.

What can psychological assessments/testing do for me?

• Provide a clear, accurate diagnosis

• Identify specific areas of strength or areas for improvement

• Create clarity/understanding if previously given several diagnoses or a diagnosis that does not seem to fit

• Identify specific goals for treatment

• Enhance understanding of oneself, reducing overall frustration

• Create recommendations for use at school, work, or home to make daily life easier

• Provide a more accurate/precise knowledge base for medication management/medical management (for mental and/or physical health concerns)

• Following/detecting changes in functioning over time (this may be especially helpful in cases such as those with dementia or age-related changes, or those who wish to determine whether a particular treatment they are using is helpful

• Create a mroe individualized/effective treatment plan

• Meet a specific need (such as presurgical evaluations)

What is the process?

We provide comprehensive assessments that view people holistically, including perspectives from their functioning in cognitive, adaptive, emotional, behavioral, relational/social, academic, and occupational functioning. Therefore, there are several steps to this process:

1. Clinical Interview – We will gather a detailed history of relevant background information that will help us to determine what the concerns are, what your goals are, and what tests to use. This information will also be helpful in the final process of evaluation and report writing.

2. Record Review – We will review all provided/available records relevant to the issue at hand, whether they are from school, medical providers, or other mental health providers.

3. Consultation – If necessary, we will consult with specialists regarding a particular relevant issue in your case. This would be discussed with you beforehand.

4. Assessment/Testing – We will administer various assessments determined by the information received previously, aimed at answering specific questions that will allow us to better reach your goals.

5. Report Writing – We will take all of the information gathered from the previous steps and write up a detailed report which will include specific information about your functioning and individualized recommendations that will inform future treatment or aid in daily life.

6. Feedback Session – We will meet together to review your results and recommendations so it can be fully explained and you can ask any questions you may have. We want to ensure that you understand your results and how you can use them in a way that is most beneficial to you.

7. You will then receive a hard copy of your report that you provide to your other healthcare providers, school, or work, as you see fit.