Neuropsychological, Psychoeducational, and Diagnostic Assessment

What is psychological assessment?

A psychological assessment is a scientifically-grounded way of learning about how a person's mind works. By gathering information from lots of sources - including interviews, observations, and standardized psychological tests - we help put the pieces together and develop a holistic understanding of an individual's struggles and strengths.

How is psychological assessment helpful?

All individuals have the inherent potential to learn and thrive. However, our world is not always set up to support he needs of people who experience differences in information processing, learning, emotions, or relationships. All too often, people with learning or emotional differences are misunderstood by others. Family members, teachers, or colleagues may be puzzled by why an individual seems unable to live up to their potential. The person may be seen as "unmotivated," "oppositional," "limited," or "lazy." These explanations, however, usually don't help folks actually understand a person's reality. And they certainly don't lead to future success. Psychological assessment can help all relevant parties more deeply understand the individual and identify real barriers to success. With this new understanding, the psychologist can offer scientifically-grounded recommendations about how to set up the person's world in order to optimize their learning and growth.

Knowledge is power. We believe responsible and sensitive psychological assessment can help turn complicated life experiences into more successful ones.

What issues and abilities can be identified through testing?

Giftedness
ADHD and executive functioning delays
Specific learning disorders in reading, writing, or math
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Learning style
Intellectual disability and other developmental delays
Emotional disorders
Early personality development

What are the steps involved in the assessment process?

Introduction and interview. The psychologist begins by meeting with either the client or the parents (in the case of a minor) to understand the reason for the referral and to explain the testing process. The psychologist then interviews the client or the child's parents to gather detailed information about the individual's development and current functioning. The psychologist may also interview the person's educators, tutors, or mental health providers, when indicated, and/or review relevant academic and clinical records.
Assessment. The psychologist meets with the individual to administer a broad array of standardized tests, designed to measure different cognitive skills, thinking styles, and personality traits. This process usually takes several meetings.
Integration and report-writing. The psychologist then interprets and integrates this information to create a nuanced "map" of the person's mental functioning, which they summarize in a detailed assessment report. The reported also includes specific recommendations about how to apply the new information to best support the individual's development.
Debriefing. The psychologist meets with the adult client or the child's parents (optionally with the child as well) to discuss the results and recommendations.
Optional Consultation. The psychologist is available on an ongoing basis to consult with the client, the parents, the academic institution, or others to discuss the evaluation results and help the individual's support network apply the recommendations.

What is our approach to assessment?

Client-centered. Our assessments are client-centered and individually-tailored to investigate specific questions about how the person thinks and learns.

Comprehensive. Our assessments go beyond identifying a specific disorder or disability. While diagnostic labels can be helpful in getting an individual the support they need, we believe that every mind is unique and no person fits neatly into a specific category. Our assessments describe the person's unique profile of strengths and weaknesses, their learning style, and how personality factors interact with cognitive factors to shape their functioning. Furthermore, we provide detailed recommendations about to best address and enhance the individual's learning style.

Applicable. Test results are only useful insofar as they offer a guide to make real-world decisions about how to support the individual's growth. Because of this, we always strive to make complicated issues understandable for our clients and their support networks. We translate complex date into comprehensible terms and make specific, practical recommendations.

What is the cost of assessment?

The cost of assessment includes time spent interviewing the client and/or parents and educators, reviewing relevant records, administering tests, analyzing/interpreting the data, preparing a detailed report, and debriefing the results. Because of the time required, the total cost for all services included in one of our assessments is generally $5500. We help our clients make use of their insurance benefits to cover the assessment costs and can facilitate receiving out-of-network insurance reimbursements.

We offer a sliding scale, based upon need. Please call to inquire about reduced rates.

On some rare occasions, we may offer a shorter, tailored test battery at a lower cost (for instance, if a child has recently completed a comprehensive psychological assessment but needs further inquiry into a specific area of functioning).

OTHER EVALUATIONS:

Forensic Evaluations for Immigration Cases

Some staff at Greene Clinic have expertise in evaluations for immigrants seeking asylum. Please inquire further.

Emotional Support Animal Evaluations

For clients in our care, we offer evaluations related to acquiring emotional support animals when appropriate.