Tailored services for your healthcare needs.
Consultation
This is the first step for all of our assessment and coaching services. During a clinical interview, we review presenting concerns and obtain a full history, results of which will guide the next step in the process, including which service would best suit your needs.
Our services
Evaluation
When there are concerns about cognitive functioning or questions about mental health, an evaluation can clarify the clinical picture to provide a more accurate diagnosis and tailored recommendations. We offer different types of evaluations depending on clinical needs. The most appropriate evaluation will be determined during our initial consultation.
Coaching
Short-term coaching is offered to individuals who have completed an evaluation and need additional support or guidance. Sessions may include psychoeducation and/or may introduce the client to therapeutic or remediation strategies and/or lifestyle changes. The coach may also work with the client and their family to match them with follow-up care.
CONSULTATION
This is the first step for all of our coaching and assessment services. During a clinical interview, we will review presenting concerns and obtain a full history, results of which will guide the next step in the process, including which type of evaluation would best suit your needs.
Questions that might bring you in for an evaluation that will be discussed during your consult
I am noticing memory problems. Is this a sign of dementia?
I have mood swings. Might I have bipolar disorder?
My child is struggling in school, what type of evaluation is appropriate?
Are my problems with attention due to ADHD, anxiety or something else?
Is my parent showing signs of dementia or is he/she depressed?
Do I meet criteria for an anxiety disorder? For OCD? Bipolar disorder?
Can you clarify my psychiatric diagnosis so that I can receive the appropriate treatment?
What to expect
This is a 1-hour clinical interview that will help us better understand the referral question and the concerns that led you to seek an evaluation. During this session, we will discuss presenting symptoms, gather information about developmental, medical, and social history, and in some cases do a very brief screening assessment. If possible, we ask that you have a family member, such as a spouse, parent, or child accompany you to this session so that we can gather collateral information. Information from this consultation will guide next steps and help us determine what type of evaluation is needed to address your concerns.
TYPES OF EVALUATIONS
Psychodiagnostic
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A comprehensive assessment of social, emotional and neurobehavioral symptoms to clarify an individual’s clinical diagnosis for purposes of mapping out a clearer understanding of self, providing an accurate psychiatric or neurodevelopmental diagnosis, and guiding treatment options.
Neuropsychological
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An evaluation of cognitive skills for individuals with neurological, neurodevelopmental or psychiatric conditions to help diagnose neurodegenerative disorders, differentiate between neurological conditions, or provide information regarding cognitive profile in those with known dysfunction.
Psychoeducational
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An evaluation of academic abilities for individuals seeking clarification of their learning style and/or to determine whether they have a specific learning disorder. This is a necessary evaluation for individual’s seeking academic accommodations.
Psychological
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An assessment of intellectual abilities and adaptive functioning, typically for individuals with developmental delays.
Psychodiagnostic Evaluation
This evaluation is for individuals seeking clarification of their clinical diagnosis. Information obtained from this assessment will help determine whether one meets criteria for a particular disorder and assists in differentiating between disorders with similar presentations. Having an accurate diagnosis can provide a better understanding of self and can help guide appropriate treatment options. This evaluation is appropriate for individuals seeking to better understand symptoms associated with neurodevelopmental (ADHD, autism), psychiatric (anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder) and personality disorders (borderline PD).
Includes 1-3 hours for the diagnostic interview, scoring of questionnaires, review of medical and/or other records, scoring and formulation, report writing, and a one-hour feedback session to discuss the results and recommendations. Testing available for ages 11 and up.
What to expect
The psychodiagnostic evaluation includes a semi-structured clinical interview, and completion of rating scales and questionnaires, which can be scheduled remotely or in the office. We may also request collateral information from a parent, spouse, teacher, or other individual for additional information, as well as request medical records and/or prior assessments and school records. This can help in a differential diagnosis of several disorders that may have overlapping symptoms (e.g., ADHD, depression, anxiety) and help determine whether you meet full criteria for a particular disorder (e.g, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder). This evaluation will provide clarification and will guide treatment options.
Neuropsychological Evaluation
This evaluation is for individuals seeking clarification of cognitive strengths and weaknesses in the context of neurological, neurodevelopmental, or psychiatric conditions. For example, an individual who has suffered a stroke or brain injury, or one who has been diagnosed with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, or an attention disorder may want to understand associated cognitive deficits and also highlight preserved skills and abilities. For those with possible neurodegenerative diseases, this evaluation may shed some light on the underlying cause and provide a differential dementia diagnosis and/or whether there are reversible causes for impairment.
What to expect
The neuropsychological evaluation involves 1:1 testing with the neuropsychologist to better understand your thinking skills, such as attention, memory, language, and higher order thinking skills, among others. It includes answering questions and completing paper-and-pencil or computerized tasks. We may also request collateral information and ask that you and/or your parent, spouse, teacher, or other individual complete rating scales and questionnaires. Medical records and/or prior assessments and school records are requested when available. This may help determine whether there has been a change in cognition due to a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other neurological condition, such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or brain tumor. It may also help us to understand how a diagnosed attention disorder or other psychiatric condition, such as OCD or bipolar disorder impacts cognitive functioning.
This evaluation includes 2-6 hours of cognitive testing and one-hour feedback session to discuss the results of the evaluation and recommendations. Also included is gathering and review of records and collateral information, scoring and interpretation of tests, formulation and report writing. This service alone does not include academic testing. If seeking academic accommodations, a psychoeducational assessment is also required. We only offer this testing for individuals 11 years of age and older at this time. Pediatric evaluations considered on a case-by-case basis.
Psychoeducational Evaluation
This evaluation is for individuals seeking clarification about their (or their children’s) learning profile. Results provide information about the way an individual learns, identify academic strengths and weaknesses, and determine whether one meets criteria for a specific learning disability (LD). These evaluations also serve to identify how a particular disorder, including ADHD, learning disability, and psychiatric conditions, among others interfere with academic functioning, often for purposes of obtaining academic support or special education services.
What to expect
The psychoeducational evaluation includes an assessment of academic abilities (reading, writing and mathematics), associated cognitive skills, and intellectual functioning when deemed appropriate. Scholastic tests will often be administered under standard and specialized conditions (e.g., with extended time) to better understand the optimal conditions for learning. As with the other assessments, we may also request collateral information and ask to procure prior evaluations and records, if possible.
Please note that for academic accommodations, both a formal diagnosis and evidence of functional limitation is required. One without the other will generally not suffice. For example, a diagnosis of ADHD without deficits on academic testing, or alternatively, limitations on testing without a formal diagnosis, will likely not be approved for accommodations at school or on standardized testing. As such, if the individual does not have a formal diagnosis or prior neuropsychological or psychodiagnostic testing, this type of assessment may need to be accompanied by neuropsychological or psychodiagnostic evaluation for purposes of procuring academic accommodations. If requesting accommodations for standardized testing (e.g., SAT, ACT, LSAT), a clear history of the need for and use of requested accommodations in the student’s school history (e.g., through an IEP, 504 plan or other school approved accommodations) is often required, except under extenuating circumstances.
Depending on the referral question, this type of evaluation entails 2-5 hours of academic testing (reading, writing and math) as well as an assessment of underlying cognitive skills for some of these abilities (e.g., phonological processing, rapid naming skills for individuals suspected of dyslexia). As with the other types of evaluation, also included is the record review, scoring and interpretation of tests, conceptualization, report writing, and a one-hour feedback session. We offer this testing for individuals 11 years of age and older at this time. Pediatric evaluations considered on a case-by-case basis.
PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION
This testing involves as assessment of intellectual abilities and adaptive functioning, often for individuals with developmental delays. Results may help determine whether an individual will qualify for government funding (e.g., in the case of intellectual disability).
What to expect
The psychological evaluation includes an assessment of intellectual functioning through use of an IQ test, as well as a measure of adaptive functioning, which will be in the form of a questionnaire or semi-structured interview completed by a parent or individual that knows the client well. It is appropriate for individuals with known or questionable developmental delays who might need additional support, or possibly documentation to receive necessary services. It may also be necessary for procuring services for individuals with ‘high-functioning autism,’ that is those who have strong intellectual abilities but may also have poor adaptive functioning secondary to their disorder.
This evaluation includes 1-2 hours of IQ testing, administration of adaptive functioning with a collateral informant and a 1-hour feedback meeting, as well as scoring and interpretation of tests and report writing
COACHING
Short-term coaching is available for individuals after completion of their evaluation and prior to initiation of longer-term treatment. Sessions may include psychoeducation about a disorder and potential treatments, support, guidance, and strategies for managing symptoms, as well as guidance in obtaining follow up care. Up to ten sessions is available.
What to expect
Coaching sessions, which are 45-minutes long, are intended to provide you with support on a short-term basis to help you learn more about your diagnosis and potential treatment. We can introduce you to therapeutic techniques and teach you about remediation or compensatory strategies to address your weaknesses with a focus on real life application of these interventions. Also reviewed will be environmental and lifestyle choices that impact health and cognition, such as stress management, healthy eating, and staying cognitively and physically active, among others. We can also spend time learning about other providers and work together to get you matched with a longer-term treatment.