Psychological Evaluation

Psychological Evaluation

A psychological evaluation is a comprehensive and collaborative process designed to understand an individual’s emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning. For first-time clients, it serves as an essential starting point for identifying concerns, gaining diagnostic clarity, and developing a meaningful treatment plan. Evaluations are conducted in a warm, confidential, and supportive environment, with each assessment tailored to your specific needs and goals.

A psychological evaluation typically includes:

  • Clinical Interview: An in-depth discussion exploring current symptoms, emotional concerns, personal and family history, medical factors, and daily functioning.
  • Standardized Assessments: Evidence-based tools selected based on your presenting concerns. These may include:
    1. Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI): A validated instrument that measures the severity of anxiety symptoms and helps distinguish between physical and cognitive components of anxiety
    2. Additional assessments that screen for or evaluate conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (DD) or learning disabilities (LD), IQ tests, and others.
  • Behavioral Observations: Professional observations of communication style, emotional expression, coping behaviors, and responses to stress throughout the evaluation.
  • Collateral Information (when appropriate): Input from parents, educators, medical providers, or caregivers to ensure a full understanding of functioning across settings.
  • When psychologists or neuropsychologists evaluate for possible intellectual disability (DD) or learning disabilities (LD), they most often rely on a handful of standardized, well-validated IQ and cognitive batteries. 
Purpose and Benefits

A psychological evaluation helps to:

  • Diagnose or clarify mental health disorders
  • Identify underlying factors contributing to emotional or behavioral difficulties
  • Determine the severity of symptoms such as anxiety, depression, trauma responses, or attentional challenges
  • Highlight strengths and resilience factors
  • Provide individualized treatment recommendations
  • Support requests for school or workplace accommodations
  • Provide professionally prepared documentation for legal, medical, or immigration purposes
  • For learning disabilities evaluations (school-age children, adolescents, adults): use a full IQ test + academic achievement test, possibly supplemented with language, memory, or processing-speed measures.
  • For  intellectual disability evaluations: use a full cognitive battery + adaptive functioning measures + developmental history/behavioral context.

For First-Time Clients

For those new to the evaluation process, this experience offers reassurance and direction. You will receive a comprehensive written report summarizing interview findings, behavioral observations, and results from standardized tools such as the BAI and other disorder-specific assessments. The report includes clear, practical recommendations tailored to your unique needs, lifestyle, and goals. education, work life, and significant past experiences. duration, and impact of these concerns.

Our Approach

Our evaluations are grounded in evidence-based practice, cultural sensitivity, and compassion. We take time to ensure you feel heard, understood, and supported throughout the process. The goal is not only to assess—but to empower you with knowledge, clarity, and a personalized roadmap for emotional well-being and long-term growth.