Psychological Evaluations

Having trouble figuring out what’s going on?

Why do I have these mood swings?

Why do I struggle so much in my relationships?

Why can’t I enjoy things the way I used to before?

You might be starting to wonder if you’re “losing it”… or whether it’s “all in your head.”

In search of answers, you’ve visited your healthcare provider, a therapist, or “Dr. Google”… and have probably been told that you might need a psychological evaluation.

So now, you have even more questions…

What kind of evaluation do you need?

The type of evaluation you need will depend on your specific questions about your mental health.

For example, you could be wondering whether you have depression, anxiety, why you’re having trouble remembering things lately, or even why you seem always to be looking over your shoulder.

If your healthcare provider or therapist is referring you, you may already have a good idea of the kind of evaluation that you need. We can talk about it during your 15-minute consultation or an initial one-on-one session if you’re not quite sure.

We offer the following testing services: psychodiagnostic evaluations, personality assessments, and assessments of intellectual functioning.

A psychodiagnostic evaluation can help identify the presence of a mental health disorder, enhance diagnostic accuracy, provide insight into an individual’s experience, and help inform treatment recommendations. Psychodiagnostic evaluations can be particularly helpful for cases in which the clinical picture is unclear and for disorders that are difficult to diagnose.

A personality assessment can help provide an in-depth look into an individual’s personality characteristics, including those traits that tend to remain stable over time, coping styles, and someone’s propensity toward engaging in certain behaviors.

An assessment of intellectual functioning can help answer questions about an individual’s intellectual potential, cognitive abilities, and current level of functioning. They’re useful in assessing intellectual disabilities as well as giftedness.

How can a psychological evaluation help?

Psychological evaluations are typically used to identify your specific challenges and particular needs. In other words, they help provide answers to your questions about your mental health.

Do you meet the criteria for one or more mental health disorders?
Is your current diagnosis accurate?
To what extent are your symptoms impacting your functioning?
What is your primary personality makeup, and what does that mean?

Psychological evaluations can point you in the right direction and help you explore your treatment options, as recommendations can vary based on the diagnosis. A psychological evaluation can help detect depression, anxiety, personality disorders, PTSD, ADHD, bipolar disorders, etc.

The results of your psychological evaluation can give your healthcare provider a more comprehensive picture of your treatment needs. Results of your evaluation will likely be used to inform treatment decisions. With increased diagnostic clarity, a better understanding of your clinical picture, personality makeup, or intellectual functioning, your provider will be better able to formulate a treatment plan that is tailored to you.

Finally, these assessments can help you determine whether you need specialized services. Mental health professionals with specialized training better address some mental health conditions. In addition, access to certain services is only available for those diagnosed with certain mental health conditions. Based on your evaluation, you might decide that you need a therapist specializing in PTSD, bipolar disorder, specific phobias, personality disorders, etc.

We make it as easy and convenient as possible…

We offer remote testing services that you can access from the comfort of your own home.

We’ll meet for an initial interview via Telehealth, where I’ll listen to your concerns and understand the problem. If another provider referred you, I might need to speak to them as well.

Based on your concerns, symptoms, and many other factors (e.g., the purpose of the evaluation, my conversation with your provider), we’ll discuss your options and my recommendations for testing.

Once the evaluation has been completed, we’ll meet for a 45-minute feedback session where I’ll explain your test results. This session will also take place via Telehealth, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions as well as to request clarification regarding test findings.

Your completed evaluation will give you a deeper understanding of yourself and your mental health.

Receiving a diagnosis can cause many mixed emotions…

You might experience relief, hope, anger, or something else. On the one hand, receiving a diagnosis can clarify your mental health and help you identify a path forward. On the other hand, learning that you have a diagnosis can be stressful.

But rest assured: I’ll discuss your results with you and answer your questions with respect, care, empathy, and compassion.

It’s time to find the answers you’ve been searching for…

Finally, you can begin to make sense of your struggles and get on the road to recovery!

Let’s talk about how I can help during a free 15-minute consultation. I’m happy to answer your questions: (561) 247-2901.