I offer comprehensive psycho-educational assessments for children, adolescents, and adults and specialize with school-age and university students.
I can test for the presence and impact of various learning disorders (e.g., Reading Disorder, Mathematics Disorder, Disorder of Written Expression, Dyslexia) and attention difficulties (e.g., ADD, ADHD), and social / emotional problems.
Possible Reasons for a Psycho-Educational Assessment
To determine or rule out the presence of a learning disorder
To understand why a student may be struggling academically and what can be done to help him or her
To assess specific areas of academic strength or weakness
To assess attention or concentration difficulties which may be interfering with school, university, or work performance
To evaluate social or emotional difficulties which may be preventing a person from reaching their academic potential
To assist with career planning or retraining
To test for intellectual or academic giftedness
To help schools develop an appropriate educational plan for your child
To be eligible for funding for special educational needs
What to Expect During an Assessment
First of all, you can expect testing to be made as comfortable and low-stress as possible. I do not believe that an assessment has to be unpleasant or anxiety-provoking and can actually be enjoyable (imagine that!). Especially with children, I am very relaxed and easy-going and try to make the day a positive experience. Yes, laughing and joking is encouraged and my goal is to send everyone home feeling better than when they came in.
Also expect flexibility on my part and consideration for those who may not be able to complete testing in just one day. Rather than push people onward if they are feeling tired or mentally fatigued, I would rather stop and book another appointment to complete testing. The goal is to determine your optimal performance - not how well you do when someone is forcing you to work!
Of course, no assessment will be exactly the same as another, but for the purpose of this example, let's consider what a full psycho-educational assessment day for a child might look like:
9:00 - 10:30: Interview with parent(s) and child
10:30 - 12:00: Intellectual testing
12:00 - 1:00: Lunch break
1:00 - 2:30: Academic testing
2:30 - 4:00: Any additional testing which may be appropriate such as Memory, Attention & Concentration, Executive Functioning, Motor Skills, or Neurological Screening
4:00 - 4:15: Meeting with parents to discuss the day of testing and initial impressions
NOTE: In the following days parents will be asked to complete questionnaires at home. They may also be asked to have their child's teacher complete several questionnaires.
Weekend Appointments
For assessments, I understand that many people must work or go to school during normal weekday hours. Therefore, I am happy to offer weekend appointments for psychoeducational assessments.
Please contact me for available times.
My Philosophy on Reports, Results, and Recommendations
I take pride in providing detailed, clearly written reports which directly address the referral question(s) you were seeking answers for. I also understand that most people are not simply interested in how they did or whether or not they have a diagnosable learning disorder. Rather, you deserve to know what you should actually do with this information. As such I will always provide detailed advice and specific recommendations on how you can address the issue(s) which initiated the assessment.
Feedback
If you wish, I can provide verbal feedback over the phone within days of completing the testing. I make every effort to have a completed report in your hands no more than 30 days after testing is complete. Regarding the results of your assessment, I will personally sit down with you, explain all the findings, and answer any questions you may have.
