People often ask us whether they need therapy or an assessment. As part of therapy, you or your child will be “assessed” for a diagnosis to help give a direction for ongoing therapy; you and/or your child will then meet regularly with a therapist. However, if you are seeking services or accommodations (for example, through social security, for a Katie Beckett waver, or to obtain school accommodations through an IEP or 504 Plan), a formal assessment with a psychologist is needed to document a “medical” diagnosis.
Please note we do not offer custody evaluations, recommend child placements with a specific parent, or provide court-ordered therapy.
Assessment Services
Due to the very high demand for assessment services and our high quality of work, we have had to restrict our assessment services. We only provide first-time evaluations/diagnoses for children ages 1-12. If your child is age 13 to 16 and needs a re-evaluation, we will review their prior testing report before we add them to our waitlist.
If you need something not on this list, please go to the Other Places to Try tab on our website.
Our assessments typically consist of (1) an intake appointment, during which we will decide what testing is needed and agree on a price, (2) a testing session, and (3) a feedback session. Depending on your child’s needs, testing can be divided into multiple sessions. We offer personalized, comprehensive assessments in the following areas for children and teens:
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
* Ages 4.5 to 12 for children who have never been diagnosed with ADHD
* Ages 4.5 to 16 for re-evaluations (children who already have had a comprehensive psychological assessment and can provide us a copy of that report)
* Ages 17 and 18: if still in high school and needs re-documentation to attend college
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
* Ages 1 to 12 for children who have never been diagnosed with ASD
* Ages 1 to 16 for re-evaluations (children who already have had a comprehensive psychological assessment and can provide us a copy of that report)
* Ages 17 and 18: if still in high school and needs re-documentation to attend college
Learning Disability
* 3rd through 12th grade
* 2nd graders may be accepted based on a brief consultation with one of our providers
* Please note learning disability testing is not usually completely covered by insurance
* We do not provide learning disability testing for children currently making all As and Bs in academic areas without a letter from the school with a list of accommodations being provided to the child (whether formal or informal) as well as a statement that the child is taking advantage of these accommodations and needs them to continue to make As and Bs
Intellectual Disability Disorder (Intellectual Disability)
* Ages 6 to 12
* Ages 13 to 17 only for families applying for conservatorship
Gifted and Talented
* Ages 6 to 17
* Please note gifted testing is not covered by insurance
Please note
* Depression, anxiety, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) are better diagnosed in the context of ongoing therapy and almost never require a formal assessment with a psychologist
* We do not currently have anyone at our office who can assess Bipolar Disorder
* We do not offer assessment for adults at this time
Therapy Services
We exclusively use evidence-based therapies at our office. Treatment type and duration will be individualized to meet the needs each client. We offer treatment for individuals (all ages), couples, and families for a range of presenting issues including, but not limited to:
* disruptive behavior disorders
* impulsivity
* social skills
* noncompliance & tantrums
* anxiety, fears, and phobias
* depression
* interpersonal/relationship problems
* adjustment issues
* transition to college
* issues related to self-esteem
* gender/sexual identity
* trauma
* We do not currently have anyone at our office who specializes in eating disorders, substance use/dependence, or Bipolar Disorder
Parent Support Services
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (www.pcit.org)
We have four providers who provide PCIT, which is an evidence-based treatment for children ages 4 to 7 with social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. This intervention is regarded by national expert panels as a gold standard treatment for children who have any of the following challenges:
* Frequent temper tantrums
* Defiance/refusing to follow directions
* Verbal and/or physical aggression
* Destruction of toys and/or family belongings
* Backtalking or sassing adults
* Whining or crying for no apparent reason
* Constantly seeking attention
* Hyperactivity
* Interrupting others
* Short attention span
* Difficulty with behaviors at school, preschool, and/or daycare
At this time, we only offer PCIT on the weekdays prior to 2:00 pm. Because it is a step-by-step program, families are expected to attend sessions every week for 12-16 weeks in a row until the child graduates from the program.
1-2-3 Magic Boot Camp
The 1-2-3 Magic program is an evidenced-based parenting program developed by Dr. Thomas Phelan aimed to help parents of 2 to 12 year old children who are looking for an effective disciplinary method to address acting-out behaviors. The 1-2-3 Magic boot camp is a 3 or 4 session virtual service offered to parents prior to 2:00 pm on Monday through Thursday. Children do not attend these sessions – it is for parents only.
School Advocacy
We offer individualized IEP/504 consultation for parents who are unfamiliar with the special education system and their rights.
Ongoing Programs
We partner with Excelsior Foundation for Family Wellness, Inc. for ongoing programs that include social skills groups for ages 4 to 17, parenting support groups, and IEP/504 coordination and advocacy for parents who are unfamiliar with the special education system and their rights. The most current information on these services can always be found at www.excelsiorffw.org