Psychological Evaluation

Children: If a child is experiencing difficulty in social, emotional, academic, or cognitive functioning, a psychological evaluation can be a helpful tool in better understanding and accommodating the needs of the child, while providing a framework for individual recommendations and treatment.

ADHD (Child or Adult): Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a medical condition affecting brain development and activity, which makes regulating attention, impulses, emotional control, and behavior extremely difficult. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), ADHD occurs in approximately 5 percent of children and 2.5 percent of adults. A psychological evaluation is helpful in diagnosing ADHD and providing data that can help parents, educators, and counselors in developing accommodations and treatment options.

Adult: Psychological evaluations for adults are beneficial in assessing and diagnosing emotional, social, or neurological issues affecting a person’s life. Such evaluations encompass numerous facets of each individual, including medical history, family history, social and environmental factors, work and career factors, and emotional and cognitive functioning.

If you or an adult you know has had any sort of brain alteration such as a stroke, a head injury, a significant heart event, or any other experience which affected their physical brain, it is important to determine how the event has affected their memory and other mental functions.

Geriatric: If an elderly loved one is experiencing cognitive or emotional impairment, a psychological evaluation can be helpful in determining what factors may be contributing to the impairment and if the person is competent to live without assistance. Such evaluations can also show whether a person is experiencing depression or if Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia are present.

Court Related Evaluations:

-Competence for Guardianship/Conservatorship/Making a Will: A guardianship may be necessary if an individual no longer has the ability to make reasonable decisions about his or her health or safety. A conservatorship can help an individual who can no longer effectively manage financial decision-making. I complete detailed psychological evaluations to help the court determine competency in cases of guardianship or conservatorship, and/or determining if an individual is competent to make a will.

-Competence in Custody Issues: A psychological evaluation can be valuable to the court in determining what is in the best psychological interest of a child. During the evaluation process, I take into account factors such as family dynamics and interactions, cultural and environmental variables, relevant challenges and aptitudes for all involved, and the child’s educational, physical, and psychological needs.

With regard to parental competency, my psychological evaluations assist the court in appropriate decision-making in custody cases. My evaluations focus on a parent’s skills, deficits, values, and tendencies as they relate to a child’s psychological needs.