Assessment

Psychological assessments offer insight about your child's development. I will spend time understanding how your child thinks and feels, why they might have trouble with some tasks, and what they need to be successful.

Psychological assessments are a collaborative process involving the child, family, teachers and school supports, and other care providers in your child’s life. I am happy to engage with anyone invested in your child’s success. We will talk about your child's unique strengths as well as their vulnerabilities.

I will keep your questions and goals in mind throughout the assessment process and work to provide meaningful information and develop feasible recommendations for you and your child. I will work with you for one year following the assessment to help implement recommendations, monitor how they are working, and help you adjust as needed.

One outcome of a psychological assessments may be a diagnosis. Diagnoses are helpful for determining best practices and evidence-based treatments for the presenting concerns. I assess, diagnose, and provide documented recommendations for:

• Thinking, memory, and learning (i.e., Intellectual Developmental Disorder, Specific Learning Disorders - Reading, Written Expression, Mathematics)

• Attention and behaviour regulation (i.e., Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

• Social communication (i.e., Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Communication Disorder)

• Emotional concerns (i.e., Depressive Disorders, Anxiety Disorders)

• Obsessive, rigid, rule-bound (i.e., Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, sudden onset disorders)

• Adversity and change (i.e., Trauma Disorders, Adjustment Disorders)

Therapeutic Consultation: Some children have had multiple assessments and involvement with numerous service providers. Despite this, there are still questions about their development and needs.

Sometimes, more testing is not needed. Instead, I work with families to sort through their child’s history and presenting concerns, conceptualize primary and secondary issues, and prioritize treatment. We create an intervention plan that outlines priorities and responsibilities for each care provider (e.g., parents, teacher, therapist) and setting (e.g., home, school, community).

Therapeutic consultation means that I do not work directly with your child. Instead, I work with families to sift through information, develop a roadmap for care, and offer ongoing support and advocacy (e.g., attend school meetings, consult with therapist).