Psychological and Neuropsychological Assessment

What is psychological and neuropsychological assessment?

Psychological and neuropsychological assessments (sometimes called an evaluation or testing) include an interview and a series of tests done by a trained neuropsychologist to assess different functions of the brain and nervous system. These tests measure different brain processes, like language, problem solving, memory, attention, processing speed, motor functioning, and behavioral/emotional functioning. Depending on the issue that is being assessed, most psychological and neuropsychological assessments last 2-4 hours, and often feels like a day in school.

What types of conditions do you assess?

At Anchored Health Psychology, we assess a wide range of conditions, which includes:

-Learning disorders (where we assess for difficulties with language skills, math skills, learning and memory)

-Psychological disorders (where we assess for things like anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma)

-Personality disorders (where we assess for things that can interfere with our thinking patterns, behavior, and relationships)

-ADHD

-Autism

-Concussions

-Traumatic Brain Injuries

-Acquired Brain Injuries (like carbon monoxide poisoning or oxygen deprivation)

-Strokes

-Dementia and Memory Problems

Why is psychological and neuropsychological assessment important?

Difficulties with brain functioning are often “hidden” from plain site. They can cause difficulties in nearly every aspect of life: at school, at work, and in relationships. The brain is an incredibly complicated system and controls many processes (attention, memory, language, problem solving, and more). If any of these functions are not operating at their best, we can have difficulties. Because we can’t “see” what is going on, these challenges can often be called “lazy” or “unmotivated”. They aren’t out in the open like a cast around an arm.

Psychological and neuropsychological assessments helps us to identify any of these “hidden” processing weaknesses that may be contributing to your struggles with school, work, and relationships. By identifying these processes, we can develop a “roadmap”, tailored to your specific needs, so that you can reach your full potential.