What does assessment look like?

Our first session is an opportunity to get to know you and understand your reason for coming to therapy. Generally both parents attend the first appointment without their child. During your complimentary 15 minute phone consultation we will discuss your unique situation and who should attend the first appointment.

We will ask about your child’s background and several areas of current functioning. By the end of the session we typically have a good sense of next steps, and will make a plan with you before the session ends.

In some cases this is the end of assessment for treatment, sometimes we need a second intake session with your child, and in some cases, more comprehensive assessment is needed.

Sometimes after the first session, we may need more information to better understand your needs. If youth are experiencing significant mental health concerns, we may recommend a more comprehensive psychological assessment.

When this is the case, we typically administer standardized questionnaires, complete a more in-depth interview, and include others (e.g., teachers) as part of the assessment process to fully understand how these mental health concerns are impacting your life.

Regardless the type of assessment, once we have gathered enough information, we carefully review everything we have learned in order to give us a thorough understanding of you.

We will provide feedback following the assessment, which may include diagnoses. During the feedback we will create a treatment plan together that addresses your specific needs.

For more comprehensive psychological assessment we typically provide a report for you to share with others to obtain support (e.g., school, doctor).