Full Psychological Evaluation

When parents are concerned about their child’s development, behavior, or academic performance, seeking a full psychological evaluation can be a helpful first step. It can be difficult to know whether your child’s struggles are part of typical development or if there are underlying issues that need to be addressed. A comprehensive evaluation provides clarity, offering a deeper understanding of what might be affecting your child’s ability to succeed at school, at home, and in social settings. At Elm Therapy and Wellness, we understand that every child is unique, and we take a personalized approach to ensure that you receive the most accurate and helpful information to support your child’s well-being.

Our full psychological evaluation examines a wide range of factors that could be impacting your child’s learning and behavior, including:

• Learning Differences: Identifying any specific learning disabilities or other challenges that may be affecting your child’s academic performance. 

• Cognitive Abilities: Understanding your child’s thinking skills, memory, attention, and problem-solving abilities to determine if there are cognitive factors influencing their success.

• Emotional and Mental Health: Assessing how emotional well-being, including anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns, may be impacting your child’s behavior and learning. Tailored support strategies can be developed from these findings.

• Educational Planning: Using the results of the assessment to create personalized learning strategies and accommodations that will help your child thrive in school. A comprehensive evaluation is often required by schools to provide necessary accommodations.

• Academic Skills: Testing in core areas like reading, writing, and mathematics to assess academic readiness and identify areas needing additional support. 

• Social-Emotional Skills: Evaluating your child’s social skills, emotional regulation, and behavioral functioning to develop strategies that help them succeed in social and emotional areas as well as academic settings.

After the evaluation, you will receive a comprehensive report that outlines the findings specific to your child, including both strengths and areas for growth. This report will not only provide actionable recommendations to help your child overcome challenges but will also offer referrals to vetted professionals in the community if additional support is needed. We can help you connect with these trusted resources, and, if necessary, offer continued, supplemental advocacy and support to ensure your child gets the help they need. We believe in walking alongside families, offering guidance and assistance every step of the way.

ADHD (Attention, Focus, and Executive Functioning) Evaluation

This evaluation focuses on your child’s attention, focus, and executive functioning skills to determine whether an ADHD diagnosis is appropriate. ADHD presents differently in each individual, and while a diagnosis is valuable, the true benefit of this evaluation lies in its depth and comprehensive nature. Rather than simply providing a diagnosis, we offer detailed insights into your child’s unique strengths and challenges. This in-depth evaluation will give you a clearer understanding of how ADHD affects your child’s daily life and provide a roadmap for support and improvement. We evaluate the following areas:

• Attention Control: Assessing your child’s ability to maintain focus and sustain attention in different environments and tasks. 

• Organization and Planning: Evaluating your child’s ability to plan tasks, manage time effectively, and stay organized.

• Problem Solving: Evaluating your child’s ability to solve problems, think abstractly, and handle complex or unpredictable situations.

• Impulse Control:  Assessing your child’s ability to manage impulses and delay gratification in various settings.

• Task Initiation and Persistence: Evaluating your child’s ability to start tasks independently and maintain effort, even when faced with obstacles.

• Self-Monitoring: Assessing your child’s ability to reflect on their own performance, recognize mistakes, and adjust behaviors to improve outcomes.

We understand that as parents, you may have concerns about how ADHD might affect your child’s academic progress, social relationships, and overall well-being. This evaluation is designed to go beyond simply diagnosing ADHD—it offers a comprehensive understanding of your child’s strengths and challenges, along with specific, personalized recommendations to help address them. By identifying areas where your child may struggle and providing targeted strategies, we aim to improve their performance at school, reduce frustration at home, and set them up for success in all aspects of life.

Private School Admissions Evaluation

 Many private schools require standardized testing as part of their entrance process to assess whether children are a good fit for their programs. At Elm Therapy and Wellness, we work closely with parents to determine which tests are needed based on the specific schools your child is applying to, ensuring the evaluation aligns with each school’s requirements. Our private school entrance evaluation is designed to be both thorough and efficient, providing you with valuable insights while keeping the process stress-free.

Here’s what you can expect from our tailored approach:

• Tailored Testing: The testing process is customized to your child’s age, developmental level, and the requirements of the schools they are applying to, ensuring a comfortable and engaging experience.

• One-Day Format: The entire testing process is completed in just one day, making it easy to fit into your schedule. This includes:

• Parent Discussion: We start with an initial conversation to gather important insights about your child’s background, strengths, challenges, and any specific concerns you may have.

• Testing: Your child will participate in a series of assessments that measure their cognitive abilities and academic skills, all designed to be age-appropriate and engaging.

• Written Report: After the evaluation, you’ll receive a detailed written report outlining the findings. This report will include specific recommendations for supporting your child’s development and guidance on how to navigate the school application process.

At Elm Therapy and Wellness, we’re committed to making the private school entrance process as smooth as possible for you and your child, providing both clarity and confidence every step of the way.

Commonly Requested Measures:

• Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – Fourth Edition (WIAT-IV)

• Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV)

• Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fifth Edition (WISC-V)

• Wide Range Achievement Test – Fifth Edition (WRAT5)

Common Questions a Psychological Evaluation Can Answer:

If you’re asking these questions, we can help:

• Why does my child seem to struggle to keep up at school?

• Why can't my child stay focused or finish their homework on time?

• Is my child's behavior normal for their age, or is there something else going on?

• Why does my child get so overwhelmed with schoolwork, and how can we help them handle it better?

• Could my child have a learning issue?

• Why does my child seem to have such big emotional reactions to little things?

• Is my child’s anxiety or sadness getting in the way of their everyday life?

• Why does my child have such a hard time with friendships or getting along with others?

• Should we get a formal evaluation to see if there’s something like ADHD or dyslexia going on?

• How can we support our child with the challenges they’re facing at school or at home?

• Are there any tools, strategies, or accommodations that could help my child do better in school?

• Is there something we might be missing about my child’s mental health or development?

• Why isn't my child doing as well at school as we thought they would, and could something be affecting them that we haven’t figured out?

• Are my child’s behaviors just part of growing up, or is there something else we need to look into?

• Why is it hard for my child to stay organized and get things done?

• What therapies or services could best help my child? Should we look into Occupational Therapy (OT), Speech Therapy, Psychotherapy, medication, school accommodations, tutoring, etc?

These are the kinds of questions that often lead parents to seek a psychological evaluation. It’s natural to want to understand what might be going on with your child and how to best support them. A thorough evaluation can help answer those questions and give you a clearer picture of what’s going on and how to help.