A psychological evaluation is a process that helps make sense of how someone thinks, feels, learns, and relates to others. Whether it’s for a child, teen, or adult, the goal is the same: to understand strengths, identify challenges, and provide clear answers to questions that may have felt confusing or overwhelming. This may include clarifying diagnoses or identifying next steps for support.

The process typically involves talking together, filling out questionnaires, and completing activities or tests that measure areas like cognition, learning, memory, personality, or psychological symptoms. Each piece gives us valuable information that helps create a full picture of what’s going on.

Importantly, an evaluation isn’t about labeling. It’s about clarity. The results can explain why certain struggles are happening, highlight what’s going well, and point to practical next steps. That might include support at school, strategies for daily life, tools for work, or recommendations for treatment.

A psychological evaluation is about understanding the whole person and offering guidance that makes the path forward clearer and more manageable.

Evergrow specializes in testing for the following:

• Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD and learning disorders

• Giftedness and academic functioning

• Mood and anxiety disorders

• Personality disorders

• Various referral questions, such as:

  • Why am I struggling in school or at work?

  • Are my attention problems due to ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, or something else?

  • What type of psychological treatment and support would be most effective for me?

  • What accommodations would be appropriate for me in school, at work, or at home?

  • What role does my personality style play in my life?

  • What strengths do I have that could be used to improve my functioning and support growth areas?

Evaluations can reveal information that may be difficult or impossible to gain through other avenues, including talk therapy. This can help to:

• Provide diagnostic clarification

• Gain an understanding of why you’re struggling in school, at work, or in interpersonal relationships

• Develop personalized, evidence-based recommendations or accommodations for managing daily life, school, and work.

While every assessment is tailored to your needs, some common steps in our process are outlined below. Prior to beginning testing, you and your assessor will work together to determine the best procedure for you.

1. Complete Clinical Interview. Meet with your assessor to refine referral questions and provide information about yourself/your child.

2. Attend Test Days. You will complete a customized test battery over 1-3 test days.

   For child evaluations, caregivers may complete questionnaires to capture their perception of the child’s functioning.

3. Gather Collateral Information. Your assessor may collaborate with relevant parties (e.g., partners, therapists, teachers, extended family, etc.) to gain a holistic understanding of you across settings.

4. Receive Results & Feedback.

You’ll receive your results via written and verbal feedback. This includes:

• Feedback Appointments: Dr. Bono will meet with you to provide an in-depth explanation of findings, applicable diagnoses, and next steps/recommendations.

• Formal Assessment Report: These written reports offer detailed information on test results, diagnostic impressions, and recommended next steps for support and treatment. These are often used to share results with treatment providers or inform school/work accommodations.

• Therapeutic Letter: Like a formal report, a therapeutic letter may also summarize test results, diagnostic impressions, and recommended next steps. However, these letters are specifically written for the client (rather than other professionals) in a more succinct, easily understood, and approachable manner. Clients may wish to receive this alongside or instead of a formal report.

• Therapeutic Story: Children may benefit from a custom, illustrated story that explains test results in an age-appropriate, empowering manner. Each story weaves in the child’s diagnoses, strengths/growth areas, and recommended next steps for future treatment and support. Parents may also read the story with their child at home, which fosters ongoing communication and support after testing has concluded. 

Your report will include recommendations to support you across life areas.

Examples of common recommendations include:

• Treatment recommendations, such as guidance for therapeutic intervention and referrals for psychiatry, therapy, or medical testing.

• Work/Academic accommodations, which include recommended strategies and supports to enable success at work/in school. These may be used to inform ADA accommodations, IEPs, and 504 Plans.

• Parent/Caregiver recommendations, which involve strategies to support a child at home, such as helping a child manage their feelings and behavior, build self-esteem, or complete household/school responsibilities.

• Extracurricular recommendations, which use your identified interests and hobbies to suggest activities that simultaneously involve applying your strengths while bolstering areas of growth.