OUR APPROACH to assessment
A Psychological Evaluation Process with You in Focus
Our clients often seek assessment after years of difficulty or unsatisfactory support within systems of mental healthcare. Prior diagnoses or treatments may not have been a fit, leaving clients stuck and often feeling hopeless about where to go from here. Some feel that there is something "more" that may better explain themselves and their experiences, or they may recognize a need for specific accommodations in settings such as work or school.
Our assessments are intentionally designed to be therapeutic in nature, aimed at providing the client and their family with a deeper understanding of their unique strengths, thought processes, and related ways of experiencing the world.
By approaching neurodiversity as a difference—not a deficit—we aim to empower clients and their families with clarity and tools to better thrive in a society that isn't always welcoming to those with diverse ways of thinking. We introduce them to language, resources and communities to increase access to, and understanding of, their authentic selves.
What We Offer:
- Comprehensive ADHD & Autism Assessments: Using evidence-based tools, receive insights tailored to your individual experiences.
- Supplemental Cognitive and Psychoeducational testing to provide additional data about an individual's cognitive strengths and weaknesses, as well as clarify the presence of any learning disabilities or identification of intellectual or academic "giftedness", a common co-occurrence with neurodivergent individuals.
- Neurodiversity-Affirming & Therapeutic Feedback Sessions: Get results shared in a compassionate and empowering manner, supporting you in embracing your individuality.
- Written Reports: We provide our clients with a report summarizing our findings and outlining individualized recommendations designed to support your treatment goals. These reports can be used in support of formal academic or work accommodations.
**Note: Pricing may be adjusted if a formal written report is not desired or necessary (e.g., when the evaluation is for self-knowledge only).
A list of recommendations will still be provided following the feedback session. Letters summarizing diagnostic findings can also be requested for an additional charge.
Optional Follow-Up Services:
Take your results a step further with additional support designed to integrate your findings into actionable steps:
- Processing and understanding your results in greater detail.
- Developing personalized recommendations to foster growth and well-being.
- Engaging in psychoeducation sessions to learn more about your unique neurodivergent profile.
- Facilitating discussions with family members or treatment teams to ensure a cohesive support system.
Why Choose Us?
We honor the richness of neurodiversity and prioritize creating a space where you are seen, understood, and valued for exactly who you are. Whether you're exploring answers for the first time or seeking support for the next phase of your journey, we are here to provide guidance every step of the way.
At Nouveau, our psychologists specialize in the identification of neurodivergence (e.g., ADHD and autism), along with common co-occurring diagnostic profiles, using a comprehensive battery of tests.
We utilize a neurodiversity-affirming approach to assessment, which means we consider the whole person in their respective environment to present a holistic picture of the client and their unique strengths and support needs. Learn more about what this approach offers here.
Assessment options include:
- Comprehensive Psychological Assessments including neurodiversity-affirming evaluations of ADHD and Autism and related diagnostic profiles for children (6+) adolescents and adults.
- *NEW* Second Opinions includes a detailed review + re-clarification of previous evaluations (hourly)
Cognitive Evaluations (IQ, select memory tests) and Psycho-educational Assessments for learning differences (giftedness, specific learning disorders) can also be administered on a case-by-case basis at an additional cost.
If you do not see your desired type of testing on this page, please contact us to discuss how we can meet your needs!
Note about disability-related evaluations: Providers at Nouveau do not maintain the competency to determine causal links in the case of evaluations for federal disability applications (e.g., we cannot state that a mental health condition causes disability to an individual). We simply report the findings of our evaluation, along with relevant recommendations, and it is up to you whether you would like to use this report in support of your disability application or appeal. If you are seeking an evaluation in support of you or your family member's disability application, you must inform us during the phone consultation. We reserve the right to decline any disability-related evaluation requests.
Nouveau does not participate in court-ordered evaluations.
COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS
Comprehensive psychological testing is used to clarify what diagnoses are present for an individual. These assessments can be used to facilitate recommendations for therapy, psychiatric care, or more intensive treatment options such as residential care, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient programs. They can also be used for clients to gain better understanding of themselves in relation to their symptomatology.
Our comprehensive testing batteries focus primarily on one’s overall mental health symptoms along with interpersonal and emotional functioning, rather than their intellectual capabilities, cognitive functioning and academic achievement.
Nouveau’s psychodiagnostic evaluations are designed to minimize impact of pathologizing labels. Instead, we focus on identifying appropriate supports and next steps for a client’s treatment. These evaluations may be integrated with cognitive or psychoeducational test batteries, or can be administered on their own.
**PLEASE NOTE:
Because underlying neurodivergence such as ADHD and Autism is so commonly identified alongside other diagnoses, and often overshadowed or missed, especially in adults, our battery is designed to assess for BOTH of these neurodevelopmental differences.
Neurodivergent populations have an incredibly high risk of developing co-occurring mental heath diagnoses, including trauma-related conditions such as complex PTSD and personality disorders, OCD, treatment-resistant anxiety and depression, eating disorders and substance use disorders, among others.
If an existing diagnosis of either ADHD or Autism has already been made, we can work with you to develop a more streamlined assessment option.
SECOND OPINIONS
We now offer second opinion services for previous psychological evaluations. This process involves a comprehensive review of any prior written reports, academic or psychiatric history, and raw scores.
We are able to provide additional psychoeducation about assessment findings as well as support identification of individualized recommendations and specific resources.
Additional assessment may be needed to clarify findings or supplement testing not previously done.
A written summary of our clinical interpretation of the results may be provided upon request.
Second opinion services are billed hourly unless otherwise indicated by our assessment team.
COGNITIVE EVALUATIONS
Cognitive testing measures a wide variety of brain functions, including one’s intellectual capabilities, attention and executive functioning abilities, short and long-term memory, language skills, and motor skills.
This testing is used to establish a baseline of cognitive functioning, assess intellectual disabilities or giftedness, and provide evidence of possible cognitive decline including specific memory challenges.
As cognitive assessments are no longer considered to be necessary for the diagnosis of ADHD and Autism, they are considered optional and may be added to an existing battery upon request (within 6 months of the original evaluation).
Note: Some evaluations may necessitate cognitive and/or psychoeducational testing to qualify for certain kinds of accommodations (e.g., college & federal disability and related benefits). Please let your examiner know if you intend to pursue these in advance, so we can ensure your testing battery will be sufficient for such purposes.
PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL TESTING
Psychoeducational testing is used to assess for learning differences, including evaluation of specific learning disorders, guide school or program placement for gifted or multiply-exceptional students, and/or admission to independent or private school settings, and more.
Psychoeducational testing batteries typically includes a comprehensive review of past academic performance, school evaluations, and IEP/504 plans. Input from teachers and classroom observations may also be used to inform the assessment.
Psychoeducational testing results inform possible recommendations and interventions for the classroom (can be used in support of IEPs and 504 Plans) and for parents to help their child succeed in the right educational environment.
Follow-up sessions with the client's school (e.g., attendance at IEP meetings) can be scheduled upon request.
Because of the significant overlap between neurodivergence (e.g., ADHD and Autism) and learning differences, we include psychoeducational assessments in addition to our comprehensive psychological assessment unless a diagnosis of neurodivergence has already been established.
Please contact us about school admissions testing for special pricing options!