Assessment Services & Fees
Every psychological evaluation is individualized. My approach is grounded in understanding the whole person, exploring diagnostic possibilities, identifying strengths and difficulties, and providing meaningful recommendations.
Because the assessment process is tailored to each individual, fees depend on the referral question and the complexity of the evaluation.
Beyond the Diagnosis
Understanding what is happening, why it may be happening, and what comes next.
A comprehensive psychological evaluation is much more than the administration of standardized tests or the identification of a diagnosis. It is an individualized, forensically informed investigation into the complexities of a person's psychological, cognitive, emotional, developmental, and behavioral functioning.
Many individuals seeking evaluation have spent years searching for answers. Some have received multiple diagnoses, participated in extensive treatment, or tried various medications and interventions without meaningful improvement. Others have never received a diagnosis at all. They simply know that something feels difficult, overwhelming, or different, and they want to understand why.
The challenge is that similar symptoms can arise from very different underlying processes, and multiple conditions may coexist, interact, or obscure one another.
The purpose of comprehensive assessment is not simply to assign a diagnostic label, but to understand the individual as a whole.
When the Diagnosis Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
1. Anxiety, Depression, and Overlooked Neurodevelopmental Differences
A woman may spend years receiving treatment for anxiety or depression without anyone exploring whether underlying ADHD, autism, or both could better explain her experiences.
Years of masking, executive dysfunction, sensory sensitivities, and the exhaustion of navigating environments that do not accommodate her needs may contribute to significant emotional distress.
A comprehensive evaluation can explore whether anxiety and depression are primary conditions, co-occurring conditions, or symptoms associated with previously unrecognized neurodevelopmental differences.
2. Complex Trauma and Unrecognized Autism
An individual diagnosed with complex PTSD may continue struggling despite extensive trauma-focused treatment.
A comprehensive evaluation may reveal co-occurring autism, sensory processing differences, or longstanding neurodevelopmental characteristics that have not been adequately considered in treatment planning.
Understanding the interaction between trauma and neurodevelopment can substantially change how an individual's experiences are conceptualized and which therapeutic approaches, accommodations, and supports may be most appropriate.
3. Oppositional Behavior and Pathological Demand Avoidance
A child diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) may be experiencing profound distress associated with demands, perceived loss of autonomy, anxiety, or nervous system dysregulation.
Exploring a possible Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profile, alongside developmental, environmental, relational, and neurodevelopmental factors, may offer a more useful understanding of behavior previously interpreted primarily as defiance.
PDA is explored as a behavioral profile rather than a standalone DSM-5-TR diagnosis.
A careful evaluation considers the function of behavior and the circumstances in which it occurs, rather than relying exclusively on how that behavior appears to others.
4. Treatment-Resistant Symptoms and Complex Psychological Functioning
Some individuals experience persistent psychological symptoms despite years of treatment, multiple medications, or repeated diagnostic evaluations.
These presentations may benefit from a broader examination of trauma history, personality functioning, attachment patterns, neurodevelopmental differences, and co-occurring psychiatric conditions.
What initially appears to be a treatment-resistant disorder may require a different clinical formulation, a more integrated treatment approach, or recognition of contributing factors that have not previously been identified.
5. ADHD Treatment That Does Not Produce the Expected Improvement
An individual diagnosed with ADHD may continue experiencing severe executive dysfunction, exhaustion, emotional dysregulation, or difficulty functioning despite medication.
Further assessment may identify co-occurring autism, autistic burnout, significant sensory sensitivities, or other factors contributing to the person's continuing difficulties.
In some cases, the original ADHD diagnosis remains appropriate but does not fully explain the presentation. In others, diagnostic reconsideration may be warranted.
Understanding these distinctions can meaningfully inform treatment, accommodations, and individualized support.
6. When Someone Simply Doesn't Know Why They Feel the Way They Do
Not everyone seeking psychological evaluation arrives with a suspected diagnosis.
Some individuals have spent much of their lives feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, emotionally exhausted, or unable to function in ways they cannot explain.
Others describe a persistent sense that something is wrong, even when prior evaluations or treatment have not provided meaningful answers.
Their experiences deserve thoughtful investigation, even when they do not fit neatly within familiar diagnostic categories.
A comprehensive evaluation provides an opportunity to explore the broader psychological, developmental, emotional, and environmental picture without beginning with a predetermined explanation.
These examples illustrate why thoughtful differential diagnosis, consideration of co-occurring conditions, and individualized clinical formulation are essential.
The goal is not to replace one diagnosis with another without sufficient evidence. It is to examine the available information carefully and develop the most clinically meaningful understanding of the person's experiences.
Not every individual who contacts my practice requires a comprehensive psychological evaluation, and I do not accept every referral for assessment.
Â
Part of my clinical responsibility is determining whether an evaluation is appropriate, necessary, and likely to provide meaningful information beyond what is already known.
Â
In some circumstances, an individual's concerns may be better addressed through a more focused assessment, an existing treatment provider, a medical consultation, or a more accessible and affordable diagnostic service.
Â
Others may benefit more immediately from beginning treatment rather than pursuing additional testing.
Â
When I believe another approach would better serve someone's needs, I will recommend that direction, even when it means referring them elsewhere.
Â
My goal is not to conduct an evaluation simply because one has been requested. It is to help individuals access the most appropriate care, resources, and clinical guidance for their circumstances.
Â
A comprehensive evaluation should have a meaningful purpose, address important unanswered questions, and offer information that can genuinely inform what happens next.
Is a Comprehensive Evaluation the Right Next Step?
Transparency regarding the evaluation process and professional fees is essential to the therapeutic relationship. By establishing a clear understanding of the investment involved, we create a space where clinical curiosity and analytical rigor can drive our collaborative work.
Before starting any clinical process, we will align on the scope of the evaluation and the comprehensive fee structure. This clarity ensures that our work remains focused solely on uncovering the deep psychological patterns that shape your experience.
Assessment Fees
Because the assessment process is tailored to each individual, fees depend on the referral question and the complexity of the evaluation.
Comprehensive ADHD Evaluation — $3,000
Includes developmental and clinical history, assessment of attention and executive functioning, appropriate standardized measures, and differential diagnosis when indicated.
Comprehensive Autism Evaluation — $3,000
Explores developmental history, social communication, behavioral patterns, masking, adaptive functioning, and other relevant diagnostic considerations.
Combined Autism and ADHD (AuDHD) Evaluation — $4,000
An integrated assessment exploring both autism and ADHD, including overlapping characteristics, differential diagnosis, executive functioning, and adaptive functioning.
Complex Psychological Evaluations — Starting at $4,500
For complex presentations requiring broader differential diagnosis, additional standardized measures, extensive collateral information, or more comprehensive functional assessment.
Child Psychological and Cognitive Evaluations
Fees are determined by the referral question and required assessment measures. Please contact me to discuss your child's individual assessment needs.
All evaluations include a comprehensive written report with diagnostic conclusions, individualized recommendations, and accommodation recommendations when clinically indicated.
Insurance & Payment
My practice is private pay, and I do not bill insurance directly.
Clients may independently explore out-of-network reimbursement through their insurance providers.
HSA and FSA payments are accepted through Square.
The Rigor Behind the Evaluation
My evaluations incorporate the rigor and analytical principles of forensically informed psychological assessment, emphasizing careful examination of evidence, comprehensive documentation, consideration of competing clinical explanations, and conclusions supported by the available findings.
Each evaluation is individualized and may incorporate clinical interviews, standardized psychological and cognitive assessment measures, developmental and psychosocial history, behavioral observations, relevant record review, and collateral information when appropriate.
A central component of this process is differential diagnosis: evaluating whether presenting symptoms are best understood through one condition, multiple co-occurring conditions, developmental differences, trauma-related processes, personality functioning, environmental influences, or an interaction among these factors.
The evaluation does not begin with the assumption that a particular diagnosis must be present.
Instead, the clinical evidence informs the conclusions.
The process extends beyond determining whether diagnostic criteria are met. It seeks to understand how the individual's experiences developed, how different factors interact, and what contributes to their current level of functioning.
Reports are prepared with attention to clinical accuracy, evidentiary support, thorough documentation, and defensible reasoning.
Clinical conclusions should be supported by evidence, not assumptions.
Recommendations as Individualized as You Are
A comprehensive psychological evaluation should provide more than diagnostic clarification. It should offer meaningful direction.
The resulting written report integrates assessment findings into an individualized understanding of the person's psychological functioning, strengths, vulnerabilities, and functional needs. Recommendations are developed around the individual's specific presentation and circumstances, rather than relying solely on generalized recommendations associated with a diagnostic label.
Depending on the findings, these may include:
• Individualized treatment considerations and appropriate therapeutic approaches
• Educational accommodations and supports
• Workplace accommodations supported by assessment findings
• Strategies for executive functioning, sensory regulation, and daily functioning
• Parenting and family-support recommendations when relevant
• Referrals to specialized providers, services, or additional evaluations when indicated
• Guidance for understanding the interaction of co-occurring conditions
• Recommendations intended to improve functional capacity, access to appropriate support, and quality of life
When accommodations are indicated, recommendations are tied to the individual's demonstrated functional needs and supported by the evaluation findings.
The purpose is to provide recommendations that are clinically meaningful, individualized, and practically useful. Two people may share the same diagnosis while having very different needs. Their recommendations should reflect those differences.
What Your Assessment Fee Reflects
A comprehensive psychological evaluation requires substantial professional work beyond the time spent in direct appointments.
Each assessment involves the thoughtful selection of appropriate measures, clinical interviewing, review of relevant records and history, administration and scoring of assessment instruments, careful interpretation of findings, and integration of multiple sources of information.
Considerable time is devoted to evaluating competing diagnostic explanations, understanding the interaction of symptoms and functional difficulties, preparing a detailed written report, and developing recommendations specific to the individual.
This process requires specialized training, clinical judgment, professional responsibility, and the ability to synthesize complex information into a coherent and clinically defensible formulation.
Assessment fees also reflect the professional resources and standardized testing materials required to conduct comprehensive evaluations.
The fee reflects the total professional time, specialized expertise, clinical reasoning, assessment resources, and documentation involved in producing a thorough, individualized evaluation.
This approach allows each case to receive the attention and depth necessary for responsible clinical assessment.
Clarity That Informs What Comes Next
An evaluation should not leave someone with a diagnostic label and more unanswered questions.
My goal is to provide individuals and families with a clearer understanding of what they are experiencing, the factors contributing to their difficulties, and the types of intervention, accommodation, or support that may be most appropriate.
For some, this means finally identifying a previously unrecognized neurodevelopmental condition.
For others, it means clarifying co-occurring diagnoses, reconsidering an existing formulation, understanding why previous interventions have been unsuccessful, or recognizing psychological and environmental factors that have not been adequately explored.
And sometimes, it means giving language and understanding to experiences that have been difficult to explain for years.
The purpose is not simply to identify a condition. It is to understand the person, clarify the complexities of their presentation, and provide a meaningful, evidence-informed path forward.