Psychological Assessments & Evaluations

Types of Assessments & Evaluations Provided

Learning Disorder (reading disability, dyslexia, dyscalculia, disorders of written expression)
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Intellectual Assessment
Psychological Evaluations (e.g., the effects of anxiety, depression, trauma)
Psychoeducational Assessments
Personality Assessments
Gender Affirmative Evaluations (for HRT or Surgery)
Career Exploration

Psychological assessment can be a helpful and powerful tool to better understand yourself. Our goal in psychological assessment is to do just that: Help you better understand yourself, using a collaborative, holistic, thorough, and culturally-responsive approach. We understand that people are often eager for answers. Why am I struggling with attention or memory? Why has motivation been so difficult for me lately? It may seem easy to place diagnostic labels on our experiences, but most of the symptoms with which people of all ages struggle can be signs of any number of concerns. As well, systems of oppression and marginalization as well as biases in testing (and in the process itself) sometimes make it difficult to receive an adequate diagnosis; and, it is difficult to develop a helpful path forward (such as psychotherapy; educational accommodations) without an adequate diagnosis. Psychologists well-trained in culturally-responsive psychological assessment and diagnosis are in a position to help clients sort through their symptoms and difficulties to best understand the nature of clients' concerns, and to provide individualized recommendations based on the information gathered.

We aim to work collaboratively with you throughout the entire assessment process to help ensure not only that the process is as comfortable for you as possible, but also to help ensure that your questions are answered, and that you leave the assessment process feeling as though you have a more comprehensive picture of your symptoms, functioning, and needs.

All of our psychological assessment services are performed by Dr. Melanie Wilcox who has extensive experience in the assessment and treatment of adolescents and adults with a variety of clinical presentations particularly in the area of learning disorders, ADHD, and career exploration. As a professor at Augusta University, she teaches courses on psychological assessment and provides supervision and training in the areas of psychometry and assessment. Dr. Wilcox brings a passion for culturally-sensitive psychological assessment and treatment to all of her work.

Culturally-Sensitive Approach to Testing

What To Expect

A thorough, collaborative approach to assessment does take time. The assessment process will look slightly different for each client, but clients can generally expect to meet for approximately five to eight sessions from beginning to end (*except potentially shorter evaluations such as career exploration or Gender Affirmative Evaluations).

PLEASE NOTE: All of our assessment services are provided via telehealth. You will need access to a stable internet connection, a laptop or desktop computer with a camera as well as a mobile device (e.g., smart phone; tablet), and a quiet, well-lit, private space in which to meet by telehealth that includes a flat surface on which you can write (e.g., a desk or table). If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Dr. Wilcox.

FEES

Fees may differ slightly depending on the type of evaluation. Generally, our comprehensive evaluation fee is $2,500. This includes psychoeducational testing & evaluations for:

Learning Disorders
ADHD
Intellectual Assessments
Psychoeducational Assessments

Shorter evaluations are typically charged by the hour, at $225 an hour. This includes:

Gender Affirmative Evaluations
Career Exploration

A 50% deposit is required on the day of testing, with the balance due at the feedback appointment. Accepted forms of payment include HSA, FSA, and credit cards. We do offer sliding scale services for those in need of financial assistance.

Please Note: Our clinicians are not contracted with any health insurance panels. Most insurance companies do not typically cover “learning” or “educational” assessments such as testing for learning disabilities, nor do they pay for psychoeducational assessments of academic achievement, cognitive (IQ) testing, or personality inventories. However, you can use your HSA or FSA account and depending on your particular insurance plan, you may be able to submit documentation for Out of Network benefits. Dr. Wilcox will provide you with all the needed documentation to send to your insurance for reimbursement.

If you have any questions about the assessment process or are ready to schedule a phone consultation to discuss your testing needs, please don't hesitate to contact Dr. Melanie Wilcox.

1. Intake Appointment

The first session, approximately 90 minutes, will be a meeting in which we would discuss your reasons for seeking assessment, and that includes an in-depth interview to obtain a very thorough history of your experiences. During that time, Dr. Wilcox will also identify questions that you would like to have answered through the assessment process.

2. Testing Appointments & Gathering Collateral Information

The sessions following the first appointment are usually spent completing various types of assessments, some of which may involve you answering questions (verbally or online) or completing puzzles or computerized tasks. These sessions typically range between one to three hours each. Dr. Wilcox will also discuss your experiences of those tasks, to determine whether additional questions are coming up for you and what concerns you may have had during the testing.
Dr. Wilcox may request (with your permission) to gather information from others, such as people involved in your medical or mental health treatment, as well.

3. Report Writing

Dr. Wilcox will then work on developing a report that describes and explains the results of your assessment; reports may take a few weeks to complete.
Our comprehensive psychoeducational assessments and psychological evaluation reports generally include:
- DSM diagnostic codes documenting disability or mental health diagnosis
- Referrals to psychiatrists, therapists, tutors or other professionals
- Recommendations for academic or work accommodations

4. Feedback Session

Finally, Dr. Wilcox will meet with you for a final feedback session in which she will discuss your results, share her tailored set of recommendations, and work together to try to ensure that your questions are answered.
Dr. Wilcox's recommendations will help you:
- Find and implement effective interventions at home
- Understand which services will best help address your (your child’s) specific needs — at school, work, or otherwise.
- Understand what to talk with your (your child’s) doctor about (regarding medications or other treatments)

5. Receive Your Report

Your original, comprehensive report will be available for you to download as .PDF file through our secure, HIPPA-compliant Patient Portal, approximately 2-3 week after the feedback appointment.
In the report, you can expect Dr. Wilcox's findings, diagnoses (if any), and specific recommendations for interventions and treatment
You can provide copies of your report to whomever you wish (e.g., the school; disability services; the therapist)

Culturally-Sensitive Testing

Our Approach

Fees

Assessment Process