Psychological Assessment

A psychological assessment is an assessment of your mental health, and it may have multiple purposes:

• Diagnosing a mental illness

• Treatment planning

• Providing a psychological opinion (e.g., readiness to return to work, need for accommodations).

A psychological assessment has two parts: an interview and psychological testing. Psychological testing is a psychologist’s unnecessarily intimidating word for questionnaires that ask you about your symptoms, emotions, behaviour, and personality. I only employ well-validated tests, meaning their use is supported by current research.

The length of the assessment will vary depending on the person and the nature of the problem. Typically, the interview ranges from two to four hours, while psychological testing will vary considerably depending on the tests being administered. (For example, some tests can be completed in as little as five minutes, while others may take an hour.) The tests I select will depend on the nature of the problem and the purpose of the assessment, as well as individual factors.

A psychological assessment can be completed all in one day or we can have shorter appointments spread out over multiple days. The assessment findings are detailed in a written report, and a feedback session is provided.

At the feedback session, I will review the assessment findings with you and provide my opinion regarding diagnosis and any recommendations I have. My feedback sessions are always collaborative. I want you to jump in and say whether my feedback fits for you and share other ideas you have. People often find feedback sessions to be therapeutic because it provides them with a new way of understanding their difficulties. Feedback sessions are typically 45 minutes in length.

Yes, I am conducting psychological assessments remotely via a secure, videoconferencing platform that complies with Canadian privacy laws for telehealth. To participate, you will need the following:

• Secure Internet connection

• A computer or laptop (cell phones cannot be used for psychological assessments)

• Private location where others do not have access/cannot overhear you

• An email address to access the client portal

There are some limitations to conducting psychological assessments remotely when compared to in-person assessments. As such, an initial consultation will be completed to ensure that your difficulties can be adequately assessed via online services prior to beginning the assessment. I do have the ability to complete the assessment in-person if needed or preferred.

Yes, please click here for more information about these types of assessments.

The cost will vary depending on the purpose and scope of the assessment.