Assessments

A neuropsychological assessment can have a number of functions. For the individual, it may mean trying to make sense of changes in thinking and memory, or getting a handle on lifelong academic, work or interpersonal difficulties. On an institutional level, assessments can be used by doctors, academic institutions, lawyers, workplaces and insurers as a basis for treatment, accommodations and compensation. Assessments can be used to identify the ways in which an individual’s interactions with the world might be affected by illness, injury or developmental differences, and how best to understand and utilize their strengths.

My goal is to give clients a clear understanding of how their experiences, strengths and weaknesses contribute to their current situation. For individuals, that involves taking a holistic approach that considers their cognitive abilities, psychological functioning, social history and the structural and interpersonal realities of their lives to help them function better and, where there are problems, to try to provide them with solutions.

For institutions, it typically means clarifying diagnostic questions. An independent, unbiased neuropsychologist can provide an assessment to objectively evaluate an individual’s complaints, injuries, medical history, and treatment protocols for medicolegal purposes. The reasons for these include competency to make safe decisions personally or professionally, competency to stand trial, and evidence of disability for insurance or other purposes