Therapeutic Assessment
What is therapeutic assessment?
Therapeutic assessment (TA) is a brief psychological intervention that provides clients with the insight to make meaningful changes in their lives. It can be helpful for people who want to better understand their unique concerns, would like answers to specific questions, input from a professional about a major life decision, or simply to learn about themselves more generally.
TA typically involves an initial session where the psychologist and client work in collaboration to identify key questions that will be answered by formal testing and clinical discussions. The therapist selects an assessment battery that is unique to the client’s needs and the test results are discussed with the client in an empathic manner. At the end of the TA, client’s leave with a brief, informal report/letter with answers to their questions.
Some questions that TA can help answer include: “why do I struggle to trust other people?”, “what jobs fit with my personality?”, “why do other people keep telling me that I am hard to talk to?”, “are my symptoms clinical?”, etc.
Common ExperiencesWhat makes TA unique?
Clients come to understand themselves from a new perspective after relatively few sessions (i.e., typically three to five).
Provides clients with a new ‘story’ or narrative about that themselves that is both compassionate and accurate.
Based on the results, you can receive a formal diagnosis that can guide future treatment and access to resources.
New awareness contributes to meaningful life changes.
It can help people with a wide range of concerns and just not just clinical symptoms.
People tend to feel less symptom burden, validated, more confident, and hopeful about the future after TA.
It can be a beneficial addition to therapy to guide treatment or used as a stand-alone service.
Ready to better understand yourself?
Begin with an initial consultation to discuss your concerns and explore whether therapeutic assessment may be helpful.
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TA uses many of the same psychological tests as a traditional assessment, but the process is more collaborative and personalized. With other assessments being primarily designed to provide information to a third party, TA is uniquely tailored to you and your questions. This service is ideal when you want to better understand yourself, your patterns, strengths, and challenges. It typically unfolds over several sessions, with findings discussed in accessible, practical language and summarized in a personalized letter rather than a formal diagnostic report. TA can also be completed alongside therapy, helping to guide treatment by providing a deeper understanding of the patterns and challenges you are working to change.
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Yes, if clinically appropriate and relevant to the questions being explored. TA can provide diagnostic clarification when needed, while also focusing on developing a deeper, more personalized understanding of your experiences, strengths, and challenges.
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TA may not be the best fit when you require a comprehensive formal assessment report, such as for legal proceedings, child custody matters, or situations where detailed cognitive or academic testing is required. However, TA can provide diagnostic information that may be sufficient for some school or workplace needs when cognitive testing is not required. During your intake call, we can discuss your goals and determine which type of assessment is most appropriate, and referrals for other types of assessments can be provided.
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The fee for TA is $2500, which is paid in full at the time of service. This fee includes the 3-5 assessment sessions, testing materials and software, the specialized expertise involved in administering, scoring, and interpreting the assessment, and the time spent preparing your personalized summary letter(s). There are no additional charges for these components of the assessment or if additional time/sessions are required.