Like a medical examination in which a physician evaluates a patient’s physical well-being by speaking with the patient and/or administering formal tests, a psychological assessment is a process through which a psychology professional evaluates a client’s psychological, emotional, and behavioral well-being through open dialogue and formal testing. The assessment process may involve one or both of the following:

• A series of face-to-face interviews during which the psychology professional meets with the client (and sometimes his/her family members) to gain a rich understanding of the client’s emotions, behaviors, thoughts, coping strategies for dealing with life’s challenges, and personal strengths.
• One or more standardized tests (both verbal and written) that the psychology professional can use to gain more objective and data-driven insights regarding a client’s overall well-being.

With this information, the psychology professional can provide an appropriate diagnosis (if one is warranted) and work with the client and his/her family to set goals and develop an appropriate plan for positive change.

POCS and POCS Mental Health have qualified Psychologists with Masters level, or above, training to conduct evaluations. A psychological evaluation can determine if conditions such as, ADHD, a personality disorder, a mental illness, an anxiety disorder, PTSD and/or many other psychological situations exist.

Most evaluations can be covered by insurance or by the referring agency.