Emotional Problems Evaluations

Emotional Problems Evaluations

We base our evaluations on the most recent DSM-5 Manual (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) to identify to which degree an individual’s symptoms, distress, and life impairments match known problem areas associated with main emotional problems, including, but not limited to:

• Panic 
• Depression
• Generalized Anxiety 
• Trauma
• Obsessive-Compulsive Traits
• Eating Problems
• Etc.

Testing Approach

We use a multi-method, multi-informant approach to gather information from various “method types” (e.g. questionnaires, computer-performance, interviews, cognitive performance tasks) as well as from various “informant types”, such as from the child, parent(s), and teachers in the case of children, and from the adult client and spouse in the case of adult clients when appropriate and relevant). 

Benefits of Emotional Problems Evaluations

Depending on your situation, obtaining a thorough evaluation may be associated with the following benefits:

1. Informing and Clarifying Your Options. After an evaluation, your counselor will be able to make evidence-based decisions regarding the most effective to help with identified problem areas. Obtaining an evaluation will thus help inform and clarify what type(s) of services (and psychiatric medications, if desired) are right for you or your child.
    
2. Testing Accommodations. Depending on problem areas found (if any), certain testing accommodations with standardized testing boards may be available.

3. Better Understand Your Long-standing Challenges. It is common for individuals to struggle for several years with challenges they don’t fully understand. Oftentimes an evaluation can help identify some primary sources of long-standing challenges to help shed light on our risk factors, expected symptoms, and areas of needed attention and growth. 

4. Re-Assess Current Status. It is often helpful to re-assess your current status, especially after receiving Therapy for a while, to re-evaluate your condition in a thorough way to determine the degree to which you improved and what major areas of distress and impairment remain.