Why Psychological Assessment?
Climbing a mountain is hard. If you’ve done it before, you know the body pain, and even more the mental pain. There is probably a point at which you think you can’t make it and definitely question if the anguish is worth it. Sand in your feet, blisters, thirst, cold nights, hot days…Before I became a mother, I had the opportunity to hike the Inca trail. Starting at Cuzco, we journeyed for five days. There were moments I thought I couldn’t make it. Fortunately, I had a guide, a sherpa, good boots, and a very supportive group. Finally, we arrived at the sacred city, Machu Picchu. At 2430 meters above sea level it was nothing less than glorious, especially in the quiet of a sunrise at 6 a.m. I was a bit beaten down, but full of joy, accomplishment, and awe.
Childhood is hard. Whether it's school, family, friends, or health issues, everyone has felt pain in childhood. Maybe your son has a learning disability and is afraid of being pulled out of the class for intervention. Maybe your daughter has ADHD and can’t focus attention long enough to finish homework. Maybe your child is especially moody and sensitive. They cry or act out with any obstacle that gets in their way. Maybe your teen is so angry that they are rebelling with alcohol or drugs. Maybe you think your child is autistic.
Parenting is hard. We all want the best for our kids. We don’t want them to experience the same pain we did in childhood. We want it to be easier. We want them to be more successful. We want them to be happier. We do our best but it is really hard and we fall short all the time.
Why do I like psychological testing? I have worked as a therapist for over 20 years and receive positive feedback about the progress of my clients. However, when I do psychological testing before I engage with clients in therapy, their progress and insight seem to grow exponentially in comparison. With clarity of gifts and talents, the journey is just more efficient and pleasant. They climb the mountain more easily. They meet and supersede their goals more quickly.
Why? I think psychological testing allows me to uncover the layers and unique skills that need to be developed to climb each step of the mountain. I am able to efficiently write a doable treatment plan that gets them to the top of the mountain, one step at a time. It may initially seem overwhelming to receive the multi-step treatment plan. However, parents who are willing to engage with me one step at a time, to help their kids climb the mountain. see great success and relief. I, in turn, am grateful and honored to be a part of their journey, their hard, painful, essential, exhausting, joyful, liberating, and awe-inspiring journey.
