Psychological Testing for Children and Teens in Westlake, OH
Comprehensive Psychological Evaluations for Diagnostic Clarity and Personalized Recommendations
You know your child better than anyone, which is why it can be so difficult when something doesn't seem quite right.
Maybe they're bright but consistently struggling in school despite trying their best. Perhaps they become overwhelmed by everyday tasks, seem anxious much of the time, or have difficulty managing big emotions. You may find yourself wondering whether their challenges are related to ADHD, anxiety, a learning difference, executive functioning difficulties, or something else entirely.
Sometimes parents have been hearing the same comments for years. You may have heard, "they have so much potential," "they just need to apply themselves," or "they seem distracted." Other times, the concerns are newer and you're trying to understand why your child suddenly seems to be struggling academically, socially, or emotionally.
You may have tried strategies at home, implemented recommendations by teachers or therapists, and spent hours searching online for answers. Yet you're still left wondering why things feel harder for your child than they seem to be for their peers.
Psychological testing can provide answers.
A comprehensive evaluation goes beyond assigning a diagnosis. It helps us understand how your child learns, thinks, feels, and approaches the world so that we can identify both their strengths and the areas where they may benefit from additional support.
When Should You Consider Psychological Testing?
Psychological testing may be helpful if your child or teen is:
Struggling with attention, focus, or organization
Experiencing anxiety that interferes with daily functioning
Having difficulty with emotional regulation or behavior
Falling behind academically despite appropriate effort
Showing signs of executive functioning difficulties
Feeling overwhelmed by school demands or struggling to keep up with peers
Demonstrating gifted abilities alongside challenges that seem difficult to explain
Receiving mixed feedback from teachers or other providers
Feeling frustrated by not understanding why things feel more difficult than they should
Sometimes testing helps identify a diagnosis. Other times, it helps rule diagnoses out and provides clarity about what is actually contributing to your child's difficulties. In either case, the goal is to better understand your child and provide meaningful recommendations that can help them succeed.
What Can Psychological Testing Assess?
Psychological evaluations are individualized based on each child's unique concerns and may assess:
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Anxiety disorders
Executive functioning difficulties
Learning differences and academic challenges
Emotional and behavioral concerns
Giftedness and twice-exceptionality (gifted children who also experience learning, attention, or emotional challenges)
Social and emotional functioning
Diagnostic clarification or a second opinion when symptoms overlap or are difficult to understand
Because many conditions can look similar in children and teens, a comprehensive evaluation considers the whole child rather than focusing on a single diagnosis. Difficulties with attention may actually be related to anxiety. Emotional dysregulation may be connected to executive functioning challenges. Children can also experience multiple concerns at the same time.
Testing allows us to look at the bigger picture.
What to Expect During the Evaluation Process
Psychological testing is designed to answer the specific questions that brought you here. Every evaluation begins with understanding your child's history, strengths, challenges, and goals.
The evaluation process typically includes:
A comprehensive clinical interview
Standardized testing measures selected specifically for your child's concerns
Collaboration with parents and, when appropriate, teachers or other providers
A detailed written report that explains findings in clear and understandable language
Individualized recommendations for home, school, and treatment planning
A feedback session to review results and answer questions
My goal is not simply to provide a diagnosis but to help families leave with a better understanding of their child and a clear path forward.
Families often seek evaluations from me after feeling stuck or uncertain about what their child needs. Testing can provide the clarity needed to make informed decisions about treatment, school supports, accommodations, and next steps.
Most importantly, psychological testing helps children and teens better understand themselves. Many families describe finally having language for experiences they've struggled to explain for years. Instead of asking, "What's wrong?" they begin asking, "What does my child need to succeed?"
My name is Alison Flowers, PsyD and I am both the owner and psychologist at Flowers Psychology. I provide psychological testing for children and teens in Westlake, OH and serve families throughout Avon, Avon Lake, Bay Village, Rocky River, North Olmsted, Amherst, and Cuyahoga and Lorain county areas.
FAQs
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Pediatricians are a great first step, but they typically don't have the time or specialized tools to look at the full picture. A pediatrician visit usually relies on a brief conversation, a questionnaire or two, and their clinical judgment, which can be enough for some situations, but often doesn't answer why a child is struggling or rule out overlapping conditions like anxiety, executive functioning difficulties, or learning differences.
A psychological evaluation is more comprehensive and itincludes standardized testing measures chosen specifically for your child's concerns, a full clinical interview, input from parents and teachers, and hours of direct assessment. Psychological evaluations include a detailed written report with a clear diagnosis (or diagnoses ruled out) and specific, individualized recommendations for home, school, and treatment.
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A comprehensive psychological evaluation is $3,000. This covers the: the clinical interview, all standardized testing and questionnaire administration, scoring and interpretation, a detailed written report, and a feedback session to review results together and answer your questions. Additional charges apply if more then one clinical interview or feedback session is required (for example, in the case of divorced parents).
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Flowers Psychology is an out of network practice. I am happy to provide you a superbill to submit to insurance for reimbursement. It is up to families to check with their insurance to see if their insurance will reimburse for my services and how much.
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Yes, this is one of the things I love about being a psychologist! Many families choose to continue with me for therapy after testing is complete, since I'm already familiar with your child's strengths, challenges, and the recommendations from their evaluation. This makes the transition into treatment smoother — there's no need to re-explain your child's history to a new provider, and we already have a clear guidelines of where to start for therapy from the evaluation.
If you're considering psychological testing for your child or teen, I'd be happy to discuss your concerns and determine whether an evaluation may be helpful. Together, we can work toward understanding your child's unique strengths, challenges, and the supports that will help them thrive.