ADHD Evaluation: Steps to Getting the Help You Need

The ADHD evaluation process for individuals under 18 focuses on childhood behavior and symptoms. Healthcare providers use rating scales, diagnostic criteria, and behavioral assessments to determine if ADHD is present in children or adolescents. Information is gathered from parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals who have observed the child in various settings. Proper diagnosis in childhood is crucial for providing appropriate treatment and support.

Our typical clients are between the ages of 13 and 65+. They come to improve their lives in many different areas, including personal, school, career, and family. They may have relationship problems, addictions, parenting challenges, difficulties managing stress, depression. or anxiety. They may be learning to cope better with life's difficulties, such as illness, finding meaning in life, transitions, and decision-making. Maybe you've heard of people going to counseling and because of a stigma or belief that it was for people with "real problems," you hesitated to contact a therapist. Counseling teaches truly effective ways to deal with common, everyday irritations as well as more entrenched patterns of living. At the Banyan Tree, we can help you with whatever concern prompted you to look into our services. If we don't work with your particular concern, we will help you find someone who does. So whatever you're facing, please contact us. You will be taking a big first step to living the life you want to live!

Learning disabilities and learning disorders cannot be cured, but people can see big improvements. Implementing the right the tools and support your child needs will help them overcome challenges and perform to their best abilities.

The time needed for the assessment process can change based on personal needs. A thorough neuropsychological evaluation can take a few hours. This may happen over several visits, which include the first meeting, testing, and feedback. Follow-up care can extend the total time.

After we evaluate you, we create a treatment plan just for you. We will talk about the next steps. This includes setting up follow-up appointments, working with other providers, and sharing resources for extra support. If you need special care, we can also refer you.

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There are different psychological tests you can take. They include:

• Autism testing, which helps with understanding and support.
• Neuropsychological evaluations that look at brain and behavior relations.
• Psychological evaluations that provide insights into mental health.
• Gifted and talented evaluations that recognize potential.
• Learning disability evaluations that empower individuals.

Each of these tests has a special role in psychological assessment.

At The Banyan Tree Center, you will find a simple and easy process. You can enjoy special assessments made just for you. The team will work together with you to understand your results. They provide caring support the whole way through. You will find valuable insights to help you on your path to mental wellness and self-discovery.

Results from psychological testing usually take 2 to 3 weeks to process. However, more complex tests may need extra time. Patience is important because careful analysis leads to accurate results. Scheduling your appointment quickly and communicating well with the center can speed up the process.

Our purpose is to help you resolve problem areas in your life. Although no one can solve your problems for you, we are trained to help people cope more effectively with their difficulties. We will do our best to understand you as a unique individual and help you work through your difficulties. We will listen, understand, and help you to the fullest extent of our professional training and experience. It is your responsibility to help us understand your life situation, thoughts, and feelings and to have the courage to try to master your problem areas. As a patient, you have the following rights:

• To ask for and receive information about our qualifications, including licensure, education, training, experience, membership in professional organizations, specific areas of practice, and limits on practice
• To have written information before therapy about fees, method of payment, insurance coverage, number of sessions that may be needed, on-call therapists used in case of vacations and emergencies, and cancellation policies
• To refuse to answer any question or give any information you choose not to answer or give
• To know if your case will be discussed with others (for instance, supervisors or consultants) and what information will be shared
• To ask about your progress
• To have any therapy procedure, including pros and cons of its use, explained to you before it is used
• To end treatment at any time (However, please schedule at least one session with your therapist before terminating treatment.)

The time it takes to evaluate your needs can change based on how complicated they are. Normally, I expect it to take one to three sessions. Your active participation in the assessment process will help us achieve an accurate diagnosis and create a good treatment plan.

Personalized neuropsychological assessments are different from standard assessments because they focus on the specific needs of each person. These assessments use unique data, like medical history and lifestyle, along with any specific concerns. This helps create detailed cognitive profiles. As a result, it leads to better and more targeted interventions.

Our evaluation process is special. It includes thorough assessments and customized treatment plans. We also care about your individual needs. Our expert team uses the latest proven methods to make sure you get the best quality care.

Noticing things like constant mood swings, trouble handling stress, or strange physical symptoms may mean you need to see a mental health professional. Talking to experts can help you find out if testing is a good idea. Being aware of these signs is important for getting support and help on time.

Assessment tests for learning disabilities help find out specific learning disabilities. Testing for learning disabilities plays a crucial role in the evaluation process, ensuring that children receive the appropriate assessments when learning difficulties persist despite support at home and school. These tests look at different areas. They check for intellectual disability, academic skills, attention, memory, motor skills, and language skills. They use both standard tests and informal methods.

The Banyan Tree Center can help families even after evaluations with counseling services.  We are a counseling and wellness facility staffed with highly skilled therapists who are committee to the health and well-being of all of our families.

Neuropsychological evaluations help in many situations related to thinking and memory, including severe traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.

The first step is to set up a meeting with one of our specialists. In this meeting, we will collect important information about your child. Records from your child's healthcare provider can also be helpful in the diagnostic process. This includes their developmental history. We might also suggest getting records from your primary care provider. These records can help with the autism diagnosis.

Counseling is a confidential process. We adhere to strict professional standards of ethics and confidentiality. We are required by practice guidelines and standards of care to keep records of your counseling sessions. However, information can only be released with your permission and written consent unless mandated by law. You should be aware; however, that there are a few exceptions regarding confidentiality. For example, therapists are required to take appropriate action when a client is judged to be in imminent danger of harming oneself or threatens grave bodily harm to another person, and this action supersedes confidentiality. We must also report all incidents of child or elder abuse, whether it has already occurred or is likely to occur. Finally, under certain circumstances, confidentiality may be superseded by a court order. If you have any questions regarding confidentiality, bring them to the attention of your therapist.

The time it takes for complete autism testing can change based on the child and the types of tests used. Further assessment by specialists may be recommended based on initial findings. Usually, this process includes multiple visits. These visits may consist of a diagnostic interview, direct observation of the child, and checking information about them.

A thorough check for learning disabilities usually includes tests. A learning disability test is a critical tool in this evaluation process, helping to assess a child's specific educational needs when they are struggling in school. These tests look at different areas like intellectual ability, academic achievement, language skills, and cognitive processing.

Due to the nature of their work and the complexity of their schedules, our counselors are often not immediately available by telephone. The Banyan Tree phone number (706-850-7041) is answered Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. by our office manager and intake coordinators. During other times, it is answered by a confidential answering machine, and calls will be returned by our office manager during the times listed above. The answering machine is also monitored once or twice daily during weekends and holidays. Please speak clearly and give numbers slowly, since we may not have any way to look up your number. If you have an urgent need, please make this very clear in your message. However, since we do not carry pagers, there may be a delay in our receiving your call request. If you are unable to reach us and feel that you can't wait for a return call, please contact your family physician or the nearest emergency room or mental health crisis center. If your counselor will be unavailable for an extended time, we will provide you, via our outgoing message, with the name of a colleague to contact, if necessary.

We offer strong support after a diagnosis. This includes making personal intervention plans. These plans can include therapies like speech therapy, occupational therapy, or help with behavioral challenges. The goal is to build important life skills.