Today’s children face challenges that were unheard of a generation ago. In addition to increased academic demands and busier schedules, they face the increasing complexity of social interactions and relationships due to technological advances (e.g. cell phones, Internet). Many children must cope with significant changes within their families as well. In addition, parents face the challenge of trying to match their parenting techniques to their children while coping with similar stressors themselves.

When you are not sure whether the concerns you have are due to issues within your child or within the environment, then consulting with a psychologist can be very helpful.

You may ask yourself, “What needs to change--my strategies or my expectations?” Working with someone who has expertise in child development, behavior management, diagnosis of childhood disorders, as well as education and the learning process will help you determine the appropriate response to your concerns.

Located within the Northern Virginia area, I am a licensed school psychologist with expertise in conducting comprehensive and specialized psychological evaluations. I offer my services to families in order to facilitate the understanding of any individual child or adolescent by the adults involved in that young person’s life. I assist families in communicating about the identified needs and planning a course of action.

After an initial consultation and intake session, I will conduct an appropriate evaluation and meet with families to discuss the results. I also provide information for schools to use in ensuring that students receive the attention, accommodations, and supports necessary to be successful.

Psychological evaluations provide a variety of important information including:

• Identification of learning style, including cognitive strengths and weaknesses

• Determining whether a child is achieving at an appropriate level

• Assessing whether a child is working too hard for his or her grades

• Diagnostic information
(e.g., Does my child have a learning disability or ADHD?)

• Documentation of learning difficulties and the need for accommodations during standardized testing (e.g., SOL, SAT)

• Recommendations for treatment and intervention including the need for:
- Alternative educational strategies
- Special academic placement and/or remediation
- Accommodations for exams (e.g., extra time, use of computer, additional breaks)
- Individual and/or family counseling
- Behavior management