CivilPsych Services

Individuals, attorneys and courts

Testing and assessment

A good assessment replaces impressions with measurement. It answers a specific question with scores that someone else could check.

Written by Dr. Heath, Ph.D. Neuropsychology, Ph.D. Forensic Psychology. 40+ years of cognitive behavioral work. Reviewed November 2026.

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What's really going on

What people say"I just want to know what's wrong with me." A test can't answer that by itself.
What's usually happeningTesting works best with a clear question: how much has this changed, how does this compare with other people, what is driving this behavior. Standardized measures, an interview and the records are put together in a written report that answers that question and nothing it can't.

What you might notice

  • A court, attorney or employer has asked for an assessment.
  • You want a baseline before treatment so change can be measured.
  • A treatment plan needs scores, not just attendance.

How we work on it

The same method every time: find the thought, test it, practice a better one.

  1. Set the questionWho is asking, what they need to know and who receives the report.
  2. Interview and recordsYour history in your own words, plus any records the question requires.
  3. Standardized measuresTests chosen for the question, scored against published norms.
  4. The reportWhat the results show, what they don't, and what follows from them.

Questions

Can the results be used in court?

When a court or attorney arranges the assessment, yes. Forensic work follows its own steps; see the forensic page.

Will I get to see my results?

In most cases, yes. When a court or attorney ordered the assessment, the order or the releases decide who receives the report.

How long does it take?

It depends on the question and the measures. You will know the schedule before we start.

Next

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