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Assessments
Please be aware that our psychologists have a waitlist for comprehensive assessments and reports.
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Initial consultations can be attended via telehealth or face to face.
Comprehensive assessments can only be completed face to face at our clinic with your psychologist.
What is the purpose of a formal comprehensive assessment?A formal psychological assessment encompasses a wide variety of methods and tools to collect, observe and evaluate information with the primary purpose of providing a diagnosis. This can help to identify an individual’s specific needs and allow for targeted treatment. Psychological assessments are also used to measure progress, track the effectiveness of treatment and re-evaluate historical diagnoses.
For children, diagnosis and early intervention can assist with school preparation and allow for development of appropriate strategies to improve capacity, independence and self-esteem. Early prognosis can also benefit parents/caregivers as it can help with identifying the tools necessary to support their child. Depending on the diagnosis, children can also receive additional support in the classroom (such as a Student Learning Support Officer; SLSO) and funding allocated from bodies such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for early intervention and capacity building. Additionally, research shows that when a child receives an early diagnosis, they are more likely to demonstrate adequate cognitive, developmental and adaptive functioning, enhanced language, communication and social skills compared to children who are diagnosed later in life. As an adult, a diagnosis can help you access community programs, support groups and other therapies that you might not qualify for without an official diagnosis (such as additional support in TAFE or university, accommodations in your workplace or specialised mental health services). Individuals across the lifespan advise that a diagnosis can help broaden their understanding of themselves, validate their experiences, and provide a sense of relief that there are legitimate reasons out of their control for why they might be facing challenges, not attributing to personal failure. A diagnosis can help an individual to make sense of their past and present experiences and behaviours, to be able to focus on their strengths and identify areas for improvement. A diagnosis can also create opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals which can build a sense of identity and foster new friendships to expand their informal support network.
Do you need a formal diagnosis?Obtaining a diagnosis can assist with accessing the appropriate supports, such as funding from Medicare or NDIS. A formal diagnosis is not required for general counselling or therapy, however, a diagnosis can greatly assist with forming an accurate treatment plan. Additionally, a diagnosis can provide "answers" to personal, life long questions unique to each individual, it can also provide insight and validation.
In short, formal diagnosis is needed to access funding for formal support. However, it can be cost and time intensive and depend on each individual’s unique circumstance.
What you could expect?Each assessment process can look slightly different and will depend on your needs. Following an intake consultation, we will tailor an assessment plan based on each client’s needs and purpose for an assessment. For example, to access NDIS funding, a formal assessment is required. However, for personal reasons only, a provisional diagnosis can be given by utilising screeners, clinical interview and clinical observations.
Brain Balance Psychology’s assessment process is as follows:
Following the initial consultation, Brain Balance will provide you with an assessment plan and quote should a comprehensive assessment be required. If a formal assessment is not required, a brief summary letter can be provided for provisional diagnosis.
If you wish to proceed, please note the following steps may include:
If a formal assessment is recommended and agreed upon by both client and psychologist, a quote for your tailored assessment plan will be provided. The comprehensive assessment process can range from 5-15 hours depending on the needs of the individual. Payment Structure Following the initial assessment, Brain Balance will issue a quote to you which is only valid for 30 days. Please speak to Brain Balance Administration if you wish to request a payment plan (subject to clinic discretion). For all assessments, a 30% deposit is required to schedule and conduct the assessment. The remaining is payable prior to the comprehensive report being completed and the review session being conducted. Once the assessment fees have been paid in full, a copy of the comprehensive report will be issued to you. All reports will be finalised 6-8 weeks after the assessment is administered to you. Next StepsIf you have decided that an assessment is the right step for you, please complete the assessment intake form. The Brain Balance Psychology team will then contact you to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your intake form and develop an appropriate assessment plan.
- Initial consultation including clinical interview, reviewing any documents, discussing intake form and administering screening tools.
Following the initial consultation, Brain Balance will provide you with an assessment plan and quote should a comprehensive assessment be required. If a formal assessment is not required, a brief summary letter can be provided for provisional diagnosis.
If you wish to proceed, please note the following steps may include:
- Clinical interviews
- Clinical observations
- Reviewing reports completed by other health professionals (e.g. behaviour support practitioner, previous psychologist, occupational therapists etc.)
- Reviewing school reports (if applicable)
- Completing questionnaires and appropriate assessment tools
- Scoring and interpretation of assessment tools
- Speaking to other people in your life (e.g. family, friends, teacher, manager etc)
- Consulting with your network of health professionals (e.g. GP, paediatrician, psychiatrist etc)
- Comprehensive formal report
- Review assessment outcomes and recommendations
If a formal assessment is recommended and agreed upon by both client and psychologist, a quote for your tailored assessment plan will be provided. The comprehensive assessment process can range from 5-15 hours depending on the needs of the individual. Payment Structure Following the initial assessment, Brain Balance will issue a quote to you which is only valid for 30 days. Please speak to Brain Balance Administration if you wish to request a payment plan (subject to clinic discretion). For all assessments, a 30% deposit is required to schedule and conduct the assessment. The remaining is payable prior to the comprehensive report being completed and the review session being conducted. Once the assessment fees have been paid in full, a copy of the comprehensive report will be issued to you. All reports will be finalised 6-8 weeks after the assessment is administered to you. Next StepsIf you have decided that an assessment is the right step for you, please complete the assessment intake form. The Brain Balance Psychology team will then contact you to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your intake form and develop an appropriate assessment plan.