Psychological Testing in the Bay Area:
- Schedule psychological testing with Dr. Rebecca MurrayMetzger
- Psychological Testing: Meet our licensed psychologists
- We attend school meetings, such as IEP and 504
- We complete Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE)
- Read client reviews about school meetings we attend
- Reviews from psychological testing clients in the Bay Area
- Psychological testing: What to expect
- Online scheduling of initial meetings and psychological testing in the Bay Area
Psychological Testing Frequent Questions
Please click here if you would like to schedule an initial meeting to determine if psychological testing is needed in our Los Altos clinic.
- Does my child need psychological testing?
- How do I schedule a psychological testing in Los Altos?
- How do I reach Dr. Pratt or Dr. MurrayMetzger?
- What should I tell my child before a psychological testing session?
- What can my child expect during psychological testing at The Pratt Center?
- Can I leave during my child's psychological testing sessions?
- Does insurance pay for psychological testing at The Pratt Center?
- Is my family's privacy protected throughout the psychological assessment process?
- How do I find additional information about psychological assessments?
Does my child need psychological testing?
There are a wide range of concerns that might warrant psychological testing including issues with learning, attention, depression and anxiety. Psychological testing is most helpful when there are specific questions, such as:
- Is my child making adequate progress in school?
- Does my child need special education services?
- How can we get the accommodations and services that my child needs?
- Is my child in the correct grade?
- Does my child need a tutor, therapist or medication?
If you have specific questions about whether your child needs psychological testing, please submit them to our intake coordinator using the form to the right.
How do I schedule psychological testing in Los Altos?
We have an online scheduling system for psychological testing sessions and school meetings. Click this link to Schedule Psychological Testing. We do not schedule psychotherapy appointments online, and questions about psychotherapy can be submitted to our intake coordinator in the form to the right.
How do I reach Drs. Pratt and MurrayMetzger?
Our licensed psychologists make every effort to be readily available to parents. Dr. Pratt can be reached at brendan@prattcenter.com, and Dr. MurrayMetzger can be reached at rebecca@prattcenter.com. E-mail is the fastest and most reliable way to reach our evaluators. We try to create a calm and supportive atmosphere in our office, so our phones do not ring directly. This is particularly critical to avoid distracting children during psychological testing sessions.
What should I tell my child before a psychological testing session?
Explanations will vary depending on the age and maturity of your child. The following statement can be modified for your child, "The doctor will ask you to do a lot of things just like school to find out what you are good at, what you are having a hard time with and how to help you." It is important to emphasize that many children have evaluations and that this does not mean that there is "something wrong" with them. Instead psychological testing should be viewed as a way to learn more about children to help them to lead happier and more successful lives. It is best to avoid presenting testing as "games" because children may be disappointed that many of the tasks are more like school.
What can my child expect during psychological testing at The Pratt Center?
All sessions are conducted in a quiet, one-to-one setting with a licensed psychologist. Children are usually comfortable after a few minutes, and tasks often are similar to school work. A psychological testing session generally lasts two hours, depending on the age and attention span of the child. There are generally four testing sessions; however, this will vary with the age and clinical needs of the child.
Can I leave during my child's psychological testing sessions?
Parents of younger children generally stay in the waiting room; however, parents are welcome to leave if the child is old enough to be comfortable independently. We cannot supervise children during breaks because the evaluator needs time to prepare testing materials, so a parent should be present for younger children. We ask parents to always provide a cell phone number before leaving.
Does insurance pay for psychological testing at The Pratt Center?
At The Pratt Center, families pay us directly for all services, and we provide an itemized invoice. This invoice can be submitted to the insurance company with any other needed forms, and reimbursement may be paid directly to the family. We do not accept insurance, and we do not call, write or fax insurance companies. Instead, we provide information to clients that can be shared with an insurance company. This might include an itemized invoice or documentation about administered tests. Insurance companies set the rules for reimbursement, and we cannot guarantee that our services will be covered. We are not on any provider panels, and we do not sign contracts with insurance companies. Many insurance companies reimburse for out-of-network providers at a lower rate. We cannot change anything on an invoice to increase reimbursement. Insurance companies will only reimburse if they deem that an evaluation is medically necessary; for instance, they often do not reimburse for educational services, school meetings or legal proceedings. For more information about our fees, please read our Psychological Testing Consent Form.
Is my family's privacy protected throughout the psychological assessment process?
Mental health providers cannot reveal anything about an evaluation without your prior permission in most cases. The parent or legal guardian decides who sees the report or receives any information. There are some exceptions to these confidentiality rules, and we will review these privacy rules with you and answer any questions. For more information, please read our Psychological Testing Consent Form.
How do I find additional information about psychological assessments?
We have tried to provide families with helpful information throughout this web site. If you need more information, please complete the form at the top of the right hand column. You can also send an email to Dr. Pratt at info@prattcenter.com.