Why pursue an evaluation?
Seeking a neuropsychological evaluation is often the first step toward finding answers. At Understanding Minds, Dr. Backe partners with young people and their families to navigate the complexities of development, education, mental health, and neurodivergence. Referral questions that are a good fit for assessment include:
My child has so many wonderful qualities, but they are hard on themselves and their grades are slipping. What can I do to help?
Parenting lately has been tough. Is this one of the typical challenges of child development, or is something more going on?
What are the unique strengths and weaknesses of my child’s profile? We are homeschooling and I want to tailor my educational decisions to meet their needs.
I’ve tried therapy in the past, but it didn’t work. Why? What could help in moving forward?
My child has been really struggling lately and we can’t figure out what is going on. What should we do?
One of my clients had been making gains in treatment, but hit a plateau. Are there other factors at play that might be helpful to consider?
Is my daughter autistic? Do I have ADHD?
How could a neurodiversity framework help my child better understand themselves and build a positive self-concept?
What does an evaluation include?
At Understanding Minds, the evaluation process represents a deep dive into how an individual’s mind is currently functioning across domains. Methods of assessment include:
Interviews with the child, caregivers, educators, and/or coaches
Questionnaires about learning, behavior, and social/emotional presentation
Direct testing of IQ, academic skills, executive functions, and memory
Opportunities for projective assessment, neurodevelopmental evaluation as needed
Data from across sources is used to identify strengths, contextualize challenges, and prioritize next steps. This comprehensive process is a good fit for families who are seeking diagnostic clarity for the first time, as well as those who want an updated understanding to inform current treatment and/or educational planning. A written report and in-depth feedback meetings with caregivers and the child are all included as part of the process.
What does it mean for Understanding Minds to be neurodiversity-affirming?
There is incredible variability in how human brains (and nervous systems!) function in the world. This includes differences in attention, mood, sensory processing, and communication, among others.
Neurodiversity, as a paradigm, acknowledges these differences as a natural and welcome part of human diversity, to be understood and respected rather than pathologized. Crucially, a neurodiversity-informed perspective also recognizes intersectionality and the complex ways in which race, culture, gender, sexuality, disability, indigenous status, nationality, and differential access to power all influence how neurodivergence is perceived and experienced in the world.
As a neurodiversity-affirming practice, Understanding Minds prioritizes contextualized understanding as the primary purpose of the evaluation process. Rather than asking “what’s wrong?” and locating the answer in a child, we partner with families to ask “how does this child’s mind work, and how does that align (or clash) with their current environment?” Ultimately, the goal of this work is to promote understanding, acceptance, and an empowered approach to education, relationships, and life.
