Our Services
PROVIDING SUPPORT WHERE YOU NEED IT MOST
Testing
Understanding Minds specializes in providing comprehensive, affirming, neuropsychological evaluations for children, adolescents, and young adults.
Our evaluations are designed to answer your specific questions about learning, attention, memory, social-emotional functioning, and development. The testing process includes:
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
Feedback session(s) and a written report that can be shared with other providers at your discretion
Neuropsychological evaluations are used by families and providers to:
Deepen their understanding of presenting concerns
Shape educational decisions
Inform treatment planning
Monitor development in the context of known health conditions (e.g., epilepsy, cancer)
Make positive changes that promote growth and thriving
Testing is available for children, teens, and young adults (ages 8-22) across all types of educational settings. Referrals are welcome from families, educators, pediatricians, neurologists, psychiatrists, therapists, and allied health professionals. Our work is designed to be collaborative in nature and we welcome the opportunity to work with your current providers.
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A neuropsychological evaluation is a comprehensive assessment process designed to understand your child’s unique cognitive, emotional, and behavioral profile. Conducted by a trained pediatric neuropsychologist, this evaluation integrates detailed interviews, standardized testing, and behavioral observations to explore areas such as attention, memory, language, problem-solving, executive functioning, and social-emotional development.
Our approach is strengths-based and neurodiversity-affirming, recognizing that every child learns and experiences the world differently. The evaluation process is tailored to answer your specific questions and concerns, whether related to learning challenges, attention differences, emotional regulation, or developmental needs.
As our most popular option with families, the neuropsychological evaluation process includes personalized feedback with parents and young people separately, allowing family members to absorb new information independently. Families are also provided with a thorough, clearly explained report highlighting their child’s abilities, areas for growth, and individualized recommendations. Our goal is to empower families and allied professionals with actionable insights and strategies to support your child’s success at home, in their educational environment, and beyond. We are committed to partnering with you to celebrate your child’s strengths and advocate for their unique needs.
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Social Cognition Evaluations are available for clients who have had a recent evaluation (with Understanding Minds or elsewhere). Specifically designed to explore the possibility of more subtle presentations of autism, these evaluations include interviews, thorough records review, questionnaires, and direct testing. For some families this is their first evaluation exploring the possibility of autism, while for others it is a second opinion in light of new or ongoing concerns.
Note that if you have questions or concerns about your child’s learning or IQ, a more thorough Comprehensive Evaluation is required. -
Some families request an abbreviated evaluation in the form of IQ & Academic Testing only. These limited evaluations can be helpful for families who are curious if their child might be intellectually gifted, or who are completing annual testing of their child’s academic skills.
Note that these abbreviated assessments are insufficient for making a diagnosis of any kind (including ADHD and/or learning disorders).
If you have questions or concerns about your child’s learning, development, or behavior, a more thorough Comprehensive Evaluation is required.
Note that for those clients who are pursuing IQ & Academic Testing, the procedures are limited to an abbreviated intake process, a targeted assessment of intellectual and academic functioning, and a brief feedback session with written documentation.
Consultation
Our consultation services are designed to support both parents and allied health professionals.
For parents, we offer guidance grounded in a neurodiversity-affirming approach, helping you understand your child’s unique strengths and challenges. Together, we work to make sense of behaviors, answer your questions, and develop strategies that foster empowered and compassionate parenting.
For allied health professionals, we provide expert consultation to inform your work with children and families, offering insights and recommendations that are evidence-based and sensitive to the needs of neurodivergent youth.
Consultation can be provided as a stand-alone service, or as a follow-up to neuropsychological evaluation.
Workshops
Understanding Minds is available to lead professional training and workshops on a range of topics at the intersection of learning, mental health, and development.
Dr. Backe’s sessions are designed to enhance participants’ existing levels of understanding, promote practical strategies, and foster professional growth. She particularly enjoys working with schools, homeschooling groups, and pediatric health care providers to collaborate around strategies that can be used to identify needs and support young people engaged in those systems and settings.
