Psychological Testing and Assessments Toronto

Dr. O'Connor, a Toronto psychologist, provides in depth, comprehensive Psychological Testing and Assessments to children, adolescents and  young adults. Her psychological assessments explore a range of psychological concerns that may present in a child, an adolescent or young adult.

These include:

• learning and academic problems (e.g. learning disabilities & developmental delays)
• social, emotional and behavioral concerns (e.g.,anxiety and/or depression)
• traumatic brain injury/concussion
• trauma based issues (acute and/or complex trauma)
  

The above concerns frequently interconnect.  A young person, for example, who is showing learning problems may also show symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, or trauma symptoms and/or suffer from a brain injury. 

Dr. O'Connor's Psychological Assessment and Testing Services incorporate her post doctoral training in School Neuropsychology. School neuropsychological assessments rely on brain-behavior principles and integrate neuropsychological and educational principles within the assessment process and the interventions that follow.

Dr. O'Connor takes referrals from educational personnel, physicians, pediatricians, personal injury and family lawyers, mental health professionals and organizations.

She also supports young adults who require psychological testing and assessment services to explore learning issues, such as a learning disability in order to pursue appropriate support at the college or university level? Or to assist young adults who are looking for help around college admission tests, and/or other issues such as behavioral and emotional concerns?

She provides services at her Toronto office, located at 2 St. Clair Avenue West (Yonge and St. Clair), and also to clients in the York and Simcoe regions at offices located in Barrie and Alliston.

Dr. O'Connor's Psychological Assessments  

Psychological Assessments

Children, adolescents and young adults suffer from a range of psychological concerns, from the relatively benign to the more serious. Their families, and the professionals who work with them are searching for help to support them. They want to get to "the root" of the problems that inhibit their potentials, and find effective strategies to address them.

Dr. O'Connor's psychological testing and assessment services increase understanding of the psychological concerns that present in young people, and lead to evidence based interventions to address them. They  help get "beneath the surface." They increase understanding of what is contributing to and maintaining the issues of concern, and reveal the young person's strengths, as well as his or needs.

Learn more about the challenges that a child, adolescent or young adult is showing and how to help.  Does she have a Learning Disability? Is she anxious  or feeling depressed and unsure of herself? Does she exhibit attention or behaviour problems? Is she showing trauma symptoms, or symptoms of a brain injury?

How serious are these concerns? Do they require the support of a professional, and if so what kind of support would help? Find out how the young person is coping with specific challenges and stressors such as divorce or parental addiction? Is he feeling stressed? Does he lack self-esteem or confidence?

Click here to learn more  about Dr. O'Connor's assessment and testing services. 

School Neuropsychological Assessments

School neuropsychological assessments are comprehensive, in depth assessments that increase understanding of the brain-behaviour relationships that underlie the psychological and learning challenges that present in young people. They provide a profile of the young person's neurocognitive strengths and weaknesses across a range of domains. This pattern of strengths and weaknesses offers an understanding of how the neurocognitive weaknesses/deficits the student shows inhibit his functioning in areas of concern, and leads to evidence based interventions to address them.

Schhol neup often required

Psychoeducational Assessments

The young people Dr. O'Connor works with typically require a comprehensive school neuropsychological assessment to help "get to the root" of the learning, behavioural and social/emotional concerns they exhibit. School neuropsychological assessments provide a more comprehensive, in depth assessment than the traditional psychoeducational assessment. This applies specifically to the underlying neuropsychological processing concerns that young people with learning and other psycholological problems often exhibit.  The traditional psychoeducational assessment can serve as a critical screener to identify whether a more fulsome school neuropsychological assessment is required. 

Click here to learn more about when you should consider a school neuropsychological assessment.

Dr. O'Connor includes the full components of a psychoeducational assessment within the school neuropsychological assessments she provides. These components occur at the beginning of the assessment. If after completing this first stage of the assessment, Dr. O'Connor feels that a more in depth assessment is unnecessary, she does not proceed with the full school neuropsychological assessment.

Click here, to learn more about psychoeducational assessments, and when to consider a school neuropsychological assessment. 

Trauma Based Assessments

School neuropsychological assessments help explore trauma symptoms in a young people, determine their level of severity and whether or not the young person's symptomology meets the criteria for a post traumatic stress disorder. Trauma symptoms may result from  a single acute trauma, like a motor vehicle accident, or more chronic, ongoing forms of trauma. These might include psychological, physical, and/or sexual abuse, and/or emotional or physical neglect, living with a family member with mental health or substance use disorders and/or witnessing domestic abuse. Poverty may also be a factor, as well as bullying, racism, discrimination and community violence. Post traumatic stress symptoms can interfere with a young person's ability to learn  and succeed academically and contribute to social, emotional and behavioural concerns. 

Click here to learn more.

Learn more about Dr. O'Connor's psychological testing process, the measures and tests she uses and her psychological testing process.

Other Psychological Challenges

other What about the other psychological challenges that plague young people and their families? Are you worried about a child whose parents are addicted to alcohol or other drugs? These children, like other children who experience ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) are at risk for developing a range of psychological  issues and concerns, including learning, social/emotional and behavioral concerns.  

These children may also benefit from psychological testing and assessments to explore the psychological concerns they exhibit and provide evidence based interventions to assist them. 

Dr. O'Connor's psychological assessments address ACEs and their affects on children and adolescents, and help determine how they are coping and where they may benefit from support.

Dr. O'Connor is the author of  "I Can Be Me-A Helping Book for Children from Troubled Families."

She has updated I Can Be Me to reflect the literature on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This book includes a special focus on children of addicted parents. It supports young people who are experiencing other adverse childhood experiences. There is an adult guide to assist therapists, parents and other caring adults in addressing this issue with children. There is also a children's work book for the children to refer to, and colour in if they choose.

I Can Be Me
  A Helping Book for Children From Troubled Families
-with a special focus on children of addicted parents

Find out more about I CAN BE ME, and how to purchase this book.