ASSESSMENTS
Emotional, Behavioral & Cognitive Assessments
A comprehensive look at how brain function shapes learning, memory, and everyday behavior.
1,000+
Families Served Since 2016
4
Bay Area Offices & Telehealth
4.6 ★
Rating on Zocdoc
$54k+
Reimbursements Recovered
OVERVIEW
Understanding the whole picture.
When someone is struggling with mood, behavior, focus, or thinking, it isn't always clear why. An emotional, behavioral, and cognitive assessment brings the full picture into focus: how a person manages their emotions, how they behave and relate to others, and how their brain processes information.
By looking at these areas together, we can distinguish between causes that often look alike on the surface. Difficulty concentrating, for example, might stem from anxiety, ADHD, a mood disorder, or an underlying cognitive difference. That clarity is what makes an accurate diagnosis, the right accommodations, and an effective treatment plan possible.
WHEN TO CONSIDER TESTING
Signs an assessment may help
An evaluation may be worth considering if you can answer yes to any of the following:
- Are you noticing changes in mood, anxiety, irritability, or emotional regulation that are hard to explain — such as persistent low mood, perfectionism, stomachaches or headaches, sleep issues, or a decline in schoolwork?
- Is your child showing behavioral patterns — impulsivity, aggression, withdrawal, or oppositional behavior that's affecting home or school?
- Are there struggles with attention, focus, organization, or impulse control?
- Is it unclear whether the cause is emotional, behavioral, attentional, or cognitive, and you want a clear answer?
- Do you need documentation for school accommodations, a treatment plan, or a legal or medical context?
- Are you seeking a baseline or follow-up after an injury, illness, or medical event?
YOUR ASSESSORS
Meet the assessors
Dr. Richard Heafey
Psy.D. · MFT · M.A. · License #30807
Licensed clinical psychologist with training in clinical, counseling, and forensic psychology, working across therapy, assessment, and court-related matters to help individuals and families navigate life's challenges through connection and heart.
Dr. Jordan Hazzard
Psy.D. · License #35403
Clinical psychologist specializing in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, working with adults and older adolescents. Provides psychological testing, clinical supervision, and teaching alongside his practice.
WHAT WE EXAMINE
A complete view of how you think, feel, and function
Depending on the referral question, an evaluation may look across any of these areas, often together, so we can tell related causes apart:
- Mood & emotional regulation: anxiety, depression, mood swings, irritability
- Behavioral patterns: impulsivity, aggression, withdrawal, oppositional behavior, self-harm risk
- Social functioning: peer relationships, family dynamics, communication style
- Attention & executive functioning: focus, organization, impulse control
- Cognitive functioning: reasoning, memory, attention, processing speed, problem-solving
- Adaptive functioning: daily living skills relative to age and development
- Risk factors: substance use, suicidal ideation, trauma responses
A note
Cognitive measures are often paired with emotional and behavioral ones to distinguish underlying causes. That can mean separating "brain fog" from depression from a true cognitive deficit, or ADHD from a mood disorder. Common cognitive instruments include the WAIS / WISC (Wechsler scales), Woodcock-Johnson, and Stanford-Binet.
WHY IT'S DONE
What an assessment makes possible
A clear, well-documented evaluation gives you answers and a roadmap for the classroom, the clinic, the courtroom, or simply peace of mind.
- Diagnostic clarity: distinguish conditions that look alike (ADHD vs. mood disorder vs. a learning difference vs. a neurological cause), and identify learning disabilities, intellectual disability, giftedness, or autism-spectrum presentations
- Treatment planning: guide the right kind of therapy and inform medication referrals
- Legal & forensic contexts: competency evaluations, personal-injury litigation, disability determinations, and custody evaluations as one piece of a broader picture
- School support: establish eligibility for IEP or 504 accommodations, inform gifted or advanced placement, and pinpoint learning strengths and weaknesses to guide teaching
- Medical & neurological evaluation: baseline or follow-up testing after a concussion, TBI, or stroke; monitoring cognitive change over time; and assessing the impact of chronic illness or treatment
- Developmental monitoring: tracking development in children with known risk factors, or establishing a baseline before a medical intervention
HOW IT WORKS
How the assessment works
Above all, our clinicians take care to explain the results in clear, everyday language, skipping medical jargon and focusing on practical, actionable next steps.
01
Clinical interview
A thorough interview with the individual, and often informants like parents, teachers, a spouse, or caregivers, covering developmental history, family history, social context, and presenting concerns.
02
Standardized measures
We select validated rating scales and questionnaires suited to age and referral question, and add behavioral observation in the clinical setting, and sometimes in natural settings like school or home.
03
Deeper testing when needed
For more complex questions, we may add personality or projective measures and cognitive or neuropsychological testing, paired together to distinguish causes that can look alike.
04
Synthesis & next steps
We integrate everything into a clear picture, explain what it means in plain language, and map out concrete next steps: diagnosis, accommodations, treatment, or referral.
Example instruments
Depending on the evaluation, tools may include the BASC-3, SSIS-3, Conners-4, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) / Adult Behavior Checklist, Beck Depression & Anxiety Inventories, and screeners like the PHQ-9 and GAD-7. For anxiety we may add the RCADS or MASC-2; for depression, the CDI-2. Deeper evaluations may include the MMPI (adults), MACI-II (adolescents), or projective measures such as the TAT and Rorschach, alongside cognitive scales such as the WAIS/WISC, Woodcock-Johnson, or Stanford-Binet.
WHY UNFOLD
The Unfold difference.
Institution-tailored evaluations
We work with the specific criteria of the school or program you're applying to — not a one-size-fits-all report.
Two comprehensive options
Whether you need a focused IQ score or a broader neuropsych evaluation, both are conducted by our licensed psychologists.
Strength-highlighting reports
Clear, detailed reports designed to help highlight your child's strengths and potential for academic success.
PRICING
Comprehensive pricing.
Our evaluations are priced within our comprehensive assessment range. Every quote includes everything below — no add-on charges for scoring, report writing, or your family feedback session.
Comprehensive Assessment
$3,750–$15,000
Contact us for a quote based on your specific needs.
What's Included
- All testing sessions
- Scoring of every instrument
- Comprehensive written report
- A dedicated family feedback results session
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the evaluation take?
Testing itself is typically completed across multiple sessions. Report turnaround depends on the option you choose: Normal (6–8 weeks), Expedited (4–6 weeks), Rush (3–5 weeks), or Tornado (2–3 weeks).
Is this assessment only for children?
No. While much of our page speaks to families of school-aged children, this assessment is also appropriate for adolescents and adults, particularly following a traumatic brain injury, or when cognitive changes affect work, school, or daily life. For forensic and legal contexts, see our Forensic Psych Evaluations page.
What if my child qualifies for accommodations or tutoring?
The final report includes specific recommendations for accommodations and interventions. From there, our team can help you pursue an IEP or 504 plan, and we offer tutoring services that use the evaluation findings to build strategies tailored to your child’s learning style.
Who conducts the assessment?
These assessments are conducted by Dr. Heafey and Dr. Hazzard, both licensed clinical psychologists with expertise in cognitive and neuropsychological assessment across ages.
MORE WAYS WE CAN HELP
Related services
Neuropsychological Testing
Executive Functioning
ADHD Assessment
LOCATIONS
Four Bay Area offices
Plus telehealth throughout California.
We are proud to provide inclusive care for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Ready to take the next step?
Book a free 15-minute consultation. We'll listen, answer your questions, and help you figure out the right path forward.
Or Text Us at (650) 993-9321