ASSESSMENTS
Personality Assessments
Detailed evaluations of personality traits, emotional functioning, and interpersonal dynamics — for clinical understanding, treatment planning, and forensic contexts.
1,000+
Families Served Since 2016
4
Bay Area Offices & Telehealth
4.6 ★
Rating on Zocdoc
$54k+
Reimbursements Recovered
OVERVIEW
Insight for clinical and legal contexts.
We provide personality assessments for an array of reasons, from clinical to forensic. These provide insights into an individual's personality traits, emotional functioning, and interpersonal dynamics.
Our specialized forensic personality assessments support legal and criminal investigations — offering a detailed understanding of personality traits, behavior patterns, and psychological functioning within a legal context. By combining rigorous assessment methods with professional insights, we provide information that helps individuals, families, and legal professionals understand the psychological dimensions of the situations they face.
WHEN TO CONSIDER TESTING
Is a personality assessment right for you?
You might consider a personality assessment if you can answer yes to any of the following:
- Do you want deeper insight into your emotional patterns, personality traits, or interpersonal dynamics — including relational conflict, self-esteem concerns, or mood swings?
- Has a therapist or provider recommended personality testing to guide your treatment?
- Are you (or a family member) preparing for a family court, custody, or competency matter?
- Does your attorney or legal team need an expert psychological evaluation for a case?
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.
TWO CONTEXTS WE SERVE
Clinical and forensic personality assessments
The same instruments — used and interpreted differently depending on whether the assessment supports your personal understanding or a legal proceeding.
Context 01
Clinical Personality Assessment
Provides insights into personality traits, emotional functioning, and interpersonal dynamics — helping you or your therapist better understand what's driving current experiences and how to move forward.
Common Instruments
MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) · PAI (Personality Assessment Inventory) · MACI-II · PAI-A (adolescent) · Projective measures including the TAT, Rorschach, and Roberts
Best For
Personal insight, treatment planning with your therapist, or clarifying complex emotional patterns.
Context 02
Forensic Personality Assessment
A detailed understanding of personality traits, behavior patterns, and psychological functioning within a legal context — utilized in custody evaluations, competency assessments, and criminal case analyses.
Common Instruments
MMPI, PAI, projective measures (TAT, Rorschach, Roberts), and additional forensic-specific measures depending on the case.
Best For
Custody evaluations, competency assessments, criminal case analyses, and other legal proceedings requiring expert psychological insight.
BENEFITS
Benefits of a personality assessment
A rigorous assessment provides clarity, direction, and documentation — whether for personal growth or a legal decision.
- Understand your personality traits and emotional functioning
- Guide treatment planning with your therapist or provider
- Provide expert documentation for attorneys and legal teams
- Inform decisions about therapy, treatment, or life direction
- Clarify interpersonal patterns and relationship dynamics
- Support family court, custody, or competency proceedings
- Establish a baseline for tracking change over time
HOW IT WORKS
How the process works.
Above all, our clinicians take care to explain the results in clear, everyday language — skipping medical jargon and long-winded reports.
1
We listen
A comprehensive clinical interview to gather background information and understand your specific concerns.
2
We select the right tools
We carefully select the most appropriate assessment tools based on age, behaviors, and the unique questions we're trying to answer.
3
We synthesize
Our clinicians analyze the results, integrating information from all sources to form a complete, clear picture of cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning.
4
We map out next steps
A detailed report interprets our findings, provides a diagnostic formulation if appropriate, and outlines specific recommendations for treatment, accommodations, or daily support.
WHY UNFOLD
The Unfold difference.
Dual clinical & forensic expertise
One practice, both contexts — same clinicians can conduct personality assessments for personal insight or for court-competent reporting.
Court-competent reporting
Our reports meet the evidentiary standards required for family, civil, and criminal court proceedings.
Gold-standard instruments
Rigorous, evidence-based tools — including the MMPI and PAI — used across clinical and forensic contexts.
PRICING
Comprehensive pricing.
Our personality assessments are priced within our comprehensive assessment range. Every quote includes everything below — no add-on charges for scoring, report writing, or your 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
Are these assessments admissible in court?
Yes. Our forensic personality assessments use validated instruments (MMPI, PAI) and are structured to meet evidentiary standards for family, civil, and criminal court proceedings. Dr. Heafey has extensive experience testifying and defending findings under direct and cross-examination.
Can adults and children both be assessed?
Personality assessments using the MMPI and PAI are designed for adolescents and adults. For younger children, we typically use different instruments or embed personality-related components within a broader neuropsychological evaluation.
How long does a personality assessment take?
Testing is typically completed across one or two 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). Forensic timelines are highly dependent on case details, court orders, and the nature of the referral.
What’s the difference between a clinical and forensic personality assessment?
The instruments (MMPI, PAI) are often the same — but the referral question, interpretation framework, and reporting are different. Clinical assessments focus on understanding for personal or treatment purposes. Forensic assessments are structured to answer specific legal questions and meet evidentiary standards.
Who conducts personality assessments?
Personality assessments at Unfold Psychology are conducted by Dr. Heafey and Dr. Hazzard, both licensed clinical psychologists. Dr. Heafey brings additional training in forensic psychology for legal and court-related contexts.
MORE WAYS WE CAN HELP
Related services
Child Custody Evaluations
Court-Ordered Evaluations
Neuropsychological Testing
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