When a child is struggling emotionally, behaviorally, or academically, it can be difficult to determine what support is needed. Psychological and neuropsychological testing provides families with a clearer understanding of what may be contributing to these challenges, as well as their child’s strengths, needs, and unique developmental profile, allowing them to move forward with confidence and clarity.
Play Heal Grow is pleased to partner with Psychological Services of the Big Bend to offer local psychological and neuropsychological testing in Lutz, Florida, providing families with access to comprehensive assessments, tests, and evaluations.
What Is Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing?
Psychological testing is a structured evaluation process that uses standardized psychological assessments, tests, and evaluations to better understand a child’s emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and developmental functioning. These assessments are designed to identify patterns that may contribute to concerns such as learning challenges, difficulties with emotional regulation, or ongoing behavioral issues.
Psychological testing for children may include learning disorder assessment, neurodevelopmental disorder evaluation, and trauma and mood disorder assessment. These evaluations help clarify diagnoses, highlight strengths, and provide practical, individualized recommendations for home, school, and therapeutic support.
When concerns extend beyond a single area, neuropsychological testing offers a more comprehensive view of how brain development influences learning, behavior, attention, and emotional regulation.
Neuropsychological assessments, tests, and evaluations examine skills such as memory, executive functioning, processing speed, language, and problem-solving, while also exploring emotional and behavioral patterns. This whole-child approach allows providers to identify underlying factors contributing to challenges such as ADHD, ASD, learning differences, or difficulties with self-regulation. Rather than focusing on isolated symptoms, a child neuropsychological assessment looks at how multiple systems interact to shape daily functioning.
Psychological and neuropsychological assessments may help evaluate:
· Attention, focus, and impulse control
· Memory, learning, and information processing
· Executive functioning and problem-solving skills
· Emotional regulation and stress response
· Behavioral patterns and social development
Together, these insights help create a clearer picture of how your child thinks, learns, and responds to the world around them.
Collaboration With Psychological Services of the Big Bend
Play Heal Grow Counseling partners with Psychological Services of the Big Bend to provide a coordinated psychological and neuropsychological evaluation process. This collaboration allows families to complete in-person testing locally while benefiting from comprehensive diagnostic oversight and reporting.
Dr. Rachel Scharlepp, PhD, Licensed Psychologist, LCSW, RPT-S, conducts virtual interviews, interprets testing data, and prepares the comprehensive written report. Cindy Johnson, LCSW-S, RPT, SPT, provides in-person testing, including standardized assessments and autism evaluations, allowing families in Lutz, FL, to access high-quality psychological testing close to home. Together, this team approach ensures families receive clear answers, thoughtful recommendations, and a supportive testing experience.
Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing Services
Play Heal Grow Counseling offers comprehensive psychological and neuropsychological testing services designed to help families better understand their child’s learning, behavior, and emotional needs. Testing services are selected based on your child’s specific concerns and developmental stage, ensuring the evaluation process is both thorough and relevant.
Our testing services may include:
· ADHD testing for children to assess attention, impulse control, and executive functioning
· Autism evaluation using ADOS testing to support accurate identification of autism spectrum differences
· Learning disorder assessment, including dyslexia testing, dysgraphia testing, and dyscalculia testing
· Neurodevelopmental disorder evaluation to better understand developmental and cognitive differences
· Trauma and mood disorder assessment to explore emotional regulation, anxiety, and stress-related concerns
· Cognitive and academic testing, including IQ testing
· Comprehensive psychological evaluation and full psychoeducational evaluation for a complete understanding of your child’s strengths and challenges
Each evaluation is designed to provide clear answers and practical recommendations to support your child at home, in school, and in therapeutic settings.
How Psychological and Neuropsychological Evaluations Are Tailored to Your Child
Every child’s story is different, and psychological testing should reflect that. At Play Heal Grow Counseling, evaluations are thoughtfully designed around your child’s unique strengths, challenges, and daily experiences—not a preset checklist.
Before testing begins, time is spent understanding your concerns, your child’s history, and what answers you’re hoping to gain. This helps shape an evaluation that focuses on what truly matters, whether that’s attention and emotional regulation, learning and academic skills, or social and behavioral development. The goal is to gather meaningful information without overwhelming your child.
After testing, results are explained in clear, parent-friendly language. You’ll receive practical recommendations you can use at home, share with your child’s school, or incorporate into therapy. Rather than simply providing a diagnosis, the evaluation is designed to help you better understand your child and feel confident about the next steps forward.
How Psychological & Neuropsychological Testing Benefits Children and Families
Psychological and neuropsychological testing can reduce uncertainty by helping families better understand why certain challenges are occurring. Rather than relying on trial-and-error approaches, evaluations provide clear information that supports more intentional decisions about academic accommodations, therapeutic services, and parenting strategies.
Psychological and neuropsychological testing can help families:
· Gain clearer insight into the root causes of learning or behavioral challenges
· Make informed decisions about academic supports and accommodations
· Improve collaboration between parents, educators, and therapists
· Reduce frustration by replacing guesswork with clear guidance
· Build confidence in supporting a child’s emotional and developmental needs
For many families, testing also brings relief by validating concerns and offering a clearer direction forward. Understanding a child’s learning style, emotional needs, and regulatory patterns helps caregivers respond with greater confidence and consistency. When parents, educators, and therapists are working from the same information, children often experience increased support, reduced frustration, and improved day-to-day functioning.
Psychological and Neuropsychological Evaluations Close to Home
Play Heal Grow Counseling Services offers psychological and neuropsychological testing in Lutz, FL, as a locally accessible option for families seeking comprehensive evaluations without extensive travel. Through collaboration with Psychological Services of the Big Bend, families can complete both in-person and virtual components of testing within a coordinated care model.
Having psychological and neuropsychological testing available locally enables smoother communication among providers and greater continuity between assessment, therapy, and school planning. Families benefit from a familiar, child-centered environment while still receiving thorough evaluations and detailed diagnostic reporting. This approach helps ensure testing results can be easily integrated into ongoing care and support systems.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing
Deciding whether psychological or neuropsychological testing is right for your child can feel overwhelming. These questions are designed to help you better understand what to expect.
When should a child receive psychological testing?
Testing may be helpful when concerns about learning challenges, emotional regulation, or behavioral issues persist over time.
What concerns can psychological evaluations address?
Psychological assessments can evaluate learning disorders, developmental differences, emotional challenges, and trauma-related concerns.
Why choose a full neuropsychological evaluation?
A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation gives much deeper insight than focusing on a single area. It offers a holistic understanding of how your child thinks, learns, processes information, and manages emotions.
What happens during in-person testing?
In-person testing sessions are structured yet child-friendly. Your child will work through a variety of activities and tasks designed to assess learning, attention, problem-solving, and emotional functioning in a supportive environment. Breaks are provided as needed to help children stay comfortable and engaged.
How long does the testing process take?
The timeline varies depending on the type of evaluation but typically includes interviews, testing sessions, and a detailed report.
Will parents receive a full report?
Yes. Families receive a comprehensive report with findings and recommendations.
How are testing results explained to parents?
Results are reviewed in parent-friendly language so you understand what the outcomes mean for your child and how to use the recommendations in everyday life.
Can testing results be shared with schools or other providers?
Yes. With your consent, evaluation results and recommendations can be shared with schools, therapists, or other professionals. Many families use psychological testing results to support school-based services such as IEPs, 504 Plans, or classroom accommodations.
Is psychological testing appropriate for young children?
Yes. Many assessments are designed specifically for young children and are developmentally appropriate.
How can a psychological evaluation help long-term?
Psychological and neuropsychological evaluations provide insights that support your child beyond immediate concerns. Results can guide academic planning, emotional support, and therapeutic care as your child grows, helping families make informed decisions over time.
Get Started With Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing
If you’re seeking answers or guidance through psychological and neuropsychological testing in Lutz, FL, Play Heal Grow Counseling Services is here to help your family move forward with clarity and support. Contact us today to learn more about psychological and neuropsychological assessments and determine whether testing is the right next step for your child and family.
Please contact us for more information:
Dr. Scharlepp
Psychological Services of the Big Bend
rscharlepp@gmail.com
Cindy Johnson
Play Heal Grow Counseling
cindyjohnson@playhealgrowcounseling.com