Services Provided

With over 28 years of practice in San Antonio, Texas and Bend, Oregon, I have specialized in the evaluation of learning difficulties and attentional issues, the identification of gifted and talented students, and the diagnosis of twice-exceptional students (GT students with a learning or cognitive diagnosis).

Informal Comprehensive Evaluation:

For parents who only wish to better understand the learning picture of their student and do not expect that formal accommodations will be needed, a similar evaluation can be conducted that is shorter in length and write-up, thus reducing the cost, but yielding very helpful information for their academic path.

Next Step Guidance (NSG):

Choosing the next step in life can be a big challenge, whether it be deciding to pursue college after high school, hone in on a college major, choose a career path or a next job, or in deciding to return to the working world when one has been absent for a time.

NSG involves a process of evaluation and discussion of the results in light of one’s current life situation and options to help decide the next step. Continued support is offered as one travels down the chosen path.

This process can involve a scaled down version of a comprehensive evaluation that focuses more on intellectual/cognitive abilities, personality inclination, and career interests. Information from Human Design can also be incorporated here. This can be a good graduation gift.

Formal Comprehensive Evaluation:

These comprehensive evaluations are for those looking for formal accommodations in school, on national examinations, or on examinations required to advance in the workplace. Career interest testing can also be an option here.

Integration sessions are offered for all of the above to help the client, family, and/or student better understand the results of the evaluation, how to integrate this information into their lives moving forward, and as support along their path. For example, how to develop a lifestyle that maximizes productivity in light of how ADHD presents in one's life.

Integration Sessions:

Baseline Evaluations:

This is a short evaluation that focuses on intellectual aptitude and memory that can be used as baseline data in later years should the adult be involved in an accident or become concerned about their cognitive functioning and ability to handle the more complex tasks of modern daily life. It provides a comparison to help illuminate what changes have occurred in the succeeding years.

I've had the opportunity to learn the art of therapeutic evaluation, the value of comprehensive assessment, and how to write reports that enhance the reader’s understanding of both the strengths and challenges of a student or oneself.

Over the years, parents have reported back to me the value of this investment in their student(s). Once a student truly understands their strengths and challenges, I have seen them settle into both their sense of identity and their motivation for school. What was once a cloud of confusion about school performance and wondering whether they are “not smart enough,” evolves into a new sense of clarity about what they bring to table and why they have been struggling. Solid gains in self-confidence and a sense of competence are often seen.

Contact Me to Schedule a Consultation Call

Some Things to Think About Before Moving Toward an Evaluation

• I am not working with insurance, in part because they often do not pay for these evaluations, or only pay for part, and/or the paperwork is very exhausting. Yes, I’m ADHD and know myself well enough at this point to know that this sort of paperwork becomes a huge burden and is not something I want to manage. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t use your insurance to be reimbursed for what you pay me. I will always give you a “superbill” that contains all the information you need for reimbursement.

• If you choose to go the insurance route:

  • Always talk to your insurance company first if you want to be reimbursed for parts of the evaluation.

  • Insurance often does not pay for this kind of evaluation in total. As noted above, they can sometimes pay for different parts or pieces. It is important to first talk to your insurance company to see what they will cover, as often only the cognitive or emotional pieces are considered for reimbursement, and not the academic.

  • When you talk to your insurance company, be sure to tell them about any possible diagnoses that you feel are on the table. Examples are ADHD/ADD, anxiety, depression, and learning difficulties. Be prepared to be told that testing for learning disorders is not covered.

• I am comfortable testing school-aged children from the 4th grade and older, and also work with college and post-college learners who are studying for the LSAT, MCAT, or other job-required examinations.

• Understanding the cost: My hourly rate for evaluations is currently $180 per hour for all face-to-face meetings, 1-2 hours for scoring and interpretation, and 6-8 hours for report writing - reports for graduate level accommodations can take longer to produce and thus are at the upper end of these hours noted above.

  • I usually first meet with the parents or the older student to gather a good history and understanding of the student and their struggles. This usually lasts about an hour.

  • Testing typically lasts for 9-12 hours and is typically broken down into 2-3 hour sessions depending on the age of the student.

  • I have found that the older the student, the smarter the student, and the slower the student works can lead to longer testing hours and increased expense, as we tend to move through more testing questions.

  • When the testing is done and the report written, I meet to discuss the findings with parents, the student, tutors, teachers, etc. as necessary. These meetings usually lasts about 2 hours.

• Once we have made an appointment, I will send you a packet of information to read and some forms to fill out.

  • If you can, please try to fill them out before your first meeting with me, but if life goes sideways, then don't worry about it. Just please read and sign the informed consent portion before you meet with me.

  • Please bring with you copies of any previous evaluations of any time, report cards, teacher comments, tutor’s comments, etc.

  • If you have the time and energy, make a list of what you see that is frustrating for your child, for you, areas of struggle, areas of strength, etc.

• The Evaluation:

  • If the person being tested typically takes medication, then it is best if they are on this mediation for the testing sessions. The testing is used to show the need for accommodations thus the student should be in the state that they will be in when they will take the examination.

  • It is important that they get good rest the night before the testing.

  • Testing will not typically be conducted after the school day due to fatigue. There are exceptions to this that can be discussed.

  • Testing sessions are typically 2 to 3 hours at most, the length is calibrated to the age of the student being tested, and the student is carefully monitored for signs of fatigue during the testing. Long lunch breaks between sessions are recommended so that they get good rest and recuperation. Fatigue is important to monitor so that it does influence test results.

• Areas assessed:

  • Intellectual Aptitude (IQ)

  • Cognitive abilities such as:

    • Auditory/Visual Working Memory (for ADHD)

    • Auditory Processing (screening) and Verbal Fluency

    • Visual Processing (screening)

    • Processing Speed

    • Fine-Motor Coordination

    • Visual-Spatial Functioning

    • Auditory/Visual Memory.

  • Academic Skills: Reading, Writing, and Mathematics

  • Personality and Emotional Functioning

  • Career Interests (optional)

• I work out of a home office and have a very friendly border collie (Shay/Sashay) and cat (Mocha) who love to meet new students. Please let me know if allergies are a concern for you.

It would be my pleasure to work with you and/or your student. My practice is part-time at this point and I can only accept a very limited number of students a month to assess, so please contact me sooner rather than later if you are interested in an evaluation.

What They Said

Rotating reviews from previous clients will be here

Some Things to Think about Before Moving toward Next Step Guidance

• My rates for Next Step Guidance (NSG) are as follows:

  • $125 for a 55 minute session. This is the length of a common "hourly" session.

  • $177 for a 80 minute session (1 hour & 20 minutes).

• Next Step Guidance is not meant to be traditional psychotherapy. It is not based on traditional psychological practices, though it may include elements of them. Because it is considered an alternative treatment, it is not a part of my clinical psychology practice.

• It is a short-term model of treatment that utilizes any needed evaluation to help the client better understand themselves.

• Additionally, it may include non-research based methods such as information from Human Design and/or Gene Keys, techniques from Biofield Tuning, as well as more "spiritual" practices such as meditation, heart-centered focus, etc. It is not meant to be allied with any specific religion but adaptations can be made to fit within the spiritual beliefs of the client as they desire. But my approach does include the assumption that there is more to us than just our physical bodies.

• As noted above, I do not currently bill insurance but can provide you with documentation of our sessions if you wish to seek reimbursement. As this is not traditional psychotherapy, it may not be easy.

Looking For a Personalized Assessment?

With 28 years of experience, Dr. Kathy Sawyer specializes in the evaluation of learning differences, attentional issues, and identifying gifted students in Texas and Oregon.

Contact Dr. Sawyer to schedule a consultation call!