DIAGNOSTIC & COUNSELING CENTER
Assess. Address. Progress.
OUR SERVICES
Assessment
Understanding how the brain learns, processes, and functions is key to unlocking success. Our assessments provide clarity, a clear diagnosis when one applies, and a plan for what comes next. We evaluate toddlers, children, teens, and adults, and we offer both testing and therapy under one roof, so
findings can move directly into care.
Every assessment is built around your specific questions. It typically involves four to five sessions: one
intake, two to three testing sessions, and one feedback session. Depending on the referral, it includes a
clinical interview, review of school or medical records, behavior observations, standardized tests, and
rating scales completed by parents, teachers, or partners.
Psychological Assessments
Who it's for: Children, teens, and adults with emotional, behavioral, or personality concerns, or anyone
whose symptoms have not responded to treatment as expected and who needs a clearer diagnosis.
Common signs: Persistent worry or sadness, mood swings, irritability, withdrawal, intrusive thoughts or
repetitive behaviors, difficulty managing emotions, trouble in relationships, or a history of trauma that is
affecting daily life.
What we test for: Anxiety disorders, depression and other mood disorders, OCD, trauma-related
conditions, emotional dysregulation, and personality patterns that may be contributing to distress.
What we measure: Mood, anxiety, and personality inventories, behavior and emotional rating scales,
measures of coping and stress, and a thorough clinical interview and history.
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How the report is used: To clarify a diagnosis, sort out overlapping symptoms (for example, anxiety
versus ADHD, or depression versus a learning problem), guide therapy and medication decisions, and
give families and providers a shared understanding of what is going on.
Psychoeducational Assessments
Who it's for: Students from kindergarten through graduate school, and adults, who are struggling with
learning, attention, or school performance.
Common signs: Trouble with reading, spelling, writing, or math; slow or effortful schoolwork; difficulty
focusing, staying organized, or finishing assignments; a bright child who is underperforming; or grades
that have dropped without a clear reason.
What we test for: Specific learning disorders in reading, written expression, and math (including
dyslexia), ADHD, giftedness, and twice-exceptional (2e) profiles where a student is both gifted and has a
learning or attention difference.
What we measure: Intellectual ability (IQ), academic achievement in reading, writing, and math,
processing speed, working memory, attention, executive functioning (planning, organization, time
management, impulse control), and the emotional factors that can affect learning.
How the report is used: To qualify for and plan IEPs and 504 plans, as an Independent Educational
Evaluation (IEE), to request classroom and testing accommodations, and to guide tutoring, therapy, and
study strategies.
Developmental Assessments
Who it's for: Toddlers and young children when parents, pediatricians, daycare providers, or preschool teachers notice delays or differences in how a child is developing.
Common signs: Limited or delayed speech, not responding to their name, limited eye contact, repetitive movements or play, strong reactions to sounds, textures, or changes in routine, difficulty playing with other children, delays in walking or fine motor skills, or loss of skills a child once had.
What we test for: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), speech and language delays, global developmental delay, intellectual disability, and early signs of attention or behavior concerns.
What we measure: Cognitive development, receptive and expressive language, motor skills, adaptive and daily living skills (feeding, dressing, toileting, safety), play, and social communication. For autism concerns, this includes a gold-standard observational measure (ADOS-2) along with parent interview and
rating scales.
How the report is used: To access Regional Center services, early intervention, speech and occupational therapy, special education preschool programs, and insurance-covered treatment. Early answers mean earlier access to support, when it makes the biggest difference.
Neuropsychological Assessments
Who it's for: Children, teens, and adults who need a complete picture of how the brain is working, including when concerns span several areas or when a medical event may be affecting thinking.
Common signs: Problems with attention, memory, or processing speed; difficulty with planning and
follow-through; changes in thinking after a concussion, head injury, seizure, or illness; questions about autism in an older child, teen, or adult; or a mix of learning, attention, and emotional concerns that is hard to untangle.
What we test for: ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (including adults and women whose presentation is less obvious or was missed earlier in life), specific learning disorders, memory and cognitive changes following concussion or brain injury, and other neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive conditions.
What we measure: Intellectual ability, attention and sustained concentration, executive functioning, verbal and visual memory, language, visual-motor and visual-spatial skills, processing speed, academic skills, adaptive functioning, and social and emotional functioning.
How the report is used: To establish a diagnosis, document strengths and weaknesses, guide treatment
and medication decisions, support school and workplace accommodations, and track changes over time
when a repeat assessment is needed.
Our Team Approach
The Diagnostic & Counseling Center is an advanced assessment training site. Our doctoral-level students
are selected because they already have clinical experience and have chosen to specialize in assessment; this is not an entry-level placement. Our assessment team includes licensed psychologists, postdoctoral fellows, registered psychological associates, and doctoral-level students, all working under the direct supervision of Dr. Bahareh Talei (Dr. B), a licensed psychologist with more than two decades of assessment experience and adjunct faculty at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology.
What this means for you:
• More eyes on every case. Each assessment is reviewed in team case conference. Test selection, scoring, interpretation, and the final report are checked by more than one clinician, which reduces error and sharpens the diagnosis.
• Closer oversight, not less. Dr. B personally oversees every assessment from intake through feedback. She reviews the data, signs every report, and leads the feedback session.
• Current, evidence-based practice. A training site stays up to date. Our team uses the newest editions of standardized measures and follows current guidelines for autism, ADHD, and learning disorder assessment.
• More time with your family. Because we work as a team under Dr. B's direction, we can spend longer on history, observation, and school and provider coordination than a solo practitioner typically can.
• A path from testing to treatment. Our therapy team is in the same office. When testing points to a next step, we can often begin treatment here without a new intake.
What You Receive
Every assessment includes a detailed written report, a feedback session to walk through the findings in plain language, and personalized recommendations for treatment, school or workplace supports, and family planning. We coordinate with schools, pediatricians, and other providers with your consent.
When findings support it, our reports can also document the need for accommodations for college and standardized or licensing exams.
Not sure which assessment fits? Call our assessment line at 818.564.6536 and Dr. B's team will help you figure it out.
Legal and Forensic Evaluations
For legal and forensic evaluations, including immigration evaluations (asylum, hardship and cancellation
of removal, VAWA, U visa, T visa, and N-648 disability certification), fitness for duty, POST pre-employment evaluations for peace officers, mitigation of sentencing, disability, Social Security, and personal injury evaluations, please reach out to our affiliated practice, PsychEval, Inc., at
www.psychevalinc.com.
Insurance
*We are proud to be in-network with Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna (including Meritain Health), UnitedHealthcare (including UMR and Surest), Cigna, Health Net, and Medicare.
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We also accept private pay. If you do not see your insurance listed or would like more information about coverage and payment options, please reach out to our office*