Every evaluation is led by Dr. Sophia Nam, from clarifying the referral question through the feedback session — with support from our trained psychometricians along the way.
The first step is a 90-minute intake consultation with Dr. Sophia Nam. Before this appointment, the intake fee must be paid and all relevant consent forms and documents should be reviewed and signed.
During the intake, we clarify the referral questions, review developmental, educational, medical, and psychosocial history, and discuss what type of assessment is truly needed. We also review estimated fees, scheduling options, and the likely structure of the evaluation.
After the intake, we schedule the testing appointments. Each testing session is usually booked for approximately 3 hours at a time, though length and number of sessions may be adjusted depending on the client's age, stamina, referral questions, and clinical needs.
Clinical intake interviews, test interpretation, report writing, feedback, and school consultation are completed by Dr. Sophia Nam. Standardized test administration may be completed by Dr. Nam or by one of our credentialed, carefully trained psychometricians — their involvement helps increase access to testing dates and reduce unnecessary delays.
You're welcome to request a particular evaluator. However, when timing is important, it's often advantageous to choose the earliest available testing date.
Testing sessions are structured but interactive. Depending on the referral questions, the assessment may include interviews, questionnaires, paper-and-pencil tasks, computer-based measures, problem-solving activities, academic tasks, and measures of attention, memory, language, executive functioning, or emotional-behavioral functioning.
Breaks are provided as needed, and the pace of testing is adjusted to support each client's best effort. To prepare:
The feedback session is one of the most important parts of the assessment process. We take the time to review findings together, answer questions, and ensure you leave with a clear understanding of your strengths, challenges, and practical next steps.
You'll receive a draft of the report before or during the session so we can review the findings collaboratively and discuss recommendations tailored to your goals.
For children and adolescents, Dr. Nam typically meets with the child first — to explain the findings in an age-appropriate way, answer questions, and invite them to share what they'd like their parents to understand most. Parents then join for the formal feedback session. Upon request, a separate consultation with the child's school can be arranged.
Every family is different — some choose to meet separately, others prefer to attend together. We're happy to discuss what arrangement would be most helpful for yours.
Remaining payment is due prior to the feedback session.
Assessment reports should be accurate, useful, and respectful. Every client or family has the opportunity to read through the report carefully to suggest corrections, clarifications, and revised wording — particularly around personal history and contextual details.
After the feedback session and any requested revisions, the report is finalized. It can then be used to support treatment planning, school accommodations, psychiatric consultation, educational planning, or other next steps.
A detailed clinical intake and history review
Standardized testing selected according to the referral questions
Interpretation by Dr. Sophia Nam
A comprehensive written report
Diagnostic impressions, when appropriate
Practical recommendations for home, school, work, or treatment
An interactive feedback session
Optional school or professional consultation when clinically appropriate
A good assessment should help clients and families better understand what is happening, why it may be happening, and what can be done next.
Not just answers — a way forward.
Good assessment is clinician-directed, hypothesis-driven, and individually tailored. Test selection should be guided by the referral questions, developmental history, clinical interviews, and findings that emerge throughout the evaluation.
Every neuropsychological evaluation at The Wellspring is individually designed to answer the specific referral questions. Rather than administering a fixed battery of tests to every client, Dr. Sophia Nam carefully selects measures based on age, developmental history, presenting concerns, and the clinical questions being addressed.
Depending on the referral, an evaluation may include measures from one or more of the following domains.
Standardized self-report measures and personality assessment instruments, selected depending on the referral questions.
Additional rating scales, interviews, and specialized measures may also be included depending on the referral questions, age, and presenting concerns.
The goal is never to administer the greatest number of tests. Instead, we carefully select the measures that will provide the clearest, most clinically meaningful understanding of each individual — while avoiding unnecessary testing.
