A doctor, child's teacher, or other healthcare provider may have told you that you, or your child, may have some learning, developmental, psychological, or behavioural difficulties, and have advised you to see a Psychologist for a formal psychological assessment.
A formal psychological assessment by a fully qualified Psychologist is generally a straight forward process. However, some assessment processes can be very complex and time consuming for both the client and assessing Psychologist. We ask that you contact the clinic for a quote so that you are aware of what is involved, how long it takes, and how much it costs before engaging in the assessment process.
To help, there are a number of different funding pathways which are explained in the Funding Options page in the main menu.
Should you decide to proceed with a formal assessment, you will need to complete the New Client and Referral Form, also found in the main menu. This is an electronic form which is automatically sent to Unique Brains once completed. No personal data is stored on this website.
Currently, there is a high demand for formal psychological assessment services at Unique Brains, and as a result there is a waitlist for assessments. Please contact the clinic for wait times.
We preference referrals from Paediatricians, Psychiatrists, and GP's. These physicians are in the best position to determine whether a formal assessment or diagnosis is required. They can also provide the Psychologist with letters and/or reports, and other information that relates to the client’s presenting condition. Other professionals might also provide relevant letters and general reports (e.g., Teacher behaviour and academic reports). Referrals should be sent to our clinic prior to attending the initial appointment.
Although we do preference physician referrals, we do also accept self referrals from clients.
We also provide assessment services for organisations such as schools and other community services. Please contact the clinic for more information.
The formal assessment process comprises three components - an initial appointment, psychological assessment, and comprehensive report writing.
The initial appointment involves an introduction, a preliminary review of documented information, initial observations of the client, detailed questions surrounding the presenting condition, and a review of the psychological services you may require. Documented information should also include copies of any medical, psychological and other assessments previously undertaken, so that any changes in performance can be noted.
Please contact the clinic prior to attending the appointment to find out which documents are required.
Unique Brains specialises in comprehensive assessment using a full suite of assessment systems, including the latest diagnostic assessment technology, to discover the underlying causes behind a client's presenting problems.
We offer comprehensive assessments for children and adults in the following areas:
Psychological assessments do take time to complete. For the client, there can be a series of assessment appointments over a number of days where various tests are conducted and observations made by the Psychologist. There may also be questionnaires to be completed in your own time.
It must be remembered that there are normally several clients being assessed at the same time and the process from initial consultation to receiving the final report can take several weeks to complete.
We may also offer individual Brain Mapping as part of your assessment (where appropriate), in order to identify areas of generalised or localised brain dysregulation.
Note: The specific assessments to be completed by you or your child will be discussed with you during the initial appointment.
Once the formal assessment process has been completed, the Psychologist will then begin the process of compiling and analysing all of the information and data. Then finally, a comprehensive report with diagnosis (if required), and intervention recommendations will be written.
A copy of the report will then be sent to you and other approved stakeholders in your treatment team (e.g. referring doctor or other requesting agency).
Once you have received and reviewed the report, a follow-up appointment with Unique Brains can then be made to discuss the results and recommendations, and to answer any questions you may have.
Note: We do not provide any assessment results or reports until the assessment process has been completed, and the account settled.
During the follow-up appointment, a collaborative intervention plan can be discussed, and appointment times scheduled for your ongoing treatment (if required). We prioritise intervention (where available) for clients who have completed the assessment process at Unique Brains.
For further information on the various interventions and therapies at Unique Brains, please click on the following links:
For some diagnostic assessments, further consultation with a medical specialist (such as a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist) may be required to confirm a diagnosis and/or to discuss follow-up treatments (such as medications or other therapies). This will be discussed at the time of the assessment.