Psycho-Educational Assessments

Understand Learning at Any Age

At Embark Psychology, we provide comprehensive assessments that help children, teens, and adults better understand how they learn, process information, and how to succeed in school, work, or daily life.

A psycho-educational assessment identifies strengths, challenges, and provides practical strategies tailored to each person’s needs. Whether you’re a parent seeking answers about why your child struggles academically, a teen preparing for high school or post-secondary, or an adult looking to better understand your learning profile, we provide clear insights and actionable direction. Our recommendations to help you thrive at school, work, and in daily life.

What is a Psycho-Educational Assessment?

A psycho-educational (or “psych-ed”) assessment is a detailed evaluation that looks at:

  • Cognitive abilities – problem-solving, reasoning, verbal abilities, memory, and processing speed, graphomotor skills

  • Academic skills – reading, writing, spelling, and math achievement

  • Processing skills – attention, working memory, and executive functions

  • Social-emotional factors – anxiety, mood, attention or other behaviour that may affect learning

This whole-picture approach helps us understand both why challenges may be happening and how to best support success in school, work, and daily life.

When Should You Consider an Assessment?

For children and teens:

  • Ongoing struggles with reading, writing, or math despite good effort

    • Identify potential Learning Disabilities like dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia

  • Trouble focusing, staying organized, or completing schoolwork (Rule In/Rule out ADHD)

  • Frustration, anxiety, or loss of confidence related to academics

  • Poor memory and retention of information

  • A gap between classroom performance and potential

  • Updated testing needed for an IPP, accommodations, or specialized programming

  • Preparing for post-secondary education and needing academic accommodations

  • Teachers have brought up concerns

For adults:

  • Preparing for post-secondary education and needing academic accommodations

  • Suspected learning disabilities that were never formally assessed

  • Longstanding challenges with focus, organization, or written work

  • Difficulties with work-related tasks involving attention, memory, or problem-solving

Psych-Ed Assessment Process: Steps & Cost

What Does the Process Look Like?

1. Intake Meeting

We start with a conversation to learn about the background, history, and current concerns. For children, parents are providing this information; Intake meetings are only for parents or guardians. For adults, this meeting is with yourself and is tailored to your personal and academic/work history; you are welcome to invite a parent or spouse to join the meeting for support.

2 & 3. Assessment Sessions

We complete testing sessions one-to-one together in the office. We schedule 2-3 testing sessions, depending on which areas we need to investigate further; testing sessions are 2 hours each.

4. Rating Scales & Interviews

Completed in conjunction with testing, we send home online rating scales to look into features of attention, executive functions, anxiety, and/or other things for parents to fill out. Teachers may complete rating scales and an interview, with parent permission. Teens may complete their own rating scales too.

Third party documents like past report cards, IPPs, and/or reports from other professional services (Psych-ed reports, SLP/OT/PT reports, auditory reports with hearing loss) are requested to help establish a history.

5. Feedback Meeting with Written Report

After all of the information is gathered, we meet again to go over the results in clear, straightforward language. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of strengths and challenges, and we’ll talk through practical strategies and next steps. At the end of the assessment you’ll leave a deep understanding and know what to do next; if you think of more questions after our meeting, we can connect again!

Resources

Unsure if you need a complete Psycho-Educational Assessment? If you only need a specific assessment, check out our other assessment options:

  • For information about a Child ADHD Assessment click here

  • For information about an Adult ADHD Assessment click here

  • For information about a Gifted Assessment click here

Have Questions?

We’re Here to Help!

email us at contact@embarkpsychologycalgary.com
call us at (587) 887-9636

or schedule a free 15-minute consultation with one of our psychologists here