The Washington Center for Cognitive Therapy – Psychological Evaluations

Psychological Evaluation Services

Testing Service

 The Washington Center For Cognitive Therapy conducts psychological evaluations for residents in the Washington, D.C. area.   We accept referrals from any source, but specialize in testing senior citizens and clients with psychiatric or physical disabilities. 

The psychological evaluation consists of a review of relevant records, clinical interview, mental status examination, and administration of selected tests.  The client and referral source receive a timely and comprehensive written report which integrates information from the clinical interview and test results to generate a diagnosis and recommendation.

 Candidates for Testing

Clients with the following difficulties would be appropriate for referral.

  • Symptoms of emotional distress, such as sadness, anxiety, and anger

  • Unexplained changes in behavior, especially behavior that seems odd or unusual

  • Physical complaints that cannot be explained in which emotional factors play a role (e.g. persistent headaches, dizziness, chest pain, gastrointestinal problems)

  • Cognitive deficits such as memory loss, confusion, concentration problems, etc.

  •  Clients for whom an evaluation would enable them to access health care services, community support programs and other helpful entitlements.

Part of the mission of the Center is to provide assessment services to individuals who might find it difficult to access the current health care system.  Therefore, we offer accommodations to our clients, such as on-site testing and reduced fee arrangements.  Please note that Dr. Greenwood is a Medicare provider and a member of the Charter Healthcare network.  Contact the Center for more information on this service.

Benefits of Testing

The psychological evaluation provides a good deal of valid, reliable and useful information in a structured, relatively brief period of time.  The aim of the evaluation is to identify and elucidate problem areas and recommend appropriate treatment and rehabilitation strategies.

Possible benefits of a psychological evaluation include:

  • Identifying any psychiatric or cognitive disability and suggesting a course of action.  It is useful to ascertain the impact of the disability on the client’s behavior.  This enables the client and referral source to pinpoint obstacles to goal attainment.

  • Providing an objective picture of the client’s functional capacities and potential.  This enables the client and referral source to generate realistic training, vocational, and personal goals.

  • Enhancing client self-understanding.  The evaluation is a collaborative investigation which helps the client develop insight into his/her problem areas and strengths.  This can lead to an emotional and intellectual acceptance of the limitations imposed by the disability and/or identifying untapped and unrealized capacities.

  • Increasing access to community resources.  The Psychological Evaluation is a formal, legal document that highlights the services needed by the client.  Having such a document facilitates entry into and coordination with local health care providers and community resources.

Mission Statement for Psychological Evaluations

The Center strives to provide psychological evaluation services to citizens who might have difficulty accessing the health care system.  We make accommodations to individuals with disabilities and elderly citizens to help ensure that their treatment and rehabilitation needs are addressed.

For test descriptions, click here.