Insight Into Your Unique Experience
Life can be complex, and while some challenges are easy to name, it’s not always clear what’s contributing to ongoing distress. A Psychological Assessment can help bring clarity by exploring patterns in emotional functioning, mental health symptoms, and life context, offering a more informed path forward for care and support.
Every individual experiences the world differently. Our thoughts, emotions, strengths, stressors, and environments interact in unique ways, and when that balance feels off, it can leave people feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Psychological Assessment offers a structured, compassionate process to better understand these dynamics and identify meaningful next steps.
At OK Clinical, Psychological Assessments are clinical and consultative in nature. They focus on in-depth interviews, screening tools, and clinical evaluation to help clarify concerns, inform treatment planning, and guide appropriate referrals when needed. These assessments do not include comprehensive psychoeducational or psychological testing, such as evaluations for learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia), processing speed, memory, or other cognitive or academic concerns, which must be completed by a registered psychologist.
If you’re unsure what type of assessment best fits your needs, a consultation can help clarify options and determine the most appropriate path forward.
Available At These Locations
*Also available in the Okanagan based on demand. Please reach out to inquire about upcoming availability.
Understanding Psychological Assessments
Psychological assessments at OK Clinical are structured clinical evaluations designed to help individuals better understand their mental health concerns and determine appropriate next steps in care. These assessments focus on gathering meaningful information through clinical interviews, validated screening tools, and a careful review of personal, psychosocial, and historical context. The goal is to develop a clear clinical picture that can inform treatment planning, support decision-making, and guide referrals when appropriate.
These services are consultative and diagnostic in nature but are not comprehensive psychoeducational or psychological evaluations. Formal testing for learning disabilities, cognitive functioning, memory, processing speed, or academic concerns must be completed by a registered psychologist. When indicated, assessment findings and recommendations may be shared with other professionals, such as physicians or allied care providers, with client consent, to support coordinated and informed care.
Assessments are currently offered for individuals ages 12 and older.
These assessments can provide valuable insight and clinical documentation to support:
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Clarification of mental health concerns and symptom presentation, including mood-related, trauma-related, and anxiety-related conditions
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Development of individualized treatment recommendations and care planning
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Monitoring changes in psychological functioning over time to inform ongoing support
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Vocational or workplace-related planning in non-forensic contexts, including guidance following stress, injury, or life transitions
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Determining whether referral to another provider type (e.g., a registered psychologist) is recommended for more specialized or formal testing
Our Approach to Psychological Assessments
At OK Clinical Therapy Group, psychological assessments are conducted by a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW) who is registered with the BC College of Social Workers and supported under the Social Work Act in both Canada and the United States. Our Clinical Social Worker takes a clinical and holistic approach, incorporating biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors into the assessment process.
Assessments are designed to gather information about various aspects of an individual's cognitive functioning, emotional well-being, and personality traits. It’s important to note that assessments are distinct from counselling — while counselling involves treatment, psychological assessments are objective evaluations based on interviews, screening tools, and reports.
The process begins with a social work assessment: a structured series of questions that help form a clinical picture and guide the next steps. From there, a comprehensive clinical assessment is completed using recognized diagnostic frameworks (including DSM-5 criteria where appropriate) to inform clinical impressions and recommendations. If a clinical impression is identified, tailored recommendations are provided to support the individual’s ongoing care and next steps.
When to Consider a Psychological Assessment
Recognizing when a Psychological Assessment might be appropriate is an empowering step toward greater clarity and well-being. These evaluations are not just for identifying diagnoses, they can also help uncover unseen challenges, guide personalized treatment, and open doors to supportive resources in education, work, and everyday life. In all of these scenarios, a Psychological Assessment can offer valuable direction and support, helping you or your loved one make informed choices and take meaningful steps toward wellness.
- Traumatic Experiences/Events: If you are enduring persistent symptoms of trauma, a Psychological Assessment can offer insights into your mental well-being.
- Learning & Academic Concerns: If learning or academic difficulties are suspected, a consultation can help determine whether referral to a registered psychologist for psychoeducational testing is required.
- Transitioning Through Life Changes: By undergoing a Psychological Assessment, individuals gain insights into their emotional state, coping mechanisms, and resilience levels. This knowledge becomes instrumental in developing personalized strategies to navigate the complexities such as divorce and career transitions. It equips them with valuable information to address the emotional impact of these changes and fosters a path toward emotional well-being as they embrace a new chapter in their life.
- Substance Use: If you are experiencing significant negative consequences (e.g. Health, Legal, Relationship, Work) as a result of your substance use, an assessment can help determine a recovery trajectory.
- Cognitive & Memory Concerns: Clinical assessment can help clarify whether cognitive concerns may be influenced by mental health, stress, trauma, or emotional factors, and whether further evaluation by another provider type is recommended.
Why Choose
OK Clinical?
With a diverse team of clinicians, flexible appointments, and sliding fee scales, we’re helping to pave the way for more accessible, affordable counselling services for all.
Flexible
Appointments
Online Counselling Available
Accessibility
& Availability
Current Psychological Assessment Providers
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Devinder Dhaliwal, MSW, RCSWRegistered Clinical Social Worker - Abbotsford
Locations
Individuals can access all of our services virtually or in person. Thus the Psychological Assessment can be completed in its entirety virtually via video call. However, they can also be provided in person primarily at our Abbotsford, BC location. Similarly, depending on demand and workload, these assessments can be provided in the Okanagan upon request.
How to Get Started: Next Steps
1. Learn More About Assessments
Psychological assessments can help provide diagnostic clarity, support treatment planning, and inform educational, legal, or vocational decisions. To better understand what assessments involve, please explore some of our resources or speak to your therapist or health provider about whether a psychological evaluation may benefit you.
2. Review the Pricing Summary
Assessment services are billed at $190/hour, with most assessments requiring approximately 6.5 hours of total service time, including interviews, testing, scoring, and report writing.
Estimated total cost: $1,235–$1,520, depending on the complexity of your case and assessment type.
3. Book Your Initial Consultation
Before beginning a full assessment, we offer a free 20-minute consultation to help determine whether a psychological assessment is appropriate for your needs. This brief meeting gives you the opportunity to: Ask questions about the process, Share what you're hoping to learn from the assessment, Determine whether assessment is clinically suitable at this time, Clarify costs, timelines, and next steps.
4. Proceed with the Full Assessment
If the assessment is a good fit, we’ll proceed with the full process. While tailored to each individual, most assessments include: 1–2 clinical interviews, optional standardized testing, review of relevant documents (e.g., school records), report writing with diagnostic impressions and recommendations, and a final feedback session to discuss results.
Getting Started with Psychological Assessments
Take the first step with the resources listed below and start your application. Please feel free to schedule a complimentary 20-minute phone consultation. We can explore if a Psychological Assessment would be of benefit to you. Additionally, our dedicated team can provide insights and recommendations to guide you on your mental health journey.