Psychological Evaluations

Comprehensive.

Personalized

Strengths-Focused.

Welcome to Acorn.

A woman sitting at a wooden table with a laptop, conducting research and taking notes on a notepad with green pen. There are books and a water cup on the table, and a vase with yellow flowers. Acorns are scattered near the laptop.

A collaborative and strengths-based psychological evaluation center for children through young adults.

Work with Me

Our Approach

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Collaborative

We believe in the power of collaboration with children and families to set and achieve goals. We believe all children have a unique profile of strengths and areas of growth and partnering with families will help us create actionable plans for success.

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Neurodiversity Affirming

We believe no profile is inferior to another. Instead, each neurotype has something unique and appreciable to contribute to the world around them. Supporting what is hard, without changing the nature of the human in front of us, is of paramount importance.

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Evidence-Based

We believe that it is important to give recommendations that are based in evidence. Acorn is informed by evidence-based practices including Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS).

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    Neurodevelopmental Disorders Specialty

    Proudly one of only a handful of providers in the area to offer evaluations from birth through young adulthood

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    Community Advocate

    Partnering with local practices to serve across all demographics including high risk families

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    Serving Greater Philadelphia and the Main Line

    Psypact Certified

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What is the story of the Acorn?

“Great Oaks from Little Acorns Grow”

When I first stumbled across this proverb, I stopped in my tracks. My first thought was: “these are the children I work with!”.

When an acorn falls to the ground, it literally hits rock bottom. Yet, it is only here where it can truly transform. When it is nurtured and given the proper environment, with the right balance of soil, wind, sun and water, the acorn does not just renew, it has the potential to form into a tree as mighty as an Oak.

This is what an evaluation here can offer: An understanding that no matter where your child is on this journey, we will work together to find the right ingredients so that your fledgling can stand tall and strong like an Oak tree.

(One source suggests that this quote was first documented in this verbiage in 1833 in a Philadelphia newspaper!)

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Get in Touch!

Schedule a free 15 minute consultation to discuss your family’s needs:

Book Consultation
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FAQ

  • At Acorn, we believe in the power of advocacy, and especially self-advocacy!

    Having language to understand what is going on and community or support to feel less alone is powerful.

    Knowing that there is a reason something feels hard and this not being due to anything that you or your child did “wrong” is priceless information.

  • We offer targeted and comprehensive psychological evaluations for referral questions of all neurodevelopmental types including but not limited to

    autism

    attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

    developmental testing in infancy and toddlerhood

    learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia)

    independent educational evaluations

    intellectual disability or giftedness

    developmental delays

    anxiety and depressive disorders

    and more.

    For more detail, please see evaluations.

  • birth to 21 years

  • The price of an evaluation will vary based on the referral question, age of the child (older children typically have more history to collect and abilities to assess), instruments needed, etc.

    Acorn implements value-based (instead of hourly) pricing so cost is never a surprise.

    Evaluations typically run between $2500-$2950 (with some exceptions).

    To determine cost of your individual evaluation, please schedule a free consultation to discuss further!

    We accept all major credit/debit cards, cash and check. This includes FSA and HSA cards. We can provide a superbill for potential reimbursement by insurance.

  • While we currently do not accept insurance, you can pay using your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA).

    Some insurers reimburse for evaluation services, but others may require a ‘prior authorization.’ Additionally, evaluations that we consider to be clinically relevant may not be considered medically necessary, and insurance will not cover these assessments.

  • At Acorn, the evaluation process is typically a four-step process. Each step occurs on a distinct day.

    1. Consultation (optional 15 minutes to discuss your case with parents only)

    2. Intake (60-90 minute information gathering session with parents only)

    3. Evaluation (2 - 6+ hours of testing time with your child) Evaluations that require more time due to challenging behavior or need for testing over the course of several days will not affect pricing.

    4. Feedback session (60 minutes to discuss findings, diagnosis and recommendations. You will receive a full psychological report).

  • At this time, Acorn is not accepting new therapy clients. However, Acorn is happy to offer a list of trusted providers in the area who can support your specific journey going forward.