FAQ

We offer neuropsychological testing (conducted by psychologists with advanced training in neuropsychological assessment), psychoeducational testing, emotional testing, testing for autism spectrum disorders/Autism (for both diagnosis and to identify support needs), admissions testing, testing for special education/test accommodations, and developmental testing (more information about each is under Services on the homepage). Note that neuropsychological testing cannot be done by just any psychologist, and neuropsychological testing does not mean just doing more tests. Neuropsychological testing can only be performed by a psychologist who has completed formal advanced training in neuropsychology.

We believe that testing should be about understanding the “whole person” not just getting a set of scores. We custom design an assessment plan that is designed to address your unique concerns and answer your questions. Each assessment is personalized for you. We can accommodate a wide variety of needs–from working with highly gifted clients, to those who need accommodations for language or motor difficulties (as well as clients who are ‘Twice Exceptional’!). We also serve individuals who use technology or other tools to communicate. We also offer testing using the ADOS for early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ADOS-2), which is considered the “gold standard” measure. We will work with you to determine what type of testing meets your personal needs and goals.

Keep scrolling down to learn more. Interested in testing for a specific concern or goal? Please contact us or visit our Psychological Testing page to see a list the types of issues we can learn more about through testing.

If you have questions about appointments, you can contact Marsha Miller or Lynn Haberlein, our Office Managers at 301-581-1120, Option 1. Make sure to include a telephone number so we can contact you as soon as possible. Please do not send personal information in an email since email is not a secure form of communication.

We believe in highly personalized psychological assessment conducted by experienced licensed psychologists and neuropsychologists. At Rebecca Resnik and Associates, the psychologists and neuropsychologists do all of the testing personally. In our practice, you or your child will NEVER be passed off to a student, trainee or tech. We believe the psychologist must take the time to get to know you, and/or your child as a unique person in order to accurately interpret the test data. A skilled psychologist knows how to help a child or teen feel comfortable so he can show his/her full potential. The psychologists’ observational skills are essential to creating customized recommendations for the report. Consequently, we never use students, techs, or psych associates in place of a psychologist. This is a primary reason so many people have preferred our practice for over 12 years. In our practice, you and your child will never be passed around from person to person as if you were on an assembly line. We strive to make testing a great experience!

If you have questions about testing appointments, you can contact Office Managers, Marsha Miller or Lynn Haberlein, at 301-581-1120, Option 1. If you have more specific questions about testing, the Office Managers will put you in touch with our Director of Clinical Services, Dr. Sarah Hardy or Dr. Rebecca Resnik. Please do not send personal information in an email since email is not a secure form of communication.

Many families wonder if testing is the right choice. Not every individual shows the typical pattern of symptoms/concerns you can easily google–particularly highly gifted individuals, girls (who are often under-represented in research studies) or people with Autism/Autistic people. You may have heard incorrect or out of date (though probably well-meaning) advice from friends, relatives, or teachers about testing. It is always best to consult a Doctoral Level Psychologist if you have questions about psychological testing. It is also important to listen to your ‘gut’ if you sense something is not right. We see many parents whose concerns were dismissed or who were pressured discount their own instincts about their child.

We believe in recommending the right care for each client. We will help you decide what is right for you. Scheduling a consultation with one of our psychologists helps determine if testing would be useful. We believe in giving our clients the information they need so that every family can feel confident in making the right choices for their child. If testing is not indicated, or is best postponed, we make sure you are connected with trusted clinicians who can offer the right solutions for your concerns.

If you have questions about appointments, you can contact Marsha Miller or Lynn Haberlein, our Office Managers at 301-581-1120, Option 1. Make sure to include a telephone number so we can contact you as soon as possible. Please do not send personal information in an email since email is not a secure form of communication.

We have been trusted for the past 12 years by a wide range of independent, highly selective, and religious schools in the DC Metropolitan area. We understand what a critical moment entrance testing is in your child’s life, and that many families are competing for slots in the best programs. Since IQ testing can only be done once a year, you have only once chance to obtain scores that show your child’s true potential. If the testing experience is substandard, your child could be excluded from a great school through no fault of his or her own. It is essential to select an experienced, fully licensed psychologist/neuropsychologist!

In our practice, your child will work exclusively with a doctoral level, Licensed Psychologist (not students, not trainees, not techs, not associates!). Unlike practices that test many children in a day (‘factory style’), our psychologists will take the time to work at your child’s pace so he or she can demonstrate their full potential. For example, if your child needs more time to settle in, to take breaks, or is a cautious worker, we honor that child’s needs. Nothing is more important than making sure your child has had the opportunity to show what he or she can do! We understand that finding the right school can be stressful. Prompt results are critical. We can often let you know your child’s scores in 24 hours, though it typically takes a few days to a week to prepare a polished report. Let us know if you have a deadline and we will do our best to accommodate you.

For the past 12 years, we have earned the trust of independent schools and special education schools to provide accurate information that describes the child as a unique person, not just a list of scores pasted into a template.

Your psychologist will prepare a personalized report for independent schools, which will be available within a week.  When you call, please make us aware of your deadlines and specific tests your school requires. Please also see our FAQ item (#16) on how to prepare for admissions testing.

Yes, and for the past 12 years we have a proven record of having our recommendations trusted by standardized testing companies. Our results are trusted because we make appropriate recommendations for accommodations that are well supported by our test data. We take care to administer tests accepted by standardized test publishers (SSAT, SAT, ACT, AP tests etc.), college/university disability support programs, and the Bar Association. 

Testing is an essential part of making sure that a student who needs accommodations does not risk taking standardized tests without them. Our assessments are conducted carefully, to ensure that we select a test battery that will be accepted by the test publisher (it is critical to use tests and methods each company will accept). We also collaborate with schools to ensure that the student’s school learning support plan corresponds to the student’s standardized test taking needs. Recent changes to test publisher policy state that the school learning support plan (or IEP/504) accommodations can be used to inform eligibility for high-stakes tests. Making sure the school plan is specific, and includes the correct testing accommodations, is key.

If you are seeking accommodations, or have a student who has learning difficulties, it is important to get the timing right. If your child is aged 14-15, we can administer the Stanford Binet (which is an adult IQ measure). For students over 16, we administer adult measures to ensure you won’t need to repeat testing for high-stakes tests or college disability support services (WAIS, Stanford Binet, Scholastic Achievement Test for Adults, WIAT-4). If your child has a learning support plan in middle school, or you believe he/she needs one, we recommend having testing done in late eighth grade to early ninth grade (typically using the Stanford Binet) to ensure that all accommodations are in place before “high stakes” testing begins. Psychological testing results must be current when you apply for test accommodations (the rules about what is “current” vary and change often, check your test publisher/college/university to make sure you actually need new testing!). We encourage families to start planning for testing 6 months in advance of the upcoming test (the test publisher’s accommodations application process itself may take >2 months).  Please do not wait until the last minute to book your appointment. Any psychologist/neuropsychologist who does quality work will have a waiting list that can be months long! When you work with a Rebecca Resnik and Associates psychologist, your testing report cover ‘high stakes’ test accommodations, it will include recommendations for accommodations and/or learning supports at the College/University level as well.

Yes. We pride ourselves on being able to welcome clients with a wide variety of needs and honor neurodiversity. We can assess individuals who would not be able to engage with typical testing materials or who need a flexible approach. For example, we can assess individuals who do not communicate via spoken language, individuals with movement difficulties (including difficulty responding with paper and pencil), or individuals for whom typical testing procedures are overly stressful or overstimulating. We have an extensive library of assessment tools that includes language-free and motor-free tests (see the Psychological Testing page for list of our tests). We can be flexible in our scheduling for test-takers who become overstimulated easily due to sensory issues, test-takers with chronic medical conditions, or who need a lot of movement breaks. We also have instruments for assessing highly gifted individuals, including the Stanford Binet-5 (a measure accepted GT organizations including Mensa and the John’s Hopkins Center for Talented Youth), the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales, and the Wechsler Nonverbal Scales of Intelligence. Our goal is to make every individual feel supported so he or she can show their true abilities. Both of our offices are fully accessible to all clients.

We offer an array of assessment tools that help us understand you/your child’s unique strengths and weaknesses. We have doctoral level psychologists with advanced training in using the ADOS, which is considered to be an important part of early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders in younger children or more complex individuals. Unlike some practices, we do not do testing that only includes the ADOS and nothing else. We believe no one test is sufficient for understanding a person. Like any test, the ADOS is most effective when used by a highly trained,  experienced doctor in the context of a thorough evaluation. We also offer the MIGDAS, ADI-R, rating scales, pragmatic language/social cues assessments and measures of visual motor integration. A full assessment is critical to understanding your/your child’s support needs so you can self-advocate effectively! Our goal is to understand you/your child as a whole person who can succeed. Your clinician will work with you to determine if the ADOS would be an appropriate part of your child/teen’s evaluation.

We strongly encourage you to prepare your child for testing by doing things that will actually improve their scores, including: daily exercise, a regular bed time (with an age appropriate amount of sleep), a healthy diet (and breakfast on testing day!), and lots of exposure to books/puzzles/thinking games and mental challenge. There are, unfortunately, online ‘prep’ companies that steal copyrighted test materials and exploit parents by selling the opportunity to cheat on psychological tests. Though the websites present themselves as if they are being helpful, these people are acting illegally to profit by exploiting parents. They are not the sort of people should expose your child to, much less trust with your child’s well being. Importantly, independent schools and GT programs will not consider a child’s application if the family has engaged in cheating or dishonesty. Highly selective independent schools in particular are extremely concerned about the problem of children being ‘prepped’ for psychological tests (including the WISC and WPPSI). The ethical standard among Psychologists, when they see a child has been “prepped”, or exposed to test materials/tasks, is to stop testing. Psychologists cannot ethically report compromised test scores to a school/GT program. Please do not take the risk with your child’s future.

Typically, no, not unless you wish to do so. We understand how difficult it is for a busy, professional parent to spend a whole day sitting in a waiting room! If it would help your child feel comfortable, we have comfortable waiting rooms for parents/relatives. Vaccinated parents/relatives may wait in our waiting rooms. Because we see children who are too young to be vaccinated, as well as individuals with health issues, we cannot allow unvaccinated people to remain in the waiting room (thank you for understanding!).

If your child is five or older (or perhaps younger if he or she regularly attends preschool/daycare), your child is likely to concentrate much better if you help them settle in, give a goodbye hug, then let them focus on their work with their psychologist. Unlike practices that use students or other less experienced techs or newbie grad students, our experienced psychologists are skilled in helping your child feel comfortable.

Our psychologists are happy to eat lunch with your child if you’d like (the ‘chatting’ over lunch time is often when many children open up and share their thoughts and feelings). If you’d prefer to stay during your child’s testing, our waiting rooms are very comfortable spots to relax with a good book or plug in your laptop. You are welcome to do whatever works best for your child and your schedule.

Yes, we will make every attempt to offer you a feedback appointment three weeks after all the data are collected. If you need a preliminary review of results before the final report is complete, just let us know. Our feedback sessions are typically an hour, depending on the complexity of the situation. Your psychologist will provide you with a copy of the report summary or a draft report during the feedback appointment.  We can provide edited copies of the full report for educational purposes (if it would not compromise ethical standards to do so–note that we are ethically obligated to include information related to safety in all reports if there are concerns).  We want every family to be completely satisfied with the finished product. Our goal is for you to have a rich understanding of your child/yourself, and to feel confident in moving forward with your action plan. Your psychologist remains available to answer any follow up questions or provide referrals to trusted professionals after the feedback session. Additional feedback or follow up appointments are available upon request at our hourly rate.

We pride ourselves on offering customized, data-driven recommendations for independent and public schools, from preschool through college. Dr. Rebecca Resnik holds a Bachelors and Master’s Degree in Special Education, and believes in practical recommendations based on best-practice and current research. We know that every child can experience success if their support needs are implemented. It is also essential that our recommendations fit with your child’s school’s learning support program if he or she attends an independent school. Our recommendations for public schools are explicitly designed to inform the IEP/504 plan process.  If our schedules permit, we can attend school meetings to communicate the student’s needs and collaborate with school professionals. Ms. Marvie Corbett, Director of Psychotherapy, directs our Educational Consulting program.

Our psychologists individualize and personalize their recommendations for each client (instead of ‘cutting and pasting’ a few stock recommendations). Our personalized recommendations are designed to help educators and advocates understand how best to help your child’s unique strengths and needs. If an IEP/504 plan or test accommodations are indicated, our recommendations include clear statements about appropriate placement, special education services, and accommodations.  When an older student with a learning difficulty is preparing for ‘high stakes’ testing, our reports are carefully designed to document the need for appropriate accommodations. We will also recommend trusted service providers such as therapists, physicians, independent/specialty schools, consultants, attorneys, and tutors.

Many parents have heard that young children are “too young to test” or “too young for therapy.” The research has shown that this is a myth. Early interventions/accommodations are critical to helping a child before little issues (like dyslexia, language delays, or behavior issues) become big problems. We can formally assess a child as young as two years old. Our Psychologists have expertise in working with very young children. Our Psychologists understand how important it is for a child to feel comfortable, and to follow the child’s pace. We offer tests that are language-free or motor-free, so that every child can demonstrate their true abilities. We are also flexible in our approach. We can accommodate children with sensory hyper-sensitivities, or children who need to move around a lot. Our psychologists know how to make testing a positive experience so children can perform at their best. Testing very young children should include a home/school/daycare observation whenever possible.

Therapy is appropriate for people of any age who need help coping with issues in their lives. It is an investment in developing resilience that will last a lifetime. Very young children can, and do, benefit from psychotherapy. Therapy with parent coaching can greatly improve family life if the child’s issues are creating stress at home. Again, it is often easier to fix little problems instead of waiting until they become big problems. There is no ‘right’ age to begin–the decision to begin should be guided by a need to make something better in a person’s life, not their age.

Please contact Simone Schwager, Director of Clinical Services if you’d like more information (please DO NOT send personal/private information over email). You can reach also us through the main number 301-581-1120.

Typically, it starts with a recommendation from your school, physician, or therapist. Sometimes a parent just senses that something is preventing the child from achieving his/her true potential or making things harder than they should be. You may call us (301)581-1120 and speak with Marsha Miller or Lynn Haberlein, Office Managers, between 9 and 5 pm, by selecting Option One.

If you are inquiring about therapy, we will connect you with our Director of Clinical Services, Ms. Simone Schwager. Simone will work with you to select the clinician who is right for you. If we do not have the right clinician, we will refer you to trusted providers so you can get the care that is right for you or your family. To arrange a phone call, please email our Directors of Psychotherapy or use the contact form (please do not send personal/private information in an email).

For therapy. After your phone call with us, the next step is an intake session with your Therapist (90 minutes). Your Therapist will learn about you and work with you to create a treatment plan to achieve your goals. Most clients meet with their Therapist weekly when beginning therapy to establish rapport and consistency. We provide individual, family, couples and group therapy. We also provide parent coaching.

For testing. The first step is likely to be a call with our Office Managers, Marsha Miller or Lynn Haberlein, who will answer your general questions and connect one of Psychologists. We take care to make sure your Psychologist or Neuropsychologist is a good match for your needs, goals and schedule.

Once you decide to move forward with testing, we will schedule the 90 minute Intake and testing appointments with you via phone or through our online system. We will send you secure online forms to complete. Completing the forms will finalize and reserve your appointment. These signed forms are due 48 hours after you book your appointment. Your psychologist will be with you every step of the way through the testing (we do not use students or technicians in our practice). With your permission, we will consult with the important professionals in your/your child’s life such as teachers, doctors, attorneys, advocates, or therapists.

After all the test data are in, your psychologist will contact you to schedule the feedback session. Our goal is to offer you this feedback session two weeks after all the test data are obtained. Our reports include an action plan with specific recommendations for meeting the person’s unique support needs. We also provide concierge services to connect you with the right experts to address your needs. Your psychologist is also able to meet with educators at your child’s school and consult with your attorney/clinical team (subject to scheduling availability).

If you have questions about appointments, you can contact Marsha Miller or Lynn Haberlein, our Office Managers at 301-581-1120, Option 1. Make sure to include a telephone number so we can contact you as soon as possible. Please do not send personal information in an email since email is not a secure form of communication.

Psychological testing should be a great experience for your child! We have noticed that parents are often more nervous than their children. It is critical for your child or teen to feel comfortable so that they can give their best performance during testing. Our experienced clinicians will help your child feel good about the testing. We strive to make testing for teens and adults an empowering experience that enhances their ability to self-advocate.

Tell your child or teen that he/she will be spending the day with a nice person who wants to figure out how they learn best in order to make school easier. Reassure your child/teen that our practice is welcoming to everyone, whatever their identity (just let us know your pronouns in advance). Sometimes we let the child or teen know that the psychologist is there to help kids with their worries, strong feelings, or with a specific issue in the child’s life. Tell a young child that this is not the type of doctor who gives shots (but like the physician, we do have a prize box for the end of the appointment). Let your child know they are going to work hard, but have a positive experience.  The more comfortable you are feeling about the testing, the more your child will feel at ease.

Yes! Our offices are fully accessible with surface parking on site, wide outdoor ramps, as well as wide doorways, and hallways. We have private restrooms in the suite. Our office restrooms are fully ADA compliant. Importantly, our offices are sensory friendly so that everyone can feel comfortable. We have also eliminated all fluorescent lighting from our offices for our clients with sensory issues. We do not have auto-flush toilets or loud electric hand dryers. If you have any concerns about access or ways we can make you comfortable in our offices, please contact us to let us know!

We provide expert testimony for cases related to special education or services for children/adults with disabilities. Our practice works closely with special education attorneys to assist them in obtaining the best outcomes for their clients. We perform forensic testing (psychological testing to be used to inform court cases/settlements/mediation) and Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs). We have served as expert witnesses in Maryland, DC and Virginia. We are proud to be on the approved tester lists for local school systems. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Resnik or have your attorney contact her directly to discuss if your case is a good fit for our practice.

We can also perform forensic assessments for questions related to supported decision making/guardianship, support needs, school placement, and SSI benefits. Our goal is to honor the preferences of the client and their family to the full extent possible.

NOTE: We DO NOT perform custody evaluations or parental fitness testing. We DO NOT perform assessments related to informing visitation or custody decisions. We are happy to refer you to trusted professionals who offer these services.

We do offer three month payment plans for psychological testing and expert witness services. Call our office manager to learn more.

We recognize that the investment in psychological testing can be a lot to manage all at once. This is especially so if you have one or more children in private school, or if you are going through difficult circumstances such as a divorce or graduate school. Please do not hesitate to ask if we can accommodate your needs.

As much as we would love to say that your insurance company will won’t let you down, we caution our clients that we cannot control what your insurance company will decide to do. We are out of network providers. This means that clients are responsible for the full balance for all services rendered. We cannot guarantee that your insurance company will reimburse you for psychological services, or that they will honor their pre-authorization decisions. Because the costs of providing high level care in the DC metro area are significant (and because everyone is competing to attract and retain the most talented clinicians!) most of the psychologists in our area cannot serve on insurance panels. We wish that insurance companies would make it possible to do so without sacrificing the quality of care. Please note that your patient paperwork includes documentation of all of our fees. If you have any questions please ask asap so we can ensure that you are comfortable with costs.

When you schedule your appointment, our office manager can provide you with the procedure codes you need in order to arrange for pre-authorization from your insurance company. This does not guarantee reimbursement from your insurance company. Please be aware that pre-authorization does not mean your insurance company will accept your claim, or reimburse you for any of your expenses. We cannot assume any responsibility for your insurance company’s decisions.

Within 30 days after your services are rendered, and you have taken care of your balance in full, we will send you the Superbill and CMF form you need to file a claim with your insurance company. Again, we cannot accept any responsibility for your insurance company’s decisions regarding your claim. Be aware that many claims for psychological testing are rejected the first time, and insurance companies may keep asking for more and more documentation (despite the fact that everything needed to process the claim is contained in the Superbill/CMF forms).