Now Offering therapy

We are excited to offer new treatment services to support individuals even further with talk and somatic therapy. Please learn more about your providers Rachel Stewart and Kiara Orbe here. If you are interested in scheduling a free 15-minute phone consultation, please use this link to submit a contact form on our website! 

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Identifying cognitive strengths & weaknesses to help individuals optimize their brain's potential

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Welcome to our practice! We specialize in providing comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations to individuals across the lifespan. Neuropsychological evaluations can provide crucial insights into an individual's cognitive strengths and weaknesses, aid in diagnosis and treatment planning, guide educational and vocational decisions, and more (see below). ​We work closely with referral sources to facilitate comprehensive treatment plans and also offer our own non-drug treatment options.

Safety Measures IMPLEMENTED Since the Pandemic

The health of you and our staff is important to us, which is why we have been taking - and continue to take -extra precautions since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. These include practicing safe distancing, using air sanitizers throughout the practice, checking employee health statuses, and staggering patient schedules. 

Dr. Ekdom and Dr. Hashemian are both recognized as the TOP neuropsychologists for the entire Virginia/DC/Maryland region and are featured on the TOP Doctors Interviews, which are seen on CNN Headline News, FOX News, Oprah Winfrey Network, CNBC, and other networks. 

What is a Neuropsychological EVALUATIOn?

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A neuropsychological evaluation is a comprehensive assessment to understand the relationship between an individual's brain functioning and behavior, identify areas of impairment, and provide diagnostic clarity. The areas of brain functioning that are typically assessed include the following:
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  Attention

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  Memory

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  Executive Functioning

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  Language

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  Visuospatial Abilities​ 

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  Intellectual Abilities 

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  Sensory-Perceptual Functioning 

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  Academic Performance

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  Fine Motor Skills

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  Behavioral/Emotional Functioning

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​The selection of tests used as part of the evaluation will depend on the invidual's presenting problems, referral questions, and any documented or suspected diagnosis. A typical comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation oftentimes includes the following components:

1) Intake & Clinical Interview
The process usually begins with a thorough intake process and clinical interview to gather information about the individual's medical history, psychological symptoms, educational and occupational background, and any relevant concerns or complaints. 

2) Administration and Scoring of Tests
A battery of tests specifically selected for the individual is administered. These tests assess various cognitive domains.

3) Behavioral and Emotional Assesments
The evaluation may also include assessments of emotional and behavioral functioning to understand aspects like mood, personality traits, and psychosocial adjustment.

4) Observation and Interaction
The individual's behavior, interactions, and communication skills may be observed to gather additional information about their social functioning and adoptive behaviors. 

5) Review of Medical Records and Imaging
The neuropsychologist may review relevant medical records, such as brain imaging results (e.g., MRI or CT scans), to gain further insights into the individual's neurological health. 

6) Interpretation of Tests, Report, and Feedback
The neuropsychologist will carefully interpret the test results, integrate the findings, and draft a comprehensive report that summarizes the assessment outcomes and provides appropriate personalized recommendations. Once the report is ready, a feedback session may be scheduled to review the results and discuss implications for diagnosis, treatment planning, and interventions.

Who Should Have a Neuropsychological EVALUATION?

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Any individual who has experienced any of the following should consider a neuropsychological evaluation:​​​​​

​Problems with Attention 

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​Memory Concerns 

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Reading Difficulties

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Math Difficulties

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​Head Injury/Concussion

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​Developmental Disorders

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​Developmental Delays

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​Social & Behavioral Concerns

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​Seizure Disorders

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​Severe Medical Illness

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​Dementia Disorders 

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​Other Neurological Disorders

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WHAT are the benefits of a neuropsychological evaluation?

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Depending on the individual and the circumstances, the findings of a neuropsychological evaluation can provide a multitude of benefits in various domains. Among them are the following:
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Offering key insights into how and why an individual's brain function may be affecting their behavior, mood, school performance, cognitive skills, and/or interpersonal skills.

Providing guidance to help individuals and their family members make more informed decisions related to school, work, and life.​
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Providing the necessary justification for appropriate accommodations.
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Facilitating the decision-making process involved in ensuring that individuals can reach their full potential and/or experience an improved quality of life.
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Helping individuals and their family members understand changes in behavior or mood after a significant illness, injury, medical procedure, or disorder. 
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​​Improving the diagnostic decision-making and prediction of outcomes in conditions such as Alzheimer disease, mild cognitive impairment, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy body dementia. 
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Improving the treatment planning process and assisting in the prediction of treatment response and functional outcome (e.g., psychosocial functioning, work success, medication adherence, and residential status) with regard to a variety of medical, psychological, and psychiatric disorders.
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If an individual has received a neuropsychological evaluation in the past, a re-evaluation can measure changes associated with treatment, suggest changes to treatment or intervention, measure the long-term effects of medical treatments, or measure the rate of decline in a progressive dementia such as Alzheimer's Disease. 

WHY CHOOSE US?

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1. Expertise. Our highly skilled and experienced neuropsychologists possess advanced training in the assessment and understanding of brain-behavior relationships. With a deep understanding of the complexities of the human brain, we provide accurate evaluations, personalized recommendations, and appropriate treatment options. 
2. Comprehensive Assessments. Our neuropsychological evaluations are very thorough and we utilize state-of-the-art assessment tools and techniques. We assess various cognitive domains, emotional well-being, and behavioral functioning to provide a holistic understanding of your strengths and challenges. 
3. Personalized Approach. We believe in tailoring our services to your specific needs. Our assessments and recommendations are customized to address your individual circumstances, enabling targeted interventions and strategies for improvement. 
4. Collaboration and Communication. We work closely with you and your healthcare team to ensure a collaborative approach to your care. We value open communication and believe in keeping you informed every step of the way. ​

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We struggled for years on trying to figure out what was going on with my daughter. We went through so many therapies, psychologists, evaluations and none of them fit or helped her. Our lives changed after meeting Dr. Ekdom. His evaluation results were spot on and we have been able to help my daughter work on each aspect of her diagnosis. We have made amazing strides and are very happy with where we are. More importantly - she’s happy and comfortable in her own skin.

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A dedicated, professional, and competent team!

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Excellent service. Thank you so much, best neuropsychologists, made the process super quick and easy and explained everything thoroughly for all of us to understand. Thank you, Dr. Hashemian!! I will be back.

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They are the ADHD experts!

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​Such nice and caring group! They really go above and beyond. I'm pretty familiar with the process and have had evaluations done elsewhere and this by far exceeded my expectations. Highly recommended if you are looking for doctors that care and are thorough. Our referring doctor was contacted prior to my appointment and they continued to discuss my case until the right treatment was identified for me. For the first time, I felt that I wasn’t judged and that someone felt my pain and really put in an effort to understand and help me.

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The entire team at this practice makes the process of getting a neuropsychological evaluation as easy as possible. The intake staff and technicians are so courteous and professional and the doctors are true experts in the field.

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Such nice and caring group! They really go above and beyond. We’re pretty familiar with the process and have had evaluations done elsewhere and this by far exceeded our expectations.

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Dr. H is the autism whisperer! Can’t say enough good things about her. Thank you and your entire team.

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You can tell that this practice was established 30 years ago because Dr. Ekdom is truly a pioneer in this field. The testing is very thorough and the report you get afterwards leaves no stone unturned.

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