FAQ

​It varies on the specific conditions/needs the type of treatments received will be assessed during your appointment(s). Once our Clinical Psychologist has all relevant information, the kinds of options are dependent on a multitude of factors in helping long-term. ​Our doctor​ has the advanced training and experience necessary to tailor ​intervention plans​ to fit each individual’s needs. Our treatment approach include​s​ cognitive-behavioral, client-centered, family systems, experiential, solution-focused, and play therapies. ​PAR values education, where our professionals take the time to educate each individual about his/her condition and teach the strategies that can be learned to lessen the impact of the condition. ​With that being said, our Clinical ​Psychologist​ does​ not prescribe medications, but​ have in place a Direct Appointment Referral Program in collaboration with preferred specialists (Psychiatrists, Nurse Practitioner) who will be able to assist with our recommendations.

​PAR has extended availability ranging from 9AM to 6PM, Monday through Saturday. Please contact our office so we may assist you in getting started and scheduling your appointment.

PAR offers administrative assistance through virtual mediums. Appointments will typically be made through our communication channels which are email or chat/text services, phone calls are an option but not the most direct way to reach our office as we do not have a live representative to receive high volume inbound calls and will most likely be transferred to our voicemail system which is reviewed daily. With respect to our client/patient time, our associates will make contact within 2 business days and scheduling can be as early as 2 weeks and no longer than 12 weeks out to accommodate rotating schedules. Once an appointment is made our office will send a confirmation email as well as reminder(s) to keep on top of communication.

Absolutely, the doctor works with clients/patients as young as infants. In order for your child to receive psychological services and treatment, PAR requires consent from a parent or guardian. These Client Forms are made available online and through email once an appointment has been made.

Yes, it's required your child attends all scheduled appointments. On occasion you may want to meet with the doctor without your child in attendance to discuss freely, which is advised in order to ascertain background history and concerns. In that instance, the child may wait in our designated area supervised by an associate during that time.

It's dependent on individual needs. In some cases your child may need to be seen weekly, for example, if counseling or therapy is needed or in order to closely monitor a medication. It is our goal that your child receive the most benefit from the intervention plan including the prescribed medication or treatment regimen they currently are on. In most cases, follow up visits are scheduled every two to three months especially if medication is being monitored by the doctor.  With that being said, prescriptions typically cannot be filled outside of this time frame as directed by the primary physician.

​Our doctor typically meets with the parent(s) or the client/patient during the initial visit and will facilitate a conversation in order to get to know you/your child and the concerns, questions/goals, as well as answer any aspect related to the process overall. They will then identify the appropriate next steps, including the total fees associated and the frequency in which you'd be returning for office visits.

​Potential clients/patients should spend a little time organizing their thoughts and records before their first appointment. Try to write down exactly what your concerns are, any important information about the onset and history of the concerns, when/where/how the concerns affect the individual and their family, and exactly what the best outcome of your visit might be. Try to identify goals you would like to achieve. Gather together any records you may have that would be helpful, including any prior medical, educational or psychological records (best practice -bring copies and leave the originals at home so that they don't get lost). Identify any individuals whom we should contact for additional information.

After scheduling your appointment, you may complete the Client Forms at the time of your visit or submit the forms through email or online. We recommend completing the Client Forms prior to your first appointment for time saved. ​If an individual (minor) under the age of 18 years old is requesting an appointment, our office requires the client/patient to complete an Authorization Form granting us permission to do so. The form must be completed by the scheduled appointment, which will be sent by email or online.

It depends on the nature of the appointment and what the doctor recommends is the best plan of action to gather data and any relevant information for the service, which may not be best suited (like observations/behaviors) for the type of medium available. With that in mind, the doctor prefers to have the client/patient in-office to facilitate the most impact over the outcome. Yes, phone and/or video appointments are available but will be up to the discretion of the doctor and may be restricted by the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners.

​Charges are made on the basis of time spent by the professional in their provision of services. Some services such as clinical interviews and therapy services involve charges only for the time spent in face to face contact. Other services, such as evaluations and testing, require time outside of face to face contact, which involve scoring and interpretation of administered tests, consultation with other parties, report writing, etc.

PAR requests that payment be made at the beginning of the service, in the form of cash, cashier/personal check or credit/debit card, including health savings accounts with no bank processing fees. Clients who wish to submit claims for reimbursement of services through their insurance company will be provided with procedure and diagnosis codes to help with this process, however our office does not bill insurance companies directly. Payments for services that are to be paid for by third parties (such as schools, attorneys, etc.) must be arranged prior to the first appointment. Our fees vary based on the service being requested, we advise to review our Services Page online or contact our office to receive an estimate of the total cost.

Disclaimer Once services are rendered they are Final and Non-Refundable (Client Specific, Federally Protected and HIPPA Compliant).

Our office does not accept or submit insurance billing directly through PAR. Any client/patient who wishes to use insurance to supplement payment must self-submit as we are not part of the process. We will always help by providing an invoice (superbill) which will be given at the end of your service. The invoice will include all information required by your carrier, such as the doctor's credentials, date of service, service codes, diagnostic codes, and amount paid. ​We encourage​​ clients​/patients​ to file a claim with their insurance​ as you may be ​reimbursed for a portion of ​your payment.

PAR request that payment be made at the beginning of the service, in the form of cash, cashier/personal check or credit/debit card, including health savings accounts with no bank processing fees. Clients who wish to submit claims for reimbursement of services through their insurance company will be provided with procedure and diagnosis codes to help with this process, however our office does not bill insurance companies directly. Payments for services that are to be paid for by third parties (such as schools, attorneys, etc.) must be arranged prior to the first appointment.

In addition, we offer Afterpay (BNPL/buy-now-pay-later) as an alternative method for payment. With Afterpay receive the services you need and pay overtime, an immediate way to schedule an appointment. An Afterpay processing fee will be assessed, amounts vary depending on the service selected. To learn more about Afterpay including terms, conditions, eligibility and late fees visit: afterpay.com

Overview Interest Free: 6 weeks | Installment Periods: 4 payments | Avoid Late Fees: reschedule payments as needed | Get Rewarded: earn points for payments

Afterpay Processing Fees Amount | Fee

Counseling Services

• $159.00 | $15.00

• $259.00 | $20.00

• $359.00 | $25.00

Evaluation Services

• $995.00    | $65.00   

• $1,295.00 | $85.00

• $1,595.00 | $105.00

• $1,695.00 | $110.00   

• $2,000.00 | $130.00   

• $2,295.00 | $150.00

• $2,495.00 | $165.00   

• $2,595.00 | $170.00   

• $3,000.00 | $200.00   

• $3,295.00 | $215.00   

• $3,595.00 | $235.00   

Disclaimer Once services are rendered they are Final and Non-Refundable (Client Specific, Federally Protected and HIPPA Compliant).

​Our doctor is typically scheduled out for appointments 2 - 8 weeks, sometimes up to 12 weeks. Late cancellations or no-show appointments take the time of another client/patient who might be in critical need. A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT MEANS THAT TIME IS RESERVED FOR YOU ONLY. MISSED OR CANCELLED APPOINTMENT FOR ANY REASON, WITH LESS THAN 72 HOURS NOTICE, WILL RESULT IN A CANCELLATION FEE. We cannot allow any exceptions, only in an emergency situation will fees be waived requiring a doctor’s note. If you do not show for your scheduled service, and you have not notified us at least 72 business hours in advance, you will be required to pay the full cost of the ​psychological service and any additional fees associated for a second appointment date if requested.​

Our office is committed to providing high quality evaluations that are sufficiently thorough to answer the referral questions and will never do more testing than is necessary. In certain circumstances the doctor may offer pro-bono evaluations for clients/patients that demonstrate financial hardship, the specifics are on a case-by-case basis and are dependent on a multitude of factors from a prescreened process. If concerns are about affordability for an evaluation, we have payment plans to help.

PAR is available 9AM - 6PM, Monday through Saturday for administrative assistance. Our doctor is by appointment only.​

​If you need to reach the doctor, we advise you to contact our office through email or text/chat services, if preferred you may call and leave a message with our voicemail system which is monitored daily. If you use our communication methods, please be mindful not to include any private information. As these channels are not guaranteed confidential. When deemed necessary, our office will utilize a firewall, password protection, and encryption medium for communication. Therefore, if you choose to communicate confidential information with PAR, our office will assume that you have made an informed decision to take the risk that it may be intercepted. The doctor will return your messages within 2 business days.

If you have concerns about your child’s development, or suspect that something is not “right,” you might consider completing an evaluation. All children have some difficulties to some degree, but difficulties that significantly impact a child’s daily living might be a sign that something more is going on. Some of these signs might include failing grades, getting in trouble in school, difficulties making and maintaining friendships, trouble understanding others or expressing one’s self, and difficulties in other community settings. If you have concerns about your child’s development, we can assist you in determining if an evaluation might be appropriate.

The doctor will typically spend at least an hour or two with a child to conduct the evaluation. They will interview parents about a child's developmental history, habits, abilities and challenges. Once the evaluation is completed the doctor will provide a full report and a specific diagnosis when appropriate. Families may also receive recommendations for treatment, help finding therapists, and guidance in choosing educational settings.

Certain Nurse Practitioners/Physicians are specially trained in behavior and developmental issues. They will review our doctor's evaluation report and help treat the child's diagnosis, including prescribing medication if recommended. They will be a tremendous partner in helping the child long-term based on the completed evaluation results.

The following are typical developmental milestones for children by age range:

4 months 

Watches faces with interest and follows moving objects / Recognizes familiar objects and people; smiles at the sound of your voice / Begins to develop a social smile / Turns head toward sounds

7 Months 

Responds to other people's emotions / Enjoys face-to-face play; can find partially hidden objects / Explores with hands and mouth; struggles for out of reach objects / Responds to own name o Uses voice to express joy and displeasure; babbles chains of sounds 

1 Year

Enjoys imitating people; tries to imitate sounds o Enjoys simple social games, such as “gonna get you!” / Explores objects; finds hidden objects / Responds to “no;” uses simple gestures, such as pointing to an object / Babbles with changes in tone; may use single words (“dada,”“mama,” “Uh-oh!”) / Turns to person speaking when his/her name is called 

2 Years 

Imitates behavior of others; is excited about company of other children / Understands several words / Finds deeply hidden objects; points to named pictures and objects / Begins to sort by shapes and colors; begins simple make-believe play / Recognizes names of familiar people and objects; follows simple instructions / Combines two words to communicate with others, such as “more cookie?” 

3 Years 

Expresses affection openly and has a wide range of emotions / Makes mechanical toys work; plays make-believe / Sorts objects by shape and color, matches objects to pictures 

4 Years 

Cooperates with other children; is increasingly inventive in fantasy play / Names some colors; understands concepts of counting and time / Speaks in sentences of five to six words / Tells stories; speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand / Follows three-part commands; understands "same" and "different" 

5 Years 

Wants to be like his/her friends; likes to sing, dance, and act / Is able to distinguish fantasy from reality / Shows increased independence / Can count 10 or more objects and correctly name at least four colors / Speaks in sentences of more than five words; tells longer stories 

The following "warning signs" may indicate your child is at risk for an Autism Spectrum Disorder.  If your child exhibits any of the following, please don’t delay in asking your pediatrician or family doctor for an evaluation: 

No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter / No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by nine months / No babbling by 12 months / No back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months / No words by 16 months / No meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating) by 24 months / Any loss of speech, babbling or social skills at any age 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children receive autism screening at 18 and 24 months of age, and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised (M-CHAT-R) is one of the AAP’s recommended tools.  Additional early screening tools for toddlers include: the CHAT, Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition from Easter Seals, and the Autism Screening Questionnaire. 

The MCHAT-R screening tool is available for free online. If the answers suggest your child is at risk for autism, you should consult with your doctor, who may also recommend that you consult with a clinical psychologist and/or a developmental pediatrician.

Autism Speaks, MCHAT-R

What are Autism Spectrum Disorders? Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by social-interaction difficulties, communication challenges and a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors.  However, symptoms and their severity vary widely across these three core areas.  Taken together, they may result in relatively mild challenges for someone on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum.  For others, symptoms may be more severe, as when repetitive behaviors and lack of spoken language interfere with everyday life. 

Autism Speaks, Symptoms

Other Associated Medical Conditions: Genetic disorders / Gastrointestinal disorders / Seizure disorders / Sleep dysfunction / Sensory

Not using language, or having very limited language, at age two does raise some cause for concern. We do recommend speech and language testing to identify a child’s current levels of language functioning, which allows the speech and language pathologist to develop individualized goals for the child based on the child’s strengths and areas of need. If there are other concerns in addition to language development, testing for autism spectrum disorder might also be recommended. Some additional concerns that may lead us to recommend further testing for autism include: difficulties engaging with other children or preferring to play alone, limited use of gestures (waving hi and bye, nodding and shaking head, pointing, etc.), limited play skills, repetitive behaviors (such as banging or lining up items), unusual motor mannerisms, or sensory concerns (under or over-reaction to sounds, smells, touch, etc.). Oftentimes, we conduct joint speech/language and psychological evaluations for our young clients/patients, which allows us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the child’s functioning and allows for consultation across disciplines to ensure appropriate diagnoses and treatment.

There are a couple of different options if your child is falling behind in school.  If your child attends public or charter school, you can look into requesting a psychoeducational evaluation from the school district, which can evaluate for a learning disability within the school setting.  Alternatively, you can also obtain a private evaluation (such as services from PAR).  For these types of concerns, we typically recommend a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation, which assesses for learning concerns, as well as potential behavioral difficulties that may or may not also be contributing to the problem.  Children with learning disorders possess adequate intellectual functioning; however, there is a “disconnect” in one or more areas of reading, writing, and/or math that prevents them from learning as we would expect.  An evaluation for a learning disorder involves cognitive/intellectual assessment, as well as assessment of academic achievement, including reading, writing, and math skills.  We may also recommend further testing for phonological processing, executive functioning skills, and/or speech and language.

This will include collecting information, by parent and teacher rating scales, to determine if any other difficulties, such as attention problems, hyperactivity, anxiety, or depression seem to be occurring at home or at school.  A clinical interview with parents helps us gather information to develop the best range of assessments for each individual child.  Learning disorders are categorized into three areas: reading, writing, and math.  In particular, a common disorder of reading is termed dyslexia, which refers to difficulties with word reading and decoding, phonological processing, reading fluency, and spelling skills.

If your child is having difficulties with behavior in school, further evaluation may be warranted. ADHD is one of the most commonly identified disorders of childhood. Children with ADHD tend to have difficulties sustaining attention and controlling behavior impulses. They may appear overly active, or simply have difficulties with staying seated and raising his hand. Children with ADHD may also forget or lose things, fidget, have difficulties regulating their emotions, talk frequently and interrupt others, make careless mistakes, or have difficulties interacting with peers. A social-emotional/behavioral evaluation can help to determine if there is an underlying diagnosis for your child’s behavior, and provide you with recommendations to address these challenges and help your child be successful at home, at school, and with friends. An evaluation can also help identify strategies for the child’s teacher to use to set the child up for success. Evaluations for ADHD and other behavioral disorders (e.g., oppositional defiance, etc.) include a clinical interview with parents, rating scales for parents and teachers to assess functioning across settings, and direct testing of attention and executive functioning skills. We might also recommend a school observation, or additional testing to rule out learning concerns. If an evaluation has already been completed, you might also wish to request a Functional Behavior Assessment from the school, which is used to develop a behavior support plan in the school setting.

There are a variety of options for children who need social communication support. A comprehensive speech and language evaluation are typically recommended prior to treatment. In some instances, we can base our treatment plan from a recent evaluation that was completed by the school or another private practice. During the evaluation, the doctor will determine your child’s strengths and weaknesses in receptive and expressive language as well as core social competencies, such as the ability to inference, take another person’s perspective, or read body language. From there, we can make personalized recommendations to help your child develop and practice essential social skills.

For some children, it will be beneficial to start with 1:1 speech and language therapy to establish core vocabulary and introduce the concepts. Additionally, the doctor may recommend pairing two children who are at a similar age and language level, to work together on social communication goals under the supervision of a speech-language pathologist. For children who are ready for a small group setting, there are options to place children in social groups of 4-5 children. These weekly groups are led by a combination of speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathology assistants, and behavior technicians. These specialists will integrate behavioral principles along with social communication strategies to help the child develop appropriate social skills. Within the social groups, they will target group goals as well as individualized progress. All individual therapy, pairings and group therapy utilize play and a naturalistic setting to help children generalize these skills. There's constant parent feedback and information provided during these sessions, so that the terms and techniques can be carried over into the home and school environments.

Executive functions are a set of skills that help individuals achieve a particular goal and facilitate learning. They include many important cognitive processes, such as: planning and prioritizing, organization, task initiation, working memory, self-monitoring, flexibility, impulse control, and time management. Many children present with difficulties in one or more of these areas and can ultimately struggle with behavior, academic skills (e.g., following directions, writing, long-term projects), and social interaction.

The primary goal of speech and language therapy is to optimize each individual's ability to communicate. The executive functions have significant influence on various aspects of a child's language performance. Many challenges with behavior and self-regulation can be addressed through language-based interventions, such as establishing routines. Tailored to each individual's needs, our doctor may recommend executive function concepts into 1:1 speech and language therapy. For example, children can be taught to appropriately utilize timers, visual schedules, planners and reminders. They learn to identify distractions, use flexible thinking, and implement visualization strategies. This type of therapy will help shape each child's behavior, so that they can successfully make a plan, break down the steps, and demonstrate creative problem solving.

There are many similarities between how children and adults experience anxiety and depression, but there are also some differences. Anxiety refers to excessive worry or fear, but it can manifest in many ways. While some children will overtly express to parents things that they are worried about (such as school, or bad things happening), other times anxiety can be more difficult to identify. Children may also have specific types of anxiety in some situations, but not in others. If your child has difficulty separating from one or more parents, does not want to go to school or other places, seems afraid to participate in social situations (such as raising his hand in class, talking in a group, or giving a presentation), or has specific fears (such as fear of the dark to the point that he cannot sleep alone at night), they may be experiencing anxiety. In children, depression commonly presents as frequent periods of irritability (as opposed to prolonged periods of sadness). Depressed children also often experience difficulties with eating or sleeping, appear tired, and seem to have low self-esteem. Sometimes, anxiety or depression occurs secondary to another challenge. For instance, a child with a learning disorder or ADHD may begin to feel anxious or sad about his or her performance in school. It is important that anxiety and depression are identified and properly treated when they begin to impact a child's quality of life.

Occupational therapy is based on the philosophy of maintaining activities of daily living. By working with an occupational therapist, your child is improving their abilities to interact with his/her environment, in which play and/or school would be considered their occupation.

A child therapy session often feels interactive, involving play and activities. While children should clearly understand that they are meeting with a doctor (an expert in feelings), they should also anticipate that the time together can be fun, creative and warm. Children should understand the reason for beginning therapy. It may be that the aim is to understand emotions more deeply, or address a specific transition or difficulty. This should be named to minimize confusion. The set up of the first appointment (that the child attends) generally begins with child and parent(s) together in the room. This generally transitions into an opportunity for the child and clinician to meet and begin the process of building a relationship. Therapy can be parent-child, family, or individual. Establishing the objectives of therapy will inform which modality is utilized. Over time, attending therapy appointments becomes more comfortable.

As for the testing process describing the assessment to a young child can be explained in a variety of ways, this may be a good example (best practice -modifying it to use your own words and to fit the developmental age of your child): “On Thursday, we are taking you to see someone who is going to help us understand more about how you learn. You will do a lot of different things with the doctor, some of the things will be more like games, and some will be more like the things you do in school, like reading and writing and math. It’s going to be fun, and you’ll get to show the doctor what a hard worker you are and how much you’ve learned in school.”

​Psychoeducational testing is appropriate when you are unsure of what type of learning environment would be best for your child, if your child shows early signs of giftedness, academic, behavioral, or social difficulties, or if your child’s teacher recommends an evaluation.

Evaluation results are protected by HIPAA and confidential. No information will be shared with your child’s school without your written consent. For many referral questions, it is important that the doctor be allowed to gather information from your child’s teachers; however, you must provide written consent for the teachers to be contacted and for any information to be shared when the evaluation is complete. If you have specific questions about this or are concerned about confidentiality, please discuss this with the doctor during the first appointment.

We recommend setting up a one-hour consultation with the doctor. This will allow you to meet the provider administering the tests and discuss your options. After this appointment you may choose what you feel the next step should be for you/your child. There is NO obligation to go forward with an evaluation after this initial meeting.

Prior to the testing appointment, please make sure your child gets an adequate night’s sleep, and make sure your child eats a good breakfast on the day of testing. Make sure to bring your child’s glasses, hearing aid, or any other prescribed device they use. If your child is prescribed psychotropic medication, check with the psychologist and the prescribing physician beforehand to coordinate dosage and administration time, or plan to administer medication as normally prescribed. If your child has had school testing, an individual education plan (IEP), or has related medical records or other previous evaluations, please send copies or bring these records to the evaluation. The appointment length varies depending on the type of testing being completed, as well as the child’s age and behavior. Parents are not typically in the room during testing (aside from some assessments for our toddler-age clients/patients).

Staying during testing is generally not advisable or necessary. Children behave differently when they are with their parents, and this can impact the testing results in unpredictable ways. Our doctor is experienced with working with anxious children and is able to build rapport with all kinds of kids. If you would like to stay, you may do so in the lobby area outside the testing space in case your child needs you during the evaluation. If you have specific concerns about your child’s anxiety or ability to tolerate testing, please discuss these concerns with the doctor ahead of time.

The general recommendation is every three years, in order to update 504/IEP accommodations. Sometimes the frequency needs to be modified if there is a change in your child’s academic functioning. Alternatively, if your child is doing well in school with the accommodations that are in place, repeat testing can be pushed back. For standardized/high-stakes testing accommodations, testing needs to have been completed within three years of the date of the exam. More information about the requirements for requesting high-stakes testing accommodations is available at the following links:

ACT, Policy for Documentation

SAT, Students with Disabilities – Steps To Receive Test Accommodations

GRE, Accommodations for Test Takers with Disabilities or Health-Related Needs

MCAT, Exam with Accommodations

LSAC, Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities

​Yes, though this would not be included in the cost of the evaluation​ but as an additional advocacy service​. ​It is often helpful to have ​the doctor present at your child’s 504/IEP meeting to explain her findings and advocate for appropriate accommodations and/or services for your child. ​ ​The presence of a third party advocate is often effective in making sure your child’s teachers and school administrators understand your child’s specific needs and the importance of consistency in his/her accommodations.

​In order to obtain an IEE, you simply need to write a short letter to your school administration and/or Special Education Director stating that you disagree with the school district’s evaluation and are requesting an IEE. You can find sample IEE request letters on the internet if you search for "sample IEE letters." If you are requesting more than one type of IEE (e.g., psychoeducational and speech), you will need to delineate that you are requesting an IEE for both in your letter. Once the district approves your request, which should take no more than 5 days, you simply need to inform them which professional agency you will be using as your IEE provider. Next, complete our Client Forms, which are available online and through email upon request. Note: The district is required to provide you with a list of professional IEE providers, however, you do not have to select a provider from the district's list; you may choose any qualified professional.​