How to choose a NEUROPSYCH?

This is Seth from SethPerler.com. I am an education coach and executive function coach from Boulder, Colorado, and I’m here today to talk a little bit about neuropsychologists.

First of all, I want to say that I love neuropsychologists. I think they serve a very important role, and I know some of them locally.

What I think they’re really amazing for is that they cast a very wide net when they evaluate kids.

If you’re not familiar with neuropsychologists, here’s basically what happens:

If you’re concerned about your child and want to figure out what’s going on, you can go to a neuropsychologist. They perform an exhaustive battery of tests, usually over the course of a couple of days. They really get to know your child and can pinpoint things that are often difficult to identify.

The goal is to better understand your child so that you can support them more effectively and help them have a better future.

A neuropsychological evaluation can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 or more.

The reason I’m making this video is because I was having breakfast with an old client—a parent and friend of mine—and she told me they had gone through a neuropsychological evaluation.

She said:

“We paid $3,000 to find out that he was a narcissist, and we already knew that. We could have told them that for free.”

That made me laugh, but it also highlights an important issue.

Sometimes parents walk away from a neuropsychological evaluation feeling like it was a complete game changer.

Other times, they walk away feeling like it wasn’t worth the money.

So in this video, I want to share the single most important thing I think you should do when you’re looking for a neuropsychologist.

If you’re considering an evaluation and you’re calling neuropsychologists in your area, you’ll naturally look for someone who is reputable.

That’s fine.

But just because someone is well-known doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll meet your family’s needs.

Likewise, don’t assume that someone newer to the field won’t be effective. In some cases, they may even be better than someone who’s been practicing for years.

It really depends on the connection you have with that person and how well they communicate with you.

My #1 Tip for Choosing a Neuropsychologist

My number one piece of advice is this:

Ask them what they do after the evaluation is completed.

Let me explain why.

What I’ve seen over and over is that parents spend $2,000–$3,000 on an evaluation. Then they sit down with the neuropsychologist afterward for a brief review.

The neuropsychologist starts using technical language that the family isn’t familiar with.

Meanwhile, the parents’ heads are spinning.

They’re hearing all this information about test results, diagnoses, cognitive profiles, processing speeds, executive functioning, and various scores—but they don’t fully understand what any of it means.

The meeting ends.

The family goes home with a huge report.

And now they’re expected to make sense of it all.

I get a lot of emails from families asking:

“Can you help us understand what this report means?”

I’ve gone through many of these reports because families often don’t know how to interpret them.

The reports are technically written in English, but a lot of the language is really “neuropsychologist language.”

Most reports include:

• Background and intake information

• Test descriptions

• Test results and scores

• Interpretations

• Recommendations

The problem is that many parents don’t know:

• What the tests actually measure

• How to interpret the scores

• What the results mean in practical terms

• Which recommendations matter most

Sometimes the recommendations section even feels generic, almost as if parts were copied and pasted.

That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad, but ideally you want recommendations that are as customized to your child as possible.

What you really want is a neuropsychologist who will sit down with you after the evaluation and spend significant time helping you understand the results.

You should not walk out of that office:

• Confused

• Overwhelmed

• Unsure what happened

• Unsure how to help your child

Instead, you should walk out with useful information and a clear understanding of what the report means.

They should walk you through it.

They should explain it.

They should answer your questions.

After all, you’ve paid a lot of money for this process.

You deserve clarity.

You should leave that office with answers—not more confusion.

You shouldn’t be wondering:

“What just happened?”

“What does all this mean?”

“What am I supposed to do next?”

You should have a clear roadmap.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Neuropsychologist

Ask questions like:

• How much time do you spend reviewing results with families?

• How do you explain the report?

• What happens if I have questions a week later?

• Can I contact you afterward?

• Is follow-up support included?

• Will I be charged for additional questions?

• Do you offer follow-up meetings?

None of these answers are necessarily right or wrong.

The important thing is that you understand the arrangement before you commit.

A week or a month after the evaluation, you’ll likely still have questions.

You may be talking with the school.

You may be trying to implement accommodations.

You may be trying to understand specific recommendations.

You need to know whether that professional will continue to support you in a way that works for your family.

Final Thoughts

To wrap up:

My number one piece of advice when choosing a neuropsychologist is to ask them what they do after the evaluation to help you understand the results.

Ask how they communicate the findings.

Ask how they help you make sense of the report.

Ask how they ensure that the evaluation becomes something practical and useful—not just a stack of papers.

The goal is not simply to receive a report.

The goal is to walk away with meaningful information that helps you support your child.

Again, my name is Seth Perler.

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Have a fantastic day, and I’ll see you soon.