Empowering Growth Psychoeducational Services (EGPS) is pleased to partner with Classroom Matters to provide comprehensive, strength-based child and adolescent psychoeducational evaluations at the CM offices

An EGPS evaluation focuses on understanding your child’s learning needs and strengths. Many factors contribute to academic success, including but not limited to cognitive functioning, academic functioning, emotional functioning, behavioral functioning, social functioning, and cultural considerations. 

Our psychoeducational evaluations are conducted by licensed, doctoral-level psychologists trained in psychological testing that examines psychological, intellectual, cognitive, and academic abilities. Our psychologists are also native to the Bay Area and therefore understand the cultural and social impacts that may be at play. Diversity-related factors and subsequent impacts are also explored and integrated into the understanding of your child’s presentation, strengths, and needs. These evaluations can help identify the best way for your child to utilize their strengths while intervening in areas of growth, as well as the way you can best support your child. 

Our evaluations target different areas of functioning. Some areas include specific learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), overall cognitive functioning (i.e., memory and processing speed), gifted testing, and emotional or social functioning. 

The following is a quick overview of the types of evaluations EGPS offers, but it is not exhaustive, so if there is a need you have in mind, please get in touch with us so we can explore it together: 

ADHD assessments

ADHD often impacts a person's ability to regulate attention, behavior, and impulses. We will gather information from multiple sources to better understand how your child is functioning in different settings. ADHD can present differently in each person and, therefore, can have different treatment recommendations. Our ADHD evaluation will determine whether ADHD is present, identify the type of ADHD impacting your child, and provide tailored recommendations to improve their overall performance and day-to-day functioning. 

Learning disability evaluation

This kind of evaluation would help uncover how your child understands and processes information in specific areas of learning: written language, reading, and math. After revealing how your child is processing information, EGPS would offer recommendations to foster your child’s ability to interpret, learn, and process certain types of information. We aim to provide specific information that can be implemented at home and at school to optimize their learning potential. 

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

The GATE program in California is a two-step process. Children have to be nominated and then administered standardized testing. Each school district has separate rules governing its GATE program, and families need to understand their district’s program. If you have determined your district will accept our comprehensive evaluation, EGPS can assist with assessing your child’s abilities and determining whether they meet the criteria for being considered "gifted." Acceptance into the GATE program can lead to specialized educational programs, resources, and enrichment opportunities.

social and emotional functioning evaluation

Childhood is hard, and adolescence is even harder. Our SEL evaluation helps identify any challenges your child may be facing in emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, and social interactions. This evaluation can also be helpful if your kid wants to learn more about themselves, especially when there are concerns about their behavior, mood, or social difficulties. 

Autism Spectrum difference

ASD is a neurodevelopmental difference that affects an individual’s functioning across many areas of life, including social interactions, communication, understanding others' verbal and nonverbal communication, adherence to routine and schedules, and differences in sensory processing. Our evaluations can help determine where your child falls on the spectrum of neurodivergence and recommend ways to support them and help them navigate the world.

To learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment, please click here.

Dr. Golnaz Nejad-Duong attended UCLA for her undergraduate education in Psychology, and then spent several years working with children in a therapeutic educational environment before attending graduate school at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, where she earned her PsyD in Clinical Psychology. She completed her predoctoral internship at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, specializing in working with children and adolescents, as well as psychological assessment. She then completed her postdoctoral training at WestCoast Children's Clinic in Oakland, where she further focused on psychological assessment with children, adolescents, and families using the Therapeutic/Collaborative Assessment (TCA) model. 

Dr. Nejad-Duong's assessment experience has included psychodiagnostic and psychoeducational evaluations involving: learning disabilities (LD), ADHD, and other executive functioning difficulties, autism, auditory processing issues, sensory processing issues, trauma and PTSD, behavioral concerns, emotional/mood and social challenges, depression, anxiety, and adaptive functioning difficulties. In addition to psychological assessment, Dr. Nejad-Duong's professional and clinical interests include training and supervising graduate students, providing community-based mental health services for vulnerable populations, and practicing from a decolonized, anti-racist approach. She has also provided trauma-focused wellness consultation and coaching for Bay Area tech companies and their content moderators.