NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS IN GARDEN CITY, NY
Long Island
Neuropsychological Evaluations
Comprehensive assessment to better understand and support brain function with a board-certified neuropsychologist in Garden City, NY.
Messages go directly to Dr. Watson.When it comes to brain health, you deserve answers
When you, your doctors, or a loved one notice cognitive, behavioral, or mood challenges in you or your child, you want answers. What is going on? What should you do? Who can best help you?
Dr. Watson, a board-certified neuropsychologist at Garden City Neuropsychology, can provide comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations for anyone, ages 6+, who is experiencing cognitive challenges.
A thorough neuropsychological assessment from an expert at Garden City Neuropsychology offers you accurate understanding of cognitive or behavioral challenges, diagnostic clarity, and active support in planning your next steps.
Is it Time for a Neuropsychological Evaluation?
You may have recently had a primary care physician, neurologist, therapist, teacher, or other professional recommend a neuropsychological evaluation, or you may have noticed challenges or changes in yourself or your child that you would like to know more about.
Experiences that would warrant a neuropsychological evaluation include (but are not limited to):
Attention or concentration challenges
Noticeable changes in short- or long-term memory
Losing things or having trouble locating things
Changes in personality
Poor judgment or decision-making
Challenges in staying organized, creating plans, or completing tasks
Learning issues or low academic performance
Increased anxiety or depression symptoms with no clear cause
Changes in the ability to manage or understand money
Communication challenges
Behavior management challenges, outbursts, destructiveness
Difficulty interacting with others
Delay in, or inability to, recognize people you know
Navigation challenges
Motor skill or coordination challenges, like difficulty with writing, drawing, tying shoes, using utensils, walking, etc.
Why choose Garden City Neuropsychology?
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Proper training is crucial to high-quality neuropsychological services, so finding a qualified neuropsychologist is imperative to receiving the highest quality assessments possible. At Garden City Neuropsychology, you have access to a practitioner with exceptional credentials and experience.
Dr. Philip Watson is not only a licensed psychologist in New York State who has been in practice since 2016, but he has also been instrumental in building the Neuropsychology program at Northwell Health, where he now serves as Director of Neuropsychology for Behavioral Health services.
In addition to these professional achievements, he has also completed board certification in Clinical Neuropsychology through the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN), a specialty board of the American Board of Professional Psychology.
Less than 3% of psychologists in the US have attained board certification. It is a rigorous peer review process that examines credentials and casework, and requires exhaustive written and oral examination. Board certification acknowledges, via professional peers in the field, comprehensive competency in the clinical neuropsychology specialty.
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Navigating hospital systems and coordinating practitioners in the evaluation process can be challenging and can add long lead times to the process.
At Garden City Neuropsychology, you have the undivided attention of Dr. Watson throughout the process. He performs every step of the evaluation, from receiving your initial call, a comprehensive clinical intake, a full neuropsychological evaluation, and a report detailing the assessment. He personally performs intake appointments and evaluations, coordinates contact with all the relevant parties for your specific case, and provides personalized reports that he reviews with you, answering all your questions. Dr. Watson will be there for any follow-up that is needed, any form that needs to be completed, and any discussion with your care team or other professional.
At Garden City Neuropsychology, you have unparalleled access to and attention from an exceptional professional in the field of neuropsychology, elevating your evaluation experience and ensuring you receive the best care possible.
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Dr. Watson is a proud Garden City resident, raising his family here and taking great pride in his community. His practice is located in the heart of Garden City, providing easy access to exceptionally high-quality neuropsychological services close to home!
How can a neuropsychological evaluation help you or your child?
Clarifying a diagnosis
Better understanding of strengths and weaknesses
Outlining learning strategies to facilitate how you or your child can best learn
Determining appropriate accommodations and services for school or work, with documentation to support you in accessing those accommodations.
Referrals to the right professionals for treatments and support
Establishing a baseline for cognitive ability to be used for future reference
Assessing change in functioning and behavior during the course of an illness, surgical procedure, or treatment
Access to an expert in developing and communicating effective treatment plans
Developing behavioral plans to leverage strengths and accommodate specific weaknesses
What conditions can a neuropsychological evaluation assess for?
Brain injury
Strokes
Cancer and brain tumors
Dementia and Alzheimer's disease
Epilepsy
Parkinson's disease, other movement disorders
ADHD
Multiple sclerosis
Learning Delay or Disability
Messages go directly to Dr. Watson
What happens in a neuropsychological evaluation?
The neuropsychological evaluation process takes place in three separate stages: intake, evaluation, and reporting.
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Before your intake appointment, you may be asked to provide supporting information such as medical reports, previous diagnostic evaluation, and notes from people you know, to provide more context for your evaluation.
During your intake appointment (either in person or via telehealth), Dr. Watson will review the information you’ve provided and ask thoughtful and thorough questions to better understand your history and current circumstances. During this stage, Dr. Watson will determine the best path forward to achieve your goals and will answer any questions about the process.
Dr. Watson may interview people in your or your child’s life to gain more information to support your evaluation as part of this stage in the process. -
Neuropsychological evaluations take place over 1-2 days, in person. Each evaluation session can take between 3 and 6 hours. Dr. Watson will provide you or your child with a series of exercises that will help evaluate different areas of the brain and different brain systems.
The tasks you will complete will take a comprehensive look at your intellectual, cognitive, functional, and emotional capacities.
The evaluation will assess:
General intellect
Reading and comprehension
Attention and concentration
Executive functioning
Adaptive abilities
Information processing
Learning and memory
Problem-solving, reasoning
Language use and processing
Visuospatial skills
Motor skills and sensory processing
Behavior, mood, and personality
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Your feedback appointment will be scheduled for about 2 weeks later. In the comprehensive report, you will receive an outline of Dr. Watson’s findings, including any diagnoses, recommendations for referrals, and a treatment plan that guides you through your next steps.
During this follow-up appointment, Dr. Watson will review your (or your child’s) report with you step by step. He will answer any questions you might have and will make sure the next steps are clear for you.
Beyond these services, Dr. Watson is also available to help coordinate support with schools, therapists, and medical professionals after completing his report, for an additional fee.
Ready to Get Started?
When you need to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of your or your child’s brain, a neuropsychological evaluation can provide you with a comprehensive assessment of your intellectual, cognitive, functional, and emotional capacities.
If you’re ready to invest in a process that will empower you with expert knowledge and a carefully crafted plan for your future, we invite you to connect with Garden City Neuropsychology today to schedule an intake appointment.
Messages go directly to Dr. Watson.Frequently Asked Questions about Neuropsychological Evaluations
Here are some answers to the most common questions we receive about neuropsychological evaluations at Garden City Neuropsychology.
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An intake appointment typically takes 90 minutes, and can be done in person or virtually via telehealth.
If it is determined that an assessment is appropriate, Dr. Watson will take time to collect relevant medical information and interview any friends, family, peers, medical practitioners, therapists, or teachers who can add context to your personal circumstances.
The neuropsychological evaluation will take place over 1-2 days, typically taking 3-6 hours per day. Evaluations vary in length based on a client’s circumstances, and the amount of time required will be clearly communicated before the evaluation begins.Dr. Watson typically takes 2 weeks to write a thorough, comprehensive report, and will schedule an appointment with you to review that report and answer any of your questions. These appointments can take an average of 90 minutes.
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General psychologist training prepares professionals to provide many highly useful mental health services, but a trained neuropsychologist has more specialized knowledge in how brain function impacts behavior and ability, which is crucial in providing an effective and comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. In the words of the National Academy of Neuropsychology:
“A clinical neuropsychologist is a professional within the field of psychology with special expertise in the applied science of brain-behavior relationships. Clinical neuropsychologists use this knowledge in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and/or rehabilitation of patients across the lifespan with neurological, medical, neurodevelopmental, and psychiatric conditions, as well as other cognitive and learning disorders.” – NAN Definition of a Clinical Neuropsychologist (2001)
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When you or your child are experiencing changes or challenges that impact your daily life, choosing to invest in assessment and planning can have long-term benefits.
A neuropsychological evaluation with a board-certified neuropsychologist like Dr. Watson gives you access to an expertly performed assessment that covers all facets of your cognition. You will receive professional guidance on next steps, and referrals to professionals who can assist you in accommodating for changes or challenges.
These supports can be life-altering, improving performance, opening up access to independence, and preserving existing abilities. Self-understanding through this kind of evaluation can also alleviate a lot of shame and self-blame. You, or your child, are not a problem. You aren’t lazy, your child isn’t a troublemaker. You have specific strengths and weaknesses tied directly to your neurobiology, and with proper support, you or your child can meaningfully change your life.
You are investing in expertly derived documentation of your lived experiences that can help you or your child to access additional support in school, in professional settings, and in activities of daily living (ADLs).
The time and energy you put into obtaining a neuropsychological evaluation today should be considered an investment in your or your child’s future. You are worth that investment. You deserve support, and a neuropsychological evaluation can open the door to accessing that support.
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Depending on personal circumstances, follow-up neuropsychological evaluations may make sense. Typically, these happen 3-5 years after your initial evaluation, but some clients benefit from a follow-up a year after their initial evaluation.
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Neuropsychological evaluations are stand-alone services that include an intake appointment, evaluation, and a report that can include referrals and potential treatment plans.
Dr. Watson provides intervention therapies such as executive function coaching or cognitive remediation, but these services are separate from the evaluation process.
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You do not need to prepare for the evaluation. There is no need to study, practice, or review. This is not something you should consider a pass-fail experience.
You are investing in an evaluation that will give you better knowledge about yourself or your child, and a path forward toward meaningful support.
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As part of the reporting process, Dr. Watson may recommend that clients work with certain practitioners and discuss medication with them. During your follow-up appointment, he will discuss his reasoning for any recommendations and answer any questions you have.
Dr. Watson does not write prescriptions for medication and does not provide medication management services at this time.