Start with the question you need answered
Psychological testing is most useful when it begins with a clear reason for seeking an evaluation. You may have a question about attention or learning. A school, employer, attorney, agency, or healthcare professional may have requested documentation. You may be trying to understand a pattern that has been difficult to explain, or you may simply need to know whether a formal assessment is the appropriate next step.
Shelley offers a private, professional setting to begin that conversation. Her assessment work includes private, educational, forensic, and state-agency testing, as well as ADHD testing. The first contact is not a commitment to an evaluation. It is a way to describe what you need, ask practical questions, and determine whether the practice is a suitable fit.
Clear referral focus
Begin with the reason testing was requested and the question you hope an evaluation can help answer.
Private professional setting
Meet in Shelley's Shelby Township office for a careful, one-on-one assessment conversation.
Several assessment contexts
Ask about private, educational, forensic, state-agency, and ADHD assessment needs.
Practical next steps
Get clear on fit, timing, documentation needs, and the questions to ask before scheduling.
When psychological testing may be the right next step
An assessment can be useful when there is a specific decision, concern, or request that calls for more than a brief conversation. Sometimes the need is personal: you have noticed a long-standing difficulty with attention, organization, follow-through, mood, or another area of daily life and want a more careful understanding. Sometimes the need comes from outside your personal life, such as an educational setting, a legal matter, an agency requirement, or a referral from another professional.
These situations are not all the same. A question about attention is different from a request connected to school, court, an agency, or another formal setting. The referral question matters because it helps determine whether the type of testing you need is within the practice's scope. It also helps you avoid moving forward with an evaluation that does not address the decision in front of you.
What to share when you reach out
You do not need to have the perfect words or a complete file of records before contacting the practice. A short explanation of why you are seeking testing is enough to start. It helps to share what has prompted the request, whether another person or organization asked for an evaluation, and what you hope to understand or document.
Mention any timing that matters. Some people are working around a school decision, an agency requirement, a legal process, or another deadline. Others have no fixed deadline but want to understand their options before making a decision. Sharing that context early gives the practice a clearer picture of what you need and allows you to ask whether the time frame is realistic.
A thoughtful approach to sensitive questions
Seeking psychological testing can feel personal, especially when the question touches school, work, family, legal matters, or a long-standing concern about how you have been functioning. A good first conversation should make room for the facts of the situation without rushing to conclusions or treating every referral as interchangeable.
Shelley has practiced since 1987 and offers assessment services alongside psychotherapy. Her role is to understand the referral question, explain whether the requested assessment is a fit for the practice, and help you identify the next practical step. In some situations, that may mean discussing an appointment. In others, it may mean gathering more information or finding a different kind of evaluation.
When another person or organization requests testing
A request for testing often comes with paperwork, expectations, or language that is unfamiliar. A school may be asking for an evaluation connected to an educational decision. An attorney, agency, employer, or other professional may need information for a particular process. Before you make assumptions about what is required, bring the request with you or describe it as clearly as you can when you contact the practice.
It is useful to ask what decision the requested documentation is meant to inform, who will receive it, and whether there is a firm deadline. These details help clarify the scope of the request and whether Shelley's assessment services are an appropriate match. Beginning with that context protects your time and helps you pursue an evaluation that is relevant to the actual question.
ADHD testing is one part of assessment work
ADHD testing is often sought when attention, organization, restlessness, impulsivity, time management, or completing tasks has become harder to manage. For some people, the concern has been present for years. For others, it becomes more visible when school, work, family responsibilities, or stress place more demands on daily life.
If attention-related concerns are central to your question, you can learn more about ADHD testing in Michigan. More broadly, psychological testing may be requested for other private, educational, forensic, or state-agency needs. Sharing the specific reason for the referral is the best way to determine which path makes sense.
Questions about timing, payment, and insurance
It is reasonable to ask practical questions before deciding whether to move ahead. You may want to know about office availability, the kind of information the practice needs, the likely timeline for your situation, and whether there are deadlines that need to be considered. Getting clarity early can make an already stressful process feel more manageable.
Insurance coverage for psychological testing can vary by plan and by the kind of assessment requested. When you contact the practice, ask about payment options and what questions to bring to your insurer. Coverage for testing is not always the same as coverage for therapy, so it is helpful to understand your benefits before scheduling.
Psychological testing and therapy are different services
Testing is designed to address a particular referral question. It is different from ongoing therapy, which offers a place to work through anxiety, depression, grief, relationships, life changes, and long-standing emotional patterns over time. Shelley offers both services, but they serve different needs.
If your main need is emotional support rather than an evaluation, explore in-person therapy in Shelby Township or online therapy throughout Michigan. If the main question is about assessment, start by describing what you need when you contact the practice.
Take the first practical step
Contact Shelley's office with a brief note about the type of psychological testing you are seeking. Include the main question, whether another person or organization requested the evaluation, and any timing that may affect your plans. You can then ask about availability, fit, fees, and the next appropriate step.
The goal of that first contact is clarity. Whether you are seeking ADHD testing, an educational evaluation, a forensic or state-agency assessment, or a private consultation about testing, you should come away with a clearer sense of where to go next.
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of psychological testing do you offer?
Shelley offers psychological testing for private, educational, forensic, and state-agency settings. The right type of evaluation depends on the question that needs to be answered, so the first step is to describe your situation and ask whether the practice is a good fit.
How do I know whether I need psychological testing?
Testing may be worth discussing when you need a careful evaluation for an educational, legal, agency, or personal question, or when another professional has requested an assessment. Shelley can help clarify whether the requested evaluation falls within the practice's scope.
Is ADHD testing included?
Yes. ADHD testing is one part of Shelley's psychological assessment work. If attention, organization, follow-through, or related concerns are central to your question, you can ask specifically about ADHD testing.
What should I include when I contact the practice?
A brief description is enough to begin. Share the reason you are seeking testing, who requested it if another person or organization is involved, any deadline that matters, and the question you hope the evaluation will help answer.
Can insurance cover psychological testing?
Coverage can vary by insurance plan and by the type of assessment. When you contact the practice, you can ask about payment options and the questions to bring to your insurer before scheduling.