Assessment and Consultation | Jordana Waxman Psy 3

Assessment and Consultation Services

Diagnostic Assessment

Dr. Waxman offers comprehensive psychological assessments for children and adolescents to better understand their emotional, behavioural, and mental health needs. These assessments are not focused on learning or academic testing (psychoeducational assessment), but rather on gaining a holistic, biopsychosocial understanding of a child’s current challenges.

Assessments may explore concerns such as mood, anxiety, attention, emotion regulation, and other mental health difficulties. They may also consider how physical health conditions, medical treatments, or health-related behaviours are influencing psychological well-being. Depending on the child’s needs, the assessment may draw on clinical psychology, health psychology, or a combination of both.

The goal is to clarify diagnoses, identify contributing psychological and health-related factors, and guide next steps in care.

Each assessment includes:

A thorough clinical interview and standardized questionnaire measures.
Collaboration with caregivers and, when appropriate, educators or other healthcare providers.
A detailed report outlining any mental health diagnoses.
Evidence-based treatment recommendations tailored to mental health, school, and healthcare settings.

This process helps families and care teams better understand a child’s needs and determine the most effective supports moving forward.

Consultation

Consultation services provide an initial opportunity to explore the emotional, behavioural, and mental health concerns of children and youth in collaboration with their caregivers. These sessions are designed to help families begin the process of understanding what supports may be most helpful, without the depth or formality of a comprehensive psychological assessment.

Depending on the child or youth’s needs, consultations may draw on clinical psychology, health psychology, or a combination of both. This includes consideration of psychological concerns as well as the impact of physical health conditions, medical treatments, or health-related behaviours on emotional well-being.

Through a focused 90- to 120-minute clinical interview and discussion, the aim is to:

Understand the child or youth’s current challenges from a biopsychosocial perspective.
Identify key areas of concern such as mood, anxiety, attention, emotion regulation, or health-related stressors.
Offer initial impressions and practical, evidence-informed recommendations.
Suggest next steps, which may include therapy, school-based supports, health-focused interventions, or further assessment.

Following the consultation, Dr. Waxman will provide a brief letter summarizing clinical impressions and outlining tailored recommendations to support the child or youth’s mental health and well-being.

Consultations are ideal for children, youth, and families seeking guidance, clarity, or direction in navigating mental health and health-related concerns. They can also be helpful for professionals or care teams looking to better support a child or youth in their care.

Therapy Services

Individual Therapy

Dr. Waxman provides evidence-based therapy for children and adolescents to support their emotional and psychological well-being. Therapy sessions are tailored to each young person’s unique needs and may focus on mental health, health-related challenges, or both.

Mental Health Therapy

Dr. Waxman supports children and youth who are navigating a range of emotional and psychological challenges, including:

Anxiety and worries
Low mood or depression
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Health Psychology
Some children and youth face emotional challenges related to their physical health. Health psychology services can support those who are:

Coping with a new or ongoing medical diagnosis
Managing chronic physical symptoms (including somatic symptom and related disorders)
Preparing for or recovering from medical procedures
Struggling with adherence to medical routines (e.g., medication, nutrition, sleep)
Experiencing health-related anxiety

Whether your child is navigating mental health concerns, health-related stress, or both, therapy offers a safe space to build coping skills, strengthen resilience, and feel more confident in daily life.

Parent coaching

There is no manual for parenting, especially when your child is facing mental health or health-related challenges. Parent coaching is a space just for you, where we can talk about what’s going well, what feels hard, and how to build on the strengths you already have.

Whether your child is dealing with anxiety, low mood, big emotions, OCD, or a medical condition, coaching can help you feel more confident and supported. Together, we focus on understanding your child’s needs and finding strategies that work for your family. These sessions are grounded in evidence-based approaches that support both your child’s well-being and your role as a caregiver.

For younger children, especially those under the age of eight, research shows that working directly with parents or in joint sessions with both parent and child is often the most effective way to support emotional and behavioral development. In these cases, you play a central role in the process, and I’m here to support you in that role.

My Approach