Frequently Asked Questions

ANSWER:

In some situations, an evaluation conducted by a school psychologist can be helpful. Clinicians at the Portsmouth Neuropsychology Center respect the important role school psychologists play and welcome collaboration with school teams when appropriate

There are, however, important differences between evaluations conducted through a school district and those completed at the Portsmouth Neuropsychology Center:

• First, our clinicians complete advanced, specialized training in neuropsychology and brain–behavior assessment beyond what is required for school-based roles.
• Second, neuropsychological evaluations are typically more comprehensive, examining a broad range of cognitive, academic, and social-emotional functioning and offering detailed, individualized recommendations.
• Third, clinicians at the Portsmouth Neuropsychology Center are able to diagnose clinical conditions, which is outside the scope of practice for most school psychologists in their role on a school team.

ANSWER:

• Familiarize them with the process: we recommend telling your child in advance of the first testing session that he or she will be receiving an evaluation. You can say they will be receiving a “learning and mood check-up” and that the clinician will be administering a variety of paper-and-pencil and computerized tasks and talking with your child about their mood and behavior.
• Allay their fears: as young children may believe they are seeing their regular doctor and may get a shot, please let them know they will not receive any shots during the evaluation.
• Rest up: Please make sure your child obtains a good night’s sleep the night before the evaluation and proper nutrition the day of the evaluation. If your child is feeling sick the day of the testing please call to reschedule.
• Bring a snack!: During the testing sessions, your child will receive breaks, and he or she can bring a snack and drink for when breaks are taken.

ANSWER:

During the intake meeting, your clinician will review medications that are being taken and talk with you about whether you or your child should take medications on the day of the evaluation.

ANSWER:

On average, it takes approximately one month from the time of the intake to the time of the feedback session. Please note that this timeline is heavily dependent on the client’s availability for testing sessions and ability to receive questionnaires and input from others in a timely manner. Reports are generally available at the time of the feedback. In some situations our providers may discuss certain aspects of the results during the feedback and then finalize the report within the following week.

ANSWER:

Psychometrists at the Portsmouth Neuropsychology Center are trained in administering and scoring neuropsychological tests. They are not involved with test interpretation or diagnosing, which is handled entirely by our team of psychologists.

ANSWER:

Your clinician will let you know whether it makes sense for you to stay in the waiting room or if it is OK to leave depending on the age and clinical needs of your child.

ANSWER:

Absolutely. Our process doesn’t end when we hand over your results. The clinician is available to talk through any questions you may have. If you need a more in-depth consultation following the actual feedback session you can always schedule an additional appointment in the office.

ANSWER:

Yes, with your permission. We welcome the opportunity to learn more about you or your child in other settings. After you sign a release form, we can contact specific providers.

ANSWER:

For neuropsychological evaluations, we evaluate children as young as 18 months to those who are school-aged, adolescents, and adults.

ANSWER:

Psychotherapy at the Portsmouth Neuropsychology Center can help with a variety of conditions including:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
• ADHD/Executive Functioning Concerns
• Behavioral problems
• Social skill challenges
• Relationship difficulties
• Adjustment to divorce
• Stress-management challenges
• Grief/bereavement
• Trauma

ANSWER:

Our clinicians utilize a variety of psychotherapeutic treatment options, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Trauma-Focused ACT (TF-ACT), as well as Psychodynamic, Solution-Focused, and Social Coaching approaches.

Treatment approaches are selected based on the individual’s needs, developmental stage, and presenting concerns.

ANSWER:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that helps individuals identify and change unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior that influence emotions and daily functioning. CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected—and that changing how we think and act can meaningfully improve how we feel.

CBT often includes:

• Cognitive restructuring: identifying and challenging unhelpful or distorted thought patterns and replacing them with more accurate, balanced ones
• Behavioral strategies: increasing engagement in positive or meaningful activities, setting goals, and building healthier routiness
• Exposure-based techniques: gradually and systematically exposing individuals with anxiety disorders to feared situations or stimuli to reduce avoidance behaviors and anxiety over time
• Skills training: developing coping strategies, problem-solving skills, and stress-management techniques
• Between-session practice: structured opportunities to apply skills in daily life

CBT is typically structured, collaborative, and goal-oriented. Treatment focuses on specific concerns and practical strategies, and is often time-limited, lasting from several weeks to several months depending on individual needs.

The overall goal of CBT is to help individuals develop skills they can continue to use long after therapy ends—supporting greater self-understanding, emotional regulation, and confidence in daily life.

ANSWER:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that helps individuals build psychological flexibility—the ability to experience difficult thoughts and feelings while still engaging in behaviors that align with personal values. Rather than focusing on eliminating uncomfortable internal experiences, ACT emphasizes changing the relationship people have with their thoughts and emotions so they no longer stand in the way of living a meaningful life.

ACT is grounded in the idea that emotional pain is a natural part of being human, and that struggling to avoid or control inner experiences can sometimes increase distress. ACT supports individuals in learning how to open up to their experiences, stay present, and take purposeful action.

ACT often includes:

• Acceptance – developing a more open and compassionate stance toward difficult thoughts and emotions rather than fighting or avoiding them
• Cognitive defusion – learning to step back from unhelpful thoughts and see them as mental events, not literal truths
• Mindfulness and present-moment awareness – building the ability to stay grounded and engaged in the here and now
• Values clarification – identifying what truly matters to guide meaningful life choices
• Committed action – setting goals and taking steps aligned with personal values, even in the presence of discomfort

ACT is typically collaborative, experiential, and values-driven. Treatment is individualized and focused on helping people live more fully and flexibly, rather than on symptom reduction alone.

The overall goal of ACT is to help individuals develop a richer, more meaningful life by increasing psychological flexibility, resilience, and the ability to move toward what matters most.

ANSWER:

Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (TF-ACT) is an evidence-based, trauma-informed approach that applies ACT principles to support individuals who have experienced traumatic or highly distressing events. Trauma-focused ACT emphasizes building safety, present-moment awareness, and new ways of responding to internal experiences so that trauma no longer defines or restricts daily life.

Trauma-Focused ACT often includes:

• Stabilization and grounding – strengthening present-moment skills to support safety and emotional regulation
• Acceptance and cognitive defusion – learning to make space for trauma-related experiences and reduce their control
• Mindfulness and body awareness – increasing awareness of internal cues and nervous system responses
• Values clarification – reconnecting with identity, purpose, and what matters most beyond trauma
• Gradual, values-guided action – supporting safe, intentional movement toward previously avoided experiences and life goals

Trauma-focused ACT is typically collaborative, carefully paced, and individualized. It is used to support recovery from a wide range of traumatic experiences and may be integrated with other trauma-informed interventions as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

The overall goal of trauma-focused ACT is to help individuals build resilience, restore a sense of agency, and move forward in life with greater flexibility, meaning, and confidence.

ANSWER:

Psychodynamic therapy is a depth-oriented form of psychotherapy that focuses on understanding how past experiences, unconscious patterns, and relationships influence current thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It is based on the idea that greater self-awareness and insight into these patterns can lead to meaningful and lasting change.

Rather than focusing only on symptom relief, psychodynamic therapy helps individuals explore underlying emotional themes, relational dynamics, and internal conflicts that may be contributing to current difficulties. This process supports a deeper understanding of oneself and promotes healthier ways of relating, coping, and making choices.

Psychodynamic therapy often includes:

• Exploration of patterns – identifying recurring themes in emotions, relationships, and behaviors
• Insight development – increasing awareness of unconscious influences and internal conflicts
• Focus on relationships – examining early experiences and current relationships, including the therapeutic relationship itself
• Emotional processing – developing a fuller understanding of feelings that may be avoided, misunderstood, or difficult to express
• Meaning-making – connecting past experiences with present challenges to foster clarity and integration

Psychodynamic therapy is typically collaborative, reflective, and individualized. It may be brief or longer-term, depending on a person’s goals and needs, and is well suited for individuals seeking deeper self-understanding, improved relationships, and lasting emotional growth.

The overall goal of psychodynamic therapy is to help individuals develop greater insight, emotional flexibility, and a more coherent sense of self—supporting more satisfying relationships and more intentional life choices.

ANSWER:

Solution-focused psychotherapy (often called Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, or SFBT) is a goal-directed, strengths-based approach that emphasizes identifying solutions rather than analyzing problems. It focuses on what clients want to change, what is already working, and how to build on existing abilities to create meaningful progress.

Rather than spending extensive time exploring the origins of difficulties, solution-focused therapy helps individuals clarify their goals, recognize personal resources, and take practical steps toward improvement. The approach is grounded in the belief that people already possess many of the skills needed to resolve challenges and that small, intentional changes can lead to significant results.

Solution-focused psychotherapy often includes:

• Goal clarification – defining clear, realistic, and meaningful outcomes
  Strengths and resource identification – highlighting existing skills, successes, and coping strategies
• Exploring exceptions – identifying times when problems are less severe or absent, and what is different in those moments
• Future-oriented conversations – envisioning preferred outcomes and pathways forward
• Action-focused steps – developing small, achievable steps that support momentum and confidence

Solution-focused psychotherapy is typically collaborative, practical, and time-efficient. It is often brief in nature and well suited for individuals seeking targeted support, skill-building, and forward movement around specific concerns.

The overall goal of solution-focused psychotherapy is to help individuals recognize their strengths, increase hope and motivation, and build sustainable solutions that support ongoing growth and well-being.

ANSWER:

Social coaching is a supportive, skills-based therapeutic approach that helps individuals develop and strengthen social, communication, and relationship skills. It is especially helpful for individuals who experience difficulty navigating social situations, forming or maintaining relationships, interpreting social cues, or building confidence in interpersonal settings.
This approach blends elements of psychotherapy with structured coaching strategies. Sessions may focus both on understanding the emotional and cognitive factors that affect social functioning and on actively practicing skills that support more effective and satisfying interactions.

Social coaching psychotherapy often includes:

• Social skills development – building skills related to conversation, perspective-taking, emotional expression, and interpersonal boundaries
• Communication coaching – improving clarity, assertiveness, and responsiveness in social and professional interactions
• Emotional awareness and regulation – understanding internal reactions that impact social behavior, such as anxiety, frustration, or self-doubt
• Real-world application – practicing and applying skills to everyday social, academic, or workplace situations
• Confidence and self-concept building – strengthening self-understanding and self-advocacy

Social coaching psychotherapy is typically structured, individualized, and highly practical. It is often used with children, adolescents, and adults who experience social challenges related to anxiety, ADHD, autism spectrum differences, learning differences, or life transitions.

The overall goal of social coaching psychotherapy is to help individuals build effective social tools, increase confidence, and develop more successful and meaningful relationships across settings.

ANSWER:

At times, the clinician will want to talk with parents to better understand their child’s functioning in the home and school setting. Such conversations may occur at the beginning or end of a child’s appointment or a separate parent appointment can be made depending on the clinical need.

ANSWER:

We offer the option of tele-health appointments for clients physically in New Hampshire, depending on their clinical needs.

ANSWER:

Yes. Protecting client confidentiality is a fundamental part of psychological care. In general, sessions with our clinicians are confidential for both adults and minors.
For children and adolescents, confidentiality is especially important in helping them build trust and engage meaningfully in therapy. Clinicians work to create a safe space where young people can speak openly, while also maintaining appropriate involvement of parents or guardians.

There are specific, legally and ethically defined situations in which confidentiality must be broken. These typically include concerns about a client’s safety, the safety of others, or suspected abuse or neglect, as well as circumstances required by law.

Clinicians review confidentiality and its limits at the start of treatment and are always available to answer questions about how information is handled.

ANSWER:

Since the type of neuropsychological testing involved can vary based on the specific referral question, so too does the cost. Whatever the anticipated total cost, for neuropsychological evaluations a deposit is due within 24 hours of scheduling, with the remaining balance due split between the initial intake and the last testing session. In your initial inquiry call with PNC, we will discuss the types of evaluations appropriate and share their corresponding costs. Clients will always be provided with a Good Faith Estimate prior to services being rendered.

ANSWER:

The Portsmouth Neuropsychology Center is a private-pay practice. Our clinicians are considered out-of-network providers, which means they are not part of any insurance panels. We do not directly bill insurance, but we can assist clients with the process of submitting claims to their insurance company. We can provide you with receipts (or super bills) that contain the necessary information for insurance companies to process out-of-network benefits. You should contact your insurance provider to understand your out-of-network benefits and find out if you can be reimbursed for the cost of treatment.

The service codes (CPT codes) for submitting claims can be found here.

ANSWER:

We accept cash or check. We do not accept credit cards or third-party online payment methods. You may pay via ACH through our online payment portal.

ANSWER:

Yes. While payment in the form of cash or check at time of service is required, we can provide itemized receipts you can submit directly to your FSA.

ANSWER:

For psychotherapy and consultation services, if you provide at least 24-hour notice, there is no fee for missed or canceled sessions. If you do not provide at least 24 hours’ notice, you will be responsible for the full session fee.

Neuropsychological evaluations follow a separate deposit and cancellation policy, as outlined above.