How Therapy and Psychological Testing Can Work Together to Support Teens & Young Adults
If you’ve noticed your child struggling with focus, anxiety, or social situations, you’re not alone—and it’s natural to want answers. Many parents come to us hoping to understand why certain challenges keep coming up and what they can do to help their child thrive.
You might find yourself asking:
Why is it so hard for my child to stay focused at school?
Why do social situations feel overwhelming or stressful?
Why does anxiety or frustration sometimes take over, no matter how much my child tries to manage it?
Psychological testing can provide clarity. It can help you understand how your child’s brain works, highlight both strengths and areas that may need support, and sometimes provide insight through diagnoses like ADHD, autism, anxiety, or learning differences. For many families, this understanding brings relief, validation, and a clearer roadmap for moving forward.
What Testing Can Reveal—and What It Can’t Do Alone
Comprehensive psychological testing gives you a deeper picture of your child’s learning, emotional, and behavioral patterns. Assessments often explore attention, memory, executive functioning, social-emotional skills, and everyday problem-solving—things that might not be obvious in the classroom or at home.
Even without follow-up support, testing can be incredibly valuable. It can answer questions you’ve had for a long time, validate what you’ve observed, and reveal hidden strengths you can celebrate and build on. This understanding can guide how you approach school, daily routines, and social situations, helping you feel more confident in your decisions.
At the same time, it’s important to know that testing alone doesn’t change behaviors or emotions. It gives insight, but it doesn’t provide tools or strategies to put that understanding into practice. Many families find that pairing testing with therapy helps turn insight into action.
Therapy: Turning Insight Into Growth and Resilience
Therapy builds on what testing uncovers by giving your teen or young adult a safe, supportive place to grow, practice skills, and navigate life with confidence. It helps turn understanding into practical strategies for handling anxiety, managing emotions, staying organized, and building self-esteem.
At our practice, your child is supported by clinicians who are not only highly trained, but also deeply passionate about helping teens and young adults thrive:
Dr. Liliya Webb loves helping teens and young adults who face challenges with focus, learning, or staying organized. She works with families to find strategies that actually fit your child’s day-to-day life—so they can feel more confident in school, at home, and in activities they care about.
Dr. Marisol Beaulac brings a strong focus on social-emotional growth, anxiety, and mood, and she’s especially passionate about supporting Hispanic families and honoring cultural identity. She helps teens and young adults find ways to navigate stress, build resilience, and feel empowered in both school and relationships.
Therapy is practical and personalized. Teens learn to notice what triggers stress, develop coping tools, and speak up for their needs—skills that help them now and set them up for the future. For young adults, therapy can also support big transitions, like moving toward independence, managing college or work responsibilities, and building a sense of self they feel proud of.
By combining the clarity of testing with the ongoing support of therapy, your child can move beyond just understanding their challenges—they can learn how to thrive in everyday life, gain confidence, and feel truly supported along the way.
Why Testing and Therapy Together Work So Well
When therapy follows testing, it creates a natural, seamless path of support for your child. Because you already have a clear picture of your child’s strengths, challenges, and learning style, therapy can begin with focus and direction right from the start. There’s no need to retell your story or re-explain what’s been difficult—your child’s journey is already understood. Together, you can move forward with confidence, clarity, and care.
When testing and therapy work hand in hand, you gain the benefit of:
A deeper understanding of your child’s unique needs and strengths
Practical tools and strategies to use in everyday life
Support that nurtures long-term growth, confidence, and resilience
A team that walks beside you through each step of the process
And when both happen within the same practice, families often describe feeling truly seen and supported—not just during testing or therapy, but throughout the entire journey. It becomes a consistent, caring experience that brings understanding and progress together in one place.
Walking Beside You on This Journey
Adolescence and young adulthood can feel overwhelming, especially when mental health or neurodevelopmental differences are part of the picture. It’s normal to feel worried, uncertain, or unsure about the best steps to take.
Using both testing and therapy is about providing insight, guidance, and support for your child and your family. It’s not just about addressing challenges today—it’s about giving your child tools to thrive for years to come.
If you’re wondering whether testing, therapy, or both might help your child, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Taking the first step can bring clarity, reassurance, and actionable strategies to help your child grow and thrive.
Reach out anytime to start a conversation about what might be right for you. We provide comprehensive psychological and educational testing, as well as therapy, for children, teens, and young adults in Camas, Washington, and Tigard, Oregon.
