Lisa Patterson, M.A.

I hold a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Middle Tennessee State University and have been a Licensed Psychological Examiner (L.P.E.) in the State of Tennessee since 1993. I have been working at Counseling Associates since 1994, where I perform psychological testing and career assessments under the supervision of Kathryn B. Sherrod, Ph.D. Dr. Sherrod and I enjoy the challenge of doing assessments of all kinds and select a combination of tests to answer the questions and concerns you have. We delight in finding the answers to difficult testing questions as well as responding to more usual requests. We strive to make the testing experience enjoyable and interesting for everyone involved. We have had years of experience testing a wide variety of people from different backgrounds and age groups. We enjoy receiving positive feedback from those who have a better understanding of their needs and of possible solutions following the evaluation. On the other hand, sometimes testing does not seem to be the right option for the problem or question you present. In those cases, we’ll offer alternative ideas and options to address your needs.

Child/Adolescent Evaluations:

• Developmental evaluations for infants and toddlers
  (Parents sometimes wonder if their children are “on target”.)

• Pre-kindergarten screening for four- and five-year-olds
  (Parents sometimes want to check their children’s school readiness.)

• Testing for students with suspected learning disabilities
  (Are your children struggling at school because of lack of motivation or problems learning?)

• Evaluations to determine gifted student status (Students need an IQ test, an achievement test, plus one other measure to
  meet criteria for giftedness.)

• Testing for children/adolescents with ADHD/ADD or behavior problems
  (These problems can overlap and need to be clarified.)

• Assessments for children/adolescents with anxiety, depression, or mood disorders
  (Children upset about life can also benefit from therapy or other interventions.)

• For people who are experiencing difficulties in their careers or relationships
  (Sometimes minor issues create major problems until they are identified.)

• For people who are having emotional difficulties, such as depression, anxiety, etc.
  (People who understand themselves better can change their lives more effectively.)

• For people with disorders typically present in childhood, such as learning disabilities, ADHD/ADD, etc.
  (Childhood disorders do not disappear, even though they frequently have different characteristics in adulthood.)

• For people who want to better understand why they do the things they do.
  (For people who want any aspect of their lives to flow more smoothly.)

Career Assessments:

For new college graduates who need additional help in zeroing in on the right career path.

For young working professionals who want to fine-tune their career paths.

For young adults and new college graduates with learning disabilities or ADHD/ADD who might face additional challenges in finding the right career choice.

Please Note:

We do not perform psychosexual evaluations, child custody evaluations, or forensic evaluations. Please call us if you are not certain about what type of testing/evaluation you need. Most people want to discuss their issues and are uncertain about what exactly they need. You can call and explain your issues, worries, or distress so we can discuss with you how we will approach your evaluation. Frequently, parents want to talk with us about how to present the idea of coming for an evaluation to their children. We welcome your questions.

The Assessment Process:

Psychological testing at Counseling Associates typically involves standardized intelligence testing, a test of visual-motor coordination, standardized academic achievement testing (if warranted), personality testing, or combinations of any of the above. Testing is usually completed in one day and reports are typically completed within one to three weeks after the appointment. The completed report will contain background information on the person tested, a description of the person’s behaviors during the evaluation, a list of tests given, a description of each test, a description of the person’s performance on the test, a summary of the findings from all tests given, diagnoses (if required), and recommendations for treatment.

Career assessments typically include combinations of interest inventories and personality assessment measures plus interview and feedback sessions with the examiner. Testing can be completed at our office, at the person’s home (in rare cases when necessary) or at other facilities (as needed).

Scheduling an Evaluation:

If you are interested in scheduling an evaluation for yourself or someone else, please call Dr. Kathryn Sherrod at 615-298-2329. She will listen to your concerns or expectations and determine if testing is needed. (Sometimes therapy or another intervention would be more appropriate.) If testing is needed, she will discuss the kinds of tests to be given and the fee for the testing. Once these arrangements have been made, I will call to schedule the appointment. The report will be mailed to you and you can then call the office if you have remaining questions.

Please note that testing fees must be paid on the day of the evaluation. We accept cash and checks. Insurance companies rarely pay for testing, but we are willing to submit an insurance claim for you for reimbursement if your insurance company might reimburse you.