For patients struggling with how their brain function is impacting their life, meeting with a neuropsychologist is often the right next step.
Common Reasons for Referral
Trouble remembering words and names
Getting lost or disoriented
Difficulty with attention and/or concentration
Difficulty understanding or using words to communicate
Problems with reading, spelling/writing, or doing math
Problems with doing daily tasks that previously were easy
Forgetting important information
Concerns about intellectual ability
A change in the ability to regulate mood or behavior
Difficulty tracking or understanding during a conversation
Dr. Ellison has experience working with a wide variety of diagnoses including:
Normal age-related memory decline
Degenerative dementia disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Lewy body and frontotemporal dementia)
Cerebrovascular disorders and vascular dementia
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Cognitive impairment due to other medical iIllnesses (e.g., seizure disorders/epilepsy, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, lupus, HIV, sleep apnea)
Cognitive effects of psychological disorders (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD)
Cognitive impairment due to other factors (e.g., chronic pain, dysregulated sleep)
Anoxic injury, neurotoxic exposure, electrical injury
Substance use disorders
Retrospective diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in adults
Retrospective diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults
Clinical Services Offered
Neuropsychological Evaluation
A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation helps patients understand what may be contributing to their cognitive and behavioral functioning, and provides a tailored plan for next steps and treatment. Evaluations entail a thorough assessment of each patient’s objective thinking skills, emotional and daily functioning, while integrating their unique social and medical histories. Dr. Ellison values giving post-evaluation feedback as one of the most important parts of the evaluation process, and ensures that each patient walks away with a clear, concise and thorough understanding of their results, and tailored recommendations for next steps.
Click here for examples of why a neuropsychological evaluation may be useful and common questions these types of evaluations can help answer.
Cognitive Rehabilitation
Cognitive rehabilitation is the process of partnering with patients to learn and practice cognitive skills that may have been lost or altered as a result of damage to brain cells or chemistry. Sessions will involve working together to improve daily functioning, with a focus on striving towards achievable, holistic health goals using a combination of empirically proven internal and external tools and strategies. As we are collectively experiencing COVID-19, Dr. Ellison is continuing to work with rehabilitation patients virtually through telehealth. The process will begin with a brief cognitive screener and sessions done over video call.
Click here for examples of when cognitive rehabilitation may be useful.