Ever feel like learning or processing information just doesn’t click the way it seems to for others? You’re not alone. Many adults discover later in life that they have learning disabilities, and understanding how an adult can be tested for learning disabilities is the first step toward gaining clarity and accessing the support you deserve. At Bridges of the Mind Psychological Services, we provide comprehensive assessments that bring understanding and open doors to new ways of learning and working.

Understanding Learning Disabilities in Adulthood

Learning disabilities don’t disappear when you turn 18. They often manifest differently as life becomes more complex with work responsibilities and continuing education demands. Many adults have developed compensatory strategies over the years, yet specific tasks can remain exceptionally challenging.

It’s common for adults to realize that lifelong difficulties might stem from an undiagnosed learning disability. This realization can explain why certain activities have always felt harder—whether reading complex documents, organizing written thoughts, or managing numerical information. For instance, persistent struggles with mathematics, difficulty balancing budgets, or challenges understanding financial concepts could indicate dyscalculia. Recognizing these patterns represents the first step toward understanding your unique cognitive profile and finding effective management strategies.

How Learning Disabilities Present Differently in Adults

In adulthood, learning disabilities manifest in ways that extend far beyond traditional academic settings. Rather than homework struggles, adults might face challenges with:

Reading and Comprehension: Difficulty processing dense professional reports, maintaining focus during extended reading sessions, or comprehending complex technical materials at the expected pace.

Written Communication: Challenges organizing thoughts coherently for professional emails, reports, or presentations. Spelling and grammar difficulties that persist despite spell-check tools.

Mathematical Reasoning: Problems with numerical concepts affecting financial planning, budget management, understanding statistics in reports, or calculating percentages and proportions.

Executive Functioning: Struggles with time management, task prioritization, meeting deadlines, and maintaining organizational systems both at work and home.

These challenges reflect differences in information processing, not limitations in intelligence. At Bridges of the Mind, we understand that identifying these patterns through professional assessment can transform your approach to work and learning.

The Hidden Impact of Undiagnosed Learning Disabilities

When learning disabilities remain unidentified in adulthood, the consequences extend throughout personal and professional life:

• Diminished Self-Confidence: Years of unexplained struggles can erode self-esteem and create persistent feelings of inadequacy
• Professional Limitations: Unaddressed challenges may restrict career advancement, limit job satisfaction, and increase workplace stress
• Educational Barriers: Adults pursuing further education or professional development may encounter significant obstacles without proper support
• Mental Health Concerns: The constant effort required to compensate for undiagnosed disabilities often leads to anxiety, depression, and chronic stress

Without proper diagnosis and support, everyday tasks become exhausting battles. Our comprehensive assessments at Bridges of the Mind help identify these challenges and provide pathways to effective support.

Why Adults Seek Learning Disability Testing

Adults pursue learning disability assessments for various compelling reasons. Life demands evolve, and previously manageable challenges may become overwhelming. While compensatory strategies developed over years can help, they may prove insufficient when facing new academic or professional demands. Our assessments offer clarity about how you learn and process information, providing invaluable insights for personal and professional growth.

Addressing Academic and Workplace Challenges

Many adults seek testing when encountering persistent difficulties in educational or professional environments. These challenges might include:

• Consistent difficulty meeting project deadlines despite significant effort
• Challenges following multi-step instructions or complex procedures
• Struggles with reading comprehension affecting job performance
• Difficulties with written expression impacting professional communication
• Problems with organization and time management

Understanding the root causes of these struggles enables the development of effective solutions and appropriate accommodations. We help you identify specific support strategies that level the playing field and allow you to demonstrate your true capabilities.

Personal Understanding and Self-Discovery

Beyond practical considerations, assessment provides a pathway to greater self-awareness. Lifelong patterns—whether in social interactions, skill acquisition, or cognitive processing—can finally make sense. Our evaluations illuminate:

• Previously overlooked strengths and talents
• Your unique learning style and cognitive profile
• Connections between various life challenges
• Frameworks for understanding your distinctive way of thinking

This journey of self-discovery fosters increased self-acceptance and empowers personal advocacy. We believe in celebrating neurodiversity while providing practical support for challenges.

Navigating Life Transitions

Major life changes often highlight underlying learning differences. Starting college, changing careers, or adapting to new responsibilities can reveal areas requiring additional support. Whether you’re learning new software, managing complex schedules, or adapting to different work environments, assessment during transitions provides:

• Clarity on how your cognitive profile impacts adaptation to new roles
• Targeted strategies for managing change effectively
• Understanding of optimal learning conditions for new skills
• Frameworks for organizing information and managing time during transitions

The Comprehensive Assessment Process at Bridges of the Mind

We’ve designed our assessment process to be thorough yet accessible, providing clear insights into how you learn and think. With no waiting lists and appointments available within 2-3 weeks, we ensure you receive timely support when you need it most.

Initial Consultation and Intake Session

Your journey begins with scheduling an initial consultation. During this hour-long intake session, we:

• Discuss your specific concerns and reasons for seeking evaluation
• Review your educational and occupational history
• Explore current challenges and goals
• Answer your questions about the assessment process
• Develop a personalized evaluation plan

We create a comfortable, supportive environment where you can share your experiences openly. This collaborative discussion ensures our assessment addresses your unique needs and questions.

Comprehensive Testing Phase

Following intake, we conduct thorough testing using evidence-based assessments tailored to your concerns. This phase typically involves:

Cognitive Assessment: Evaluating reasoning skills, problem-solving abilities, memory functions, and processing speed to understand your intellectual capabilities.

Academic Achievement Testing: Assessing reading, writing, and mathematical skills to identify specific learning differences.

Executive Function Evaluation: Examining attention, organization, planning, and time management abilities.

Testing sessions are conducted in our comfortable Sacramento-area office, with assessments typically completed within one or two appointments. We explain each component as we proceed, ensuring you understand the process throughout.

Feedback Session and Comprehensive Report

After testing completion, we schedule a detailed feedback session where we:

• Present findings in clear, understandable terms
• Highlight your cognitive strengths and areas of difference
• Provide specific, actionable recommendations
• Discuss accommodation options for work or education
• Answer all your questions about the results

You’ll receive a comprehensive written report documenting findings and recommendations, providing essential documentation for accommodations in academic or professional settings.

Key Components of Our Learning Disability Evaluations

Our evaluations examine multiple aspects of cognitive and academic functioning to provide a complete picture of your learning profile. We use gold-standard assessment tools to ensure accurate, meaningful results.

Cognitive and Intellectual Assessment

We evaluate core thinking abilities including:

• Verbal Reasoning: How you process and use language-based information
• Visual-Spatial Processing: Your ability to understand visual information and spatial relationships
• Fluid Reasoning: Problem-solving skills with novel information
• Processing Speed: How quickly you can complete cognitive tasks
• Working Memory: Your ability to hold and manipulate information mentally

These assessments reveal your cognitive strengths and illuminate areas where support might be beneficial.

Academic Skills Evaluation

We thoroughly assess fundamental academic abilities:

Reading Skills: Including phonological processing, decoding abilities, reading fluency, and comprehension strategies.

Writing Abilities: Examining spelling, grammar, sentence construction, paragraph organization, and overall written expression.

Mathematical Skills: Evaluating numerical reasoning, calculation abilities, mathematical problem-solving, and practical math applications.

Processing and Memory Assessment

Two critical areas often affecting learning are:

Processing Speed: We examine how quickly you take in and respond to information, identifying whether processing delays impact performance despite strong understanding.

Working Memory: We assess your capacity to hold and manipulate information temporarily, crucial for following instructions, mental calculations, and reading comprehension.

Specialized Assessments We Offer

At Bridges of the Mind, we provide comprehensive evaluations beyond traditional learning disability assessments. Our specialized services address various cognitive and developmental differences.

ADHD Testing and Evaluation

Adult ADHD presents unique challenges affecting focus, organization, and impulse control. Our ADHD evaluations examine:

• Attention regulation and sustained focus
• Executive functioning and organizational skills
• Impulse control and hyperactivity patterns
• Historical patterns and current symptom impact

We use multiple assessment methods to ensure accurate diagnosis and develop targeted intervention strategies.

Autism Spectrum Evaluations

Many adults, particularly women and individuals from diverse backgrounds, receive autism diagnoses later in life. Our neurodiverse-affirmative assessments explore:

• Social communication patterns
• Sensory processing differences
• Cognitive flexibility and thinking styles
• Strengths associated with autism

We celebrate neurodiversity while identifying support needs, helping you understand your unique neurological profile.

Cognitive Assessments for Various Needs

We provide specialized cognitive evaluations for:

• Educational program placement
• Career planning and vocational guidance
• Understanding intellectual strengths and differences
• Documentation for specific program requirements

These assessments offer detailed cognitive profiles supporting informed decision-making about education and career paths.

Our Neurodiverse-Affirmative Approach

At Bridges of the Mind, we embrace neurodiversity as natural human variation. Our approach emphasizes:

Strength-Based Assessment: We identify and celebrate your cognitive strengths alongside areas needing support.

Cultural Sensitivity: We recognize that learning differences may present differently across cultures and backgrounds.

Individual Respect: We view cognitive differences as variations, not deficits, focusing on understanding rather than pathologizing.

Comprehensive Understanding: We consider your whole person—experiences, environment, and individual factors affecting learning.

This philosophy ensures our assessments are respectful, accurate, and genuinely helpful for your journey.

Obtaining Documentation for Accommodations

Assessment results provide crucial documentation for accessing accommodations in various settings. We ensure our reports meet requirements for:

Educational Accommodations

Colleges and universities require specific documentation for learning accommodations. Our comprehensive reports include:

• Clear diagnostic conclusions
• Detailed assessment results
• Functional impact descriptions
• Specific accommodation recommendations

These documents support requests for extended testing time, alternative testing environments, assistive technology access, and other necessary supports.

Professional Certification Support

Many professional certification exams offer accommodations with proper documentation. Our reports satisfy requirements for:

• Bar examinations
• Medical licensing tests
• Professional certification exams
• Trade qualification assessments

We understand specific documentation requirements and ensure our reports meet these standards.

Workplace Accommodations

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers must provide reasonable accommodations. Our assessments support requests for:

• Modified work schedules
• Assistive technology
• Environmental modifications
• Task restructuring
• Communication accommodations

Comprehensive documentation strengthens accommodation requests and helps employers understand how to support your success.

Taking the Next Step: Your Assessment Journey

Ready to gain clarity about your learning profile? At Bridges of the Mind Psychological Services, we make the assessment process straightforward and supportive. With no waiting lists and appointments available within 2-3 weeks, you can begin your journey to understanding quickly.

Our Sacramento-area practice serves individuals throughout the region, including those from San Jose and South Lake Tahoe areas. We provide in-person assessments in a comfortable, professional environment designed to help you perform your best.

What Makes Bridges of the Mind Different

We distinguish ourselves through:

• Immediate Availability: No waiting lists mean you receive timely support
• Comprehensive Assessments: Thorough evaluations providing complete understanding
• Neurodiverse-Affirmative Approach: Respectful, strength-based assessments
• Personalized Service: Individualized evaluation plans addressing your specific needs
• Clear Communication: Results explained in understandable terms with practical recommendations

Begin Your Journey Today

Understanding how you learn and process information can transform your academic, professional, and personal life. Our comprehensive assessments provide the clarity and documentation you need to access appropriate support and accommodations.

Don’t let learning challenges hold you back from reaching your full potential. Contact Bridges of the Mind Psychological Services today to schedule your initial consultation. Our team is ready to support you in understanding your unique learning profile and developing strategies for success.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is a learning disability? A learning disability represents a difference in how your brain processes information. It’s unrelated to intelligence—it simply means you may learn differently. These differences can affect reading, writing, mathematics, or information organization.

Why would an adult pursue learning disability testing? Adults seek testing to understand persistent challenges, gain self-awareness, or access accommodations. Testing explains difficulties and leads to effective strategies and support systems for academic, professional, and personal success.

What happens during assessment at Bridges of the Mind? We begin with an intake conversation about your concerns and history. Then, we conduct comprehensive testing examining cognitive abilities, academic skills, and processing speed. Finally, we provide detailed feedback and a comprehensive report with recommendations.

How long does the assessment process take? Testing typically requires a few hours across one or two appointments. With our no-waiting-list policy, you can begin assessment within 2-3 weeks of contacting us. The entire process, from intake to feedback, is usually completed within a month.

What information will I receive from the assessment? You’ll receive a detailed report explaining your cognitive profile, identifying strengths and challenges, providing diagnostic conclusions when appropriate, and offering specific recommendations for support and accommodations.

Can assessment results help with workplace or educational accommodations? Yes, our comprehensive reports provide official documentation necessary for requesting accommodations in educational institutions, professional certification exams, and workplace settings under ADA guidelines.

Bridges of the Mind Psychological Services specializes in comprehensive psychological evaluations for children, teens, and adults in the Sacramento area. Contact us today to schedule your assessment and begin your journey toward understanding and support.