Evanston, Illinois
Comprehensive evaluations for children, teens, and adults — with particular expertise in high-masking, late-diagnosed, and PDA presentations.
Evanston & the North Shore
Searching for psychological testing or an autism evaluation in Evanston, IL? Help & Healing Center provides comprehensive evaluations for children, teens, and adults who need greater clarity around autism, ADHD, learning concerns, cognitive functioning, and other developmental or psychological questions.
We have particular expertise in high-masking presentations, late-diagnosed teens and adults, and PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance / Pervasive Drive for Autonomy) profiles — populations who are frequently missed or misdiagnosed by evaluations that rely on more traditional, externalized presentations of autism.
Our team serves individuals throughout Evanston and surrounding Chicago North Shore communities. Eligible patients may also have access to telehealth evaluation options, depending on their assessment needs.
How we can help
Different concerns call for different types of assessments. Help & Healing Center offers several evaluation options based on the individual's age, concerns, and reason for testing.
An autism evaluation can help clarify questions about social communication, sensory experiences, repetitive behaviors, developmental history, and other characteristics associated with autism. Adults may seek answers for the first time later in life after years of masking or being told their struggles were “just anxiety.”
Parents may consider an evaluation when a child is experiencing difficulties with learning, behavior, attention, emotional regulation, development, or social interaction. Thoughtful assessments help identify supports at home and school.
Adolescence can bring new questions about social communication, identity, sensory experiences, school demands, and relationships. A specialized evaluation can help provide a clearer understanding of these concerns, including for teens whose presentation has been missed because they mask well at school.
Adults may seek an evaluation when they want greater clarity about autism, ADHD, cognitive functioning, or other lifelong concerns that have affected work, relationships, education, or daily life. We see many adults seeking evaluation for the first time in their 30s, 40s, and beyond.
Parents may consider an evaluation when a child is experiencing difficulties with learning, behavior, attention, emotional regulation, development, or social interaction. Clear findings help you advocate for the right supports.
Many autistic individuals, especially AFAB people, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and students of color, learn to camouflage or “mask” their traits so well that earlier evaluations miss the diagnosis entirely. Our clinicians are specifically trained to recognize high-masking presentations and understand how years of masking can show up as anxiety, burnout, or exhaustion rather than the more stereotyped signs clinicians are taught to look for.
PDA is a profile within the autism spectrum marked by an intense, anxiety-driven need to resist and avoid everyday demands and expectations, even ones the person wants to meet. Our evaluators assess specifically for PDA characteristics as part of a broader autism evaluation, helping families and individuals understand this profile and access the right supports and accommodations.
If you or your family has received an autism evaluation elsewhere and still have questions about the results, a second opinion can provide another clinical perspective. This is especially common for individuals whose high-masking or PDA presentation wasn’t captured in an earlier evaluation.
Convenient for Evanston residents
Evanston is located directly east of Glenview, making our Glenview office a convenient option for residents seeking psychological testing near Evanston.
We welcome individuals and families from Evanston as well as nearby communities including Glenview, Northfield, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, and Skokie.
For eligible evaluations, telehealth may also be an option depending on the type of assessment and individual circumstances.
Is testing right for you?
You may want to consider an evaluation if you or your child have ongoing questions about:
Autism or neurodevelopmental differences, including high-masking or PDA presentations, ADHD and attention difficulties, learning or academic challenges, social communication, executive functioning, cognitive abilities, emotional or behavioral concerns, a previous diagnosis that does not seem to explain your experiences, recommendations following an evaluation, or a demand-avoidant pattern that looks like more than "just" oppositional behavior or anxiety.
The purpose of testing is to address specific clinical questions and provide information that can support a clearer understanding of the individual’s needs.
What to expect
Psychological testing is more than completing a series of assessments. The evaluation process brings together information from your history, interviews, observations, and appropriate standardized measures. Depending on the evaluation, the process may include:
Consultation
Discuss the concerns and determine what questions the evaluation should address.
Assessment
Complete the interviews and testing appropriate for the evaluation.
Clinical Interpretation
Results are reviewed in the context of the individual’s history and presenting concerns, including masking patterns and demand-avoidant behavior where relevant.
Written Findings
A detailed report explains the results and relevant recommendations.
Feedback
The findings are reviewed with you so you can ask questions and understand the next steps.
Help & Healing Center takes an individualized, neurodiversity-affirming approach to psychological assessment, with particular depth in high-masking, late-diagnosed, and PDA presentations. Evaluations are available for different ages and concerns, allowing the assessment process to focus on the questions that matter to the individual and family.
Patients seeking psychological testing near Evanston can access services including:
Nearby communities
Explore psychological testing details for communities near Evanston.
Wilmette, IL
Psychological testing and autism evaluations for Wilmette families.
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Glenview, IL
In-person appointments at our Glenview office, plus telehealth statewide.
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Skokie, IL
Local psychological testing support for Skokie and nearby communities.
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Northbrook, IL
Convenient North Shore access for Northbrook families seeking testing.
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Help & Healing Center provides autism evaluations from its nearby Glenview office at 2700 Patriot Blvd, Suite 250. Evaluations are available for children, teens, and adults, including those with high-masking or PDA presentations.
Yes. The practice is located in Glenview, directly west of Evanston, making the office convenient for individuals seeking psychological testing near Evanston.
Yes. Adult autism evaluations are available for individuals who have questions about lifelong social, communication, sensory, behavioral, or developmental patterns, including adults who are seeking a diagnosis for the first time later in life after years of masking their traits.
High-masking refers to autistic individuals who have learned to camouflage their traits, often making their autism harder to identify using standard evaluation approaches. Our evaluators are trained to recognize these more subtle, internalized presentations, which are common among AFAB individuals, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people who were overlooked in childhood evaluations.
Yes. PDA is a profile within the autism spectrum involving an anxiety-driven need to avoid everyday demands. Our evaluators assess for PDA characteristics as part of a comprehensive autism evaluation and can help clarify whether this profile fits your or your child’s experience.
Yes. Help & Healing Center provides evaluations for children and teens when there are concerns involving development, learning, attention, behavior, social interaction, or emotional functioning.
Telehealth may be available for eligible evaluations. Whether an evaluation can be completed remotely depends on the type of assessment, clinical requirements, and individual circumstances.
Google Reviews
2 months ago
Everything about the process was great, regardless of the diagnosis. All of the communication, your approach, and your demeanor. I really commend you.
3 months ago
Dr. Jessica made me feel at ease throughout the consultation and assessments. It has changed almost every aspect of my life – relationships, self esteem, how I view myself.
4 months ago
We brought our son to Dr. Myszak recently; she was patient, flexible and kind and helped him feel comfortable. At first he was very anxious but she was willing to meet him where he was.
5 months ago
The experience felt validating, compassionate, and non-judgmental. I was able to reveal information that I wasn’t comfortable revealing to previous psychologists.
6 months ago
I felt heard, understood, and not judged. It totally changed my life. It validated my experiences and took away the guilt and shame that my challenges were just character flaws.
7 months ago
I was really intimidated to start this process but you made it easy and comfortable, so thank you. This was a 10 out of 10.
Compassionate care. Expert insight.
We offer comprehensive evaluations for autism, ADHD, and more—including high-masking or late-diagnosis assessments and second opinions. Supportive, expert care is just around the corner in Glenview.
Dr. Jessica Myszak Licensed PsychologistGet started
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