5 Best Psychological & Neuropsychological Testing Providers in Chicago

Top 5 Psychological & Neuropsychological Testing Providers in Chicago

Looking for psychological or neuropsychological testing in Chicago? Whether you need diagnostic clarity for adult ADHD, a memory or cognitive decline evaluation, learning disability testing for a child, or a second opinion when a previous diagnosis didn’t quite fit — the right evaluation depends on finding the right specialist for your specific situation.

At Guy Counseling Chicago, we get a steady stream of requests from clients looking for testing referrals. Rather than answer the same question over and over, we put together this list of psychologists and practices we’d actually recommend, based on client and parent feedback from across the Chicagoland area.

None of the providers listed on this page have paid to be here, and we don’t accept solicitations for inclusion.

A quick note before the list: “neuropsychological testing” and “psychological assessment” get used somewhat interchangeably, but they’re not identical. Neuropsychological testing is a deeper dive into brain-behavior relationships — often used for memory loss, traumatic brain injury, or neurological conditions. Psychological assessment is the broader umbrella, covering things like ADHD testing, learning disabilities, and diagnostic clarification for mood or personality concerns. The providers below cover both, and we’ve noted which is which.

Be sure to check out the explainer video as part of this page!

What to Expect: The Testing Process, Step by Step

One of the biggest sources of anxiety around testing is simply not knowing what’s going to happen. While the specifics vary by provider and the type of evaluation, most psychological and neuropsychological assessments in Chicago follow a similar four-step arc:

A four-stage flowchart showing the testing process: clinical intake and history, testing administration, scoring and interpretation, and feedback session.

1. Clinical Intake & History (Session 1: 50–90 minutes)

A deep-dive interview covering your developmental, medical, academic, and psychiatric history. This is where the psychologist maps out exactly which tests are needed to answer your specific question.

2. Testing Administration (Session 2: 2–6 hours)

Face-to-face testing using standardized measures to evaluate intelligence, executive functioning, memory, attention, and — depending on the referral question — personality and emotional functioning. Longer batteries are sometimes split across multiple sessions.

3. Scoring & Interpretation (Behind the Scenes)

The psychologist scores your results, compares performance against age- and education-adjusted norms, and synthesizes everything into a comprehensive written report.

4. Feedback Session (Session 3: ~50 minutes)

A collaborative meeting where you walk through the findings together, discuss what they mean in plain language, and talk through next steps — whether that’s treatment, school or workplace accommodations, or simply a clearer picture of how your brain works.

Insurance and Cost: What to Know Before You Book

Testing is one of the more expensive corners of mental health care, and coverage varies a lot from plan to plan and provider to provider. A few things worth knowing going in:

• Coverage varies widely. Some practices are in-network with specific insurers and will bill directly; others are out-of-network and provide a superbill for you to submit yourself. Always confirm directly with the practice before scheduling.
• Pre-authorization is common. Many insurance plans require prior authorization for neuropsychological testing specifically, which can add time to the front end of the process.
• A physician referral may be required. This depends on your insurance plan and the type of evaluation — some plans require it, others don’t.
• Ask for a cost estimate up front. Because fees depend heavily on the length and type of battery administered, a reputable provider should be able to walk you through expected out-of-pocket costs before testing begins.

We’re not able to quote specific rates here since they change and vary by provider — but any practice on this list should be able to give you a clear answer when you call.

Explainer Video Overview

The upcoming explainer video provides a concise and engaging walkthrough of the core services and digital properties, ensuring a clear understanding for the target audience. By utilizing high-quality visuals and a focused narrative, the video effectively communicates the unique value proposition and guides viewers seamlessly through the essential features

Best Psychological & Neuropsychological Testing Providers in Chicago

1. Greg Harms, PsyD — Best for Adult ADHD, Memory & Diagnostic Clarification

Best for: Adults (18+) only.

Dr. Harms practices at 2nd Story Counseling in Lakeview, where the assessment program is built specifically around adults — if you’re looking for testing for a child or teen, this isn’t the right fit, but they’re upfront about that and will point you elsewhere. Their adult testing menu is unusually broad: adult ADHD testing (especially useful if you suspect it was missed in childhood), memory and cognitive decline evaluations, diagnostic clarification when a previous diagnosis didn’t quite fit, pre-surgical psychological evaluations for bariatric surgery and pain-management implants, and disability documentation for SSDI/SSI applications. They accept Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO insurance and will help with pre-authorization. They do not perform court-ordered or forensic evaluations.

Location: 655 W. Irving Park Rd, Suite 204, Chicago, IL 60613
Contact: (773) 528-1777
Visit 2nd Story Counseling’s Adult Assessment Page

2. Elizabeth M. Pieroth, PsyD, ABPP, MPH — Best for Concussion, TBI & Complex Medical Neuropsychology

Best for: Adults and adolescents, with deep expertise in sports-related and medically complex brain injury.

Dr. Pieroth is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist (ABPP, Diplomate in Clinical Neuropsychology) and Director of the Concussion Program at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, where she also holds a faculty appointment as Assistant Professor at Rush Medical College. Since 1997 she’s served as head injury/concussion specialist for the Chicago Bears, Blackhawks, White Sox, Fire, and the National Women’s Soccer League, and is Co-Director of the NFL’s Neuropsychology Consulting Program. Her practice centers on concussion and traumatic brain injury evaluation, along with broader neuropsychological assessment for medically complex cases. If your situation involves a head injury, concussion, or you want a specialist with major institutional and professional-sports credentials behind them, she’s the strongest pick on this list.

Location: 1611 W. Harrison St., Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60612
Contact: (877) 632-6637
Visit Dr. Pieroth’s Profile at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush

3. Ari Goldstein, PhD — Best for Learning Disabilities & Executive Functioning (Kids Through Adults)

Best for: Children, teens, and adults.

Dr. Goldstein founded Cognitive Solutions Learning Center after two decades of teaching and assessing individuals with learning differences in both private and public settings. He holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Illinois and is a certified Illinois Learning Specialist (LBS1), with particular depth in learning disabilities (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia), executive functioning, and meta-cognition. He also frequently serves as a special education advocate, which is useful if you anticipate needing school accommodations after testing.

Location: 2419 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60614
Contact: (773) 755-1775
Visit Dr. Goldstein’s Profile

4. Nicole Quintero, PhD, BCBA-D — Best for Autism & Developmental-Behavioral Evaluations

Best for: Children and adolescents, with a developmental-behavioral focus.

Also at Cognitive Solutions Learning Center, Dr. Quintero brings a background that’s distinct from Dr. Goldstein’s: a doctorate in school psychology from Syracuse, a predoctoral internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute (Johns Hopkins), and prior roles at Rush NeuroBehavioral Center and UIC’s Developmental Disabilities Family Clinics. As a dual-certified BCBA-D, she’s particularly well-suited for autism spectrum evaluations and complex developmental-behavioral diagnostic questions, working from a strengths-based approach in coordination with other providers.

Location: 2419 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60614
Contact: (773) 755-1775
Visit Dr. Quintero’s Profile

5. Matthew Hefferon, PsyD — Best for Kids, Teens & College Students (Testing + Family Therapy Under One Roof)

Best for: Children, teens, and college-age students.

Dr. Hefferon’s practice is built around kids and families specifically — academic and psychological testing for children, teens, and college-age students, paired with child therapy and full-family mental health support when testing points toward an ongoing need. That combination is useful if you’d rather not coordinate between separate testing and treatment providers. He also works with individual adults navigating anxiety, anger, or related concerns, though his core focus is the child/teen population.

Location: 3139 N. Lincoln Ave., Unit 222B, Chicago, IL 60657
Contact: (872) 588-0854
Visit Dr. Hefferon’s Website

[See our page on ADHD Coaching for adults in Chicago]