Psychological Testing · Child & Teen Counseling · Escondido, CA
PINNACLE COUNSELING AND TESTING CENTER
We specialize in psychological testing for children and teens, and in treating anxiety, OCD, and selective mutism across San Diego and Riverside counties.
Conditions We Treat
Anxiety and Trauma take many shapes
At Pinnacle Counseling and Testing Center, we specialize in psychological testing and the treatment of anxiety, trauma, and stress-related conditions. Whatever it looks like in your family, there is a good chance we have seen it before, and know exactly how to help.
Our Specialty
Selective Mutism
Selective mutism is where Pinnacle's expertise is most evident, refined through years of focused clinical work. We treat children who speak comfortably at home but cannot speak at school or in public, using a proven, exposure-based approach, backed by our intensive Outside Voice Selective Mutism Camp each summer.
Selective Mutism Treatment
Don't see your exact concern listed?
This list isn't exhaustive, and many families come to us with a mix of the above, or something that doesn't fit neatly into one category. Call us and we'll help you figure out the right next step.
Call Us (951) 396-5701This page is for general information and does not replace a clinical evaluation. If you or your child are experiencing a mental health emergency, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
Psychological Testing in Escondido
Answers for every age, from first grade to grown up
Whether it's a child who can't sit still in class or an adult who has spent a lifetime wondering why focus never comes easy, an accurate diagnosis is the starting point for real progress. Every evaluation uses validated, gold standard instruments and ends with a written report you can actually use.
For Children & Teens
Autism Evaluations
ADOS-2 testing from a psychologist trained at Rady Children's Hospital's Autism Discovery Institute, with particular strength in complex and overlapping presentations.
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ADHD & Executive Functioning
Full evaluations that also check for the learning and anxiety issues that so often travel alongside ADHD.
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Academic & Psychoeducational
Learning disorders, dyslexia, and giftedness, documented in reports schools accept for IEP and 504 planning.
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Selective Mutism & Complex Cases
Adapted assessment for children whose nonspeaking behavior prevents an accurate evaluation elsewhere.
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Neuropsychological Testing
A deeper look at memory, attention, and cognitive functioning for the most complex cases.
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Therapeutic Assessments
A collaborative process that treats the evaluation itself as the first step of therapy, not just a diagnosis.
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Not sure which evaluation fits your situation? Call us and we'll help you figure out the right starting point before you book anything.
Autism
Is it autism? Get a real answer.
We administer the ADOS-2, the gold-star diagnostic measure, and our psychologist assessed the complicated cases at Rady Children's Hospital before joining us. If your child has already stumped other evaluators, this is where you come.
Autism Evaluations
ADHD & Learning
Attention, learning, or worry? Often it's two of the three.
Our ADHD and psychoeducational evaluations look at the whole picture, because a bright kid who cannot focus might be distracted, dyslexic, anxious, or gifted and bored. The report tells your school exactly what to do about it.
ADHD & Academic Testing
Treatment
Then we treat what we find.
Testing without treatment is a map without a trail. We provide counseling for anxiety, OCD, and selective mutism, built on exposure-based methods and real-world practice, with parents trained as part of the team.
Counseling Services
Your psychologist
Dr. Joanna Kennedy, PsyD
Dr. Kennedy is a clinical psychologist specializing in developmental and psychological assessment for children and teens. Before joining Pinnacle, she evaluated complex presentations of autism at Rady Children's Hospital's Autism Discovery Institute. Her particular expertise is the hard cases: untangling autism, ADHD, anxiety, and selective mutism when they overlap.
Often a child gets the diagnosis that appears most obvious, which does not necessarily get at what is underneath. Most often I see ADHD diagnosed first, masking autism. Dr. Joanna Kennedy, PsyDMeet Dr. Kennedy
Find us in Escondido
Pinnacle Counseling and Testing Center · 900 Canterbury Place, Ste. 310-7, Escondido, CA 92025 · (951) 396-5701 · info@pinnaclectc.comMinutes from I-15 and Highway 78. Families come from North County San Diego and southwest Riverside County, including many longtime patients from our original Murrieta home.
One office in Escondido, proudly serving families throughout:
Selective mutism and complex autism families also travel from Hawaii, Michigan, and across the country.
Questions parents ask us
Before you call, you probably want to know
How long does psychological testing take?
Do you take insurance?
What ages do you work with?
Can testing really tell autism, ADHD, and anxiety apart?
My child will not speak to strangers. Can you still evaluate them?
What do we get at the end of an evaluation?
From our clinical team
Guides for parents
We're here to climb that mountain with you.
Dr. Kennedy is welcoming new patients for testing and counseling.
Climb on.