The Testing Psychologist Podcast

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Today, I have the honor of speaking with Dr. Kevin McGrew, lead author of the Woodcock-Johnson battery and a leading expert on intelligence theory, to re-examine how we understand and evaluate human intelligence. We discuss his career journey from practicing school psychologist to educational researcher. Dr. McGrew breaks down the mathematical limitations of relying solely on IQ scores to predict academic performance. We unpack his CAMML model (Cognitive Affective Motivation Model of Learning) to evaluate how motivation, self-beliefs, and self-regulated learning drive real-world achievement. Finally, we discuss why general...

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In this episode, I walk through how to decide whether to say yes when a new opportunity shows up, whether it’s a referral partner asking for screenings, a side service that seems like a natural fit, or adding another discipline or age group to your evaluations. I share five questions I run before adding anything to a practice: who will actually do the work, what comes off your plate to make room, whether the math still works once hidden costs like travel, measures, admin time and supervision show up...

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In this episode, Dr. Danielle McGeough joins me for an insightful discussion on how high-achieving professionals and practice owners can cultivate fulfilling lives without sacrificing ambition. We examine the intersection of identity, storytelling, and behavioral performance, exploring how daily iterations shape our professional reality. Dr. McGeough shares research-backed insights on gender socialization, human giver syndrome, and the burden of non-promotable tasks in healthcare and helping professions. We also address practical strategies for time management, distinguishing between systemic demoralization and burnout, and establishing clear transition rituals between work and home life using...

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In this episode, I have the opportunity to speak with Dr. Taylor Day (Dr. Tay) to explore the logistics, benefits, and clinical nuances of operating an entirely virtual psychology practice. Dr. Tay shares her transition from academic medical research to running a thriving, multi-state private practice through PSYPACT, relying heavily on organic social media marketing and care coordination to build her caseload. We discuss the practical realities of tele-assessment, including battery adaptation using tools like the RIAS-2, DAYC-2, and MIGDAS, while addressing common clinician hesitations regarding observational validity in virtual environments...

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In today’s episode, I speak with Dr. Krista Brittain about integrating family systems theory and therapeutic assessment into clinical practice. We explore how viewing children and adolescents within their broader systemic context moves clinicians beyond static diagnostic categories and into a deeper understanding of dynamic family interactions. Krista breaks down the four distinct family system prototypes introduced by Dr. Steve Finn: the Scapegoated Child, Sick Child, Orphan Child, and Solomon’s Child. Throughout our discussion, we examine how these prototypes help clinicians manage countertransference, navigate parent shame, and select tailored asse...

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Today, I’m happy to sit down with Monica Corrado to explore Pathological Demand Avoidance, also referred to as Pervasive Drive for Autonomy (PDA), within the context of evaluation and clinical practice. We discuss how the intense need for autonomy manifests in testing environments, why traditional standardized measures such as Wechsler intelligence scales often induce distress for PDA kids, and how alternative tools like the Differential Ability Scales offer a more valid representation of cognitive potential. Monica shares practical clinical strategies for ceding control, maintaining rapport, and interpreting behavioral process over ra...

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Today, I welcome back pediatric neuropsychologist Dr. Robin Peterson to explore why our field continues to struggle with defining and diagnosing learning disorders. We examine the limitations of traditional diagnostic frameworks, such as the IQ-achievement discrepancy model and pattern of strengths and weaknesses (PSW) approaches, while discussing why a conceptual shift toward developmental learning disabilities may better serve children. Robin breaks down the high comorbidity between reading disorders and ADHD, addresses the clinical nuances of identifying learning disorders in high-IQ individuals, and candidly details the current measurement challenges surrounding complex written...

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In this 600th episode of The Testing Psychologist Podcast, I reflect on nearly nine years of hosting the show and synthesize six core principles that drive long-term clinical excellence and practice sustainability. Grounded in literature spanning deliberate practice, therapeutic alliance, systems-level burnout interventions, and knowledge implementation, this episode provides a high-level roadmap for both early-career psychologists and seasoned evaluators. I explore why experience alone does not equal expertise, how systemic hygiene outperforms individual resilience tactics, and why community consultation serves as a vital clinical engine. Whether you’re seeking to...

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As clinical evaluators, we frequently encounter cases where diagnostic criteria overlap, leaving us to navigate the complex intersection of co-occurring neurodevelopmental conditions. In this episode, Sara Woods and I explore the emerging construct of AuDHD, examining whether the co-occurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder represents a distinct phenotypic presentation rather than merely two additive diagnoses. We discuss qualitative insights from community self-advocates, neurobiological evidence including gray matter variations, and the complex clinical dynamics of diagnostic overshadowing, double-counting, and autistic masking. Furthermore, we address the practicalities of selecting assessment...

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Today, I’m bringing you another Business Boost episode to highlight a tool that I’ve been using for nearly 10 years: TextExpander. Our work often involves repeating routine phrasing, administrative boilerplate, and complex diagnostic explanations, all of which consume substantial time. I demonstrate how utilizing software like TextExpander allows practitioners to build standardized snippet repositories, insert digital signatures seamlessly, and automate repetitive clinical text blocks. Additionally, I look at my decade-long metric tracking data, demonstrating how even modest shortcut integration generates compound effi...

Today, I’m sharing a conversation with psychologist and musician Dave Juncos to explore the nuanced world of music performance anxiety (MPA).

Today, I’m talking with Dr. Erika Frieze about the inspiration and structural vision behind the upcoming Bridges of the Mind Assessment Summit in Sacramento.

Today, I address the pervasive administrative fatigue experienced by testing psychologists

In this episode, I speak with pediatric neuropsychologist Dr. Jonathan Mietchen about an innovative approach to addressing the pervasive challenge of lengthy evaluation waitlists.

In this Business Boost episode, I demonstrate how to eliminate back-and-forth communication when scheduling collateral calls...

In this episode, I conduct a comprehensive evaluation of ICANotes...

In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Nancy Mather, a leading expert in educational assessment and learning disabilities...

In this episode, I sit down with Ashby Martin to explore the intersection of clinical neuropsychology, neurolinguistics, and language barriers.

When we first launch our private practices, most of us are chasing autonomy and flexibility, yet we frequently find ourselves trapped in what I call the accidental grind.

In this episode, I share my first impressions of Blueprint AI, an emerging, AI-first electronic health record system that introduces a unique usage-based pricing structure to the behavioral health space.

Today, I get to have a conversation with clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Alison Buchholz to explore the complex, rapidly evolving landscape of Functional Neurological Disorder.

In this episode, I sit down with researcher and consultant Dr. Adam Lockwood to explore the rapidly evolving integration of artificial intelligence within psychological assessment and practice.

In this episode, I sit down with renowned author, psychologist, and CHADD Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Kathleen Nadeau

Today, I’m here with Whitney Owens to discuss the critical financial and operational factors behind transitioning from a solo practice to a successful group practice.

In this episode, I conduct a comprehensive, hands-on review of the Practice Better EHR platform...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Megan Helmen to delve into the complex clinical landscape of intellectual giftedness and twice-exceptionality.

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I sit down with renowned assessment expert Dr. Cecil R. Reynolds to discuss the upcoming release of the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Fourth Edition, widely known as the BASC-4. We dive into the complex science behind test construction, examining why regular revisions are necessary to combat the seven ... Read More

In this episode, I sit down with Nicole Brewer to discuss a transformative approach to hiring within private practice...

Welcome back to another electronic health record review episode, where I dive deep into the platforms shaping modern clinical practices.

Dr. Jeremy Sharp (01:19)
Hey folks, welcome back to another episode of the Testing Psychologist. Today I’m doing another EHR review. I had a lot of fun getting back into the EHR review game last month, I think. And so I’m gonna try to review a new EHR each month for the next three months. There are several out there, many that I have not reviewed that have been around for a long time, and several that are newer that I would like to review.

So today we are talking all about my best practice. My b...

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Wenn Lawson, an autistic researcher and author, to explore the foundational cognitive structures of autism that often go unrecognized by traditional diagnostic frameworks. We move beyond the surface-level criteria of the DSM-5-TR to discuss monotropism and how it drives core autistic experiences such as ... Read More

Dr. Jeremy Sharp (01:19)
Hey folks, welcome back to the podcast. Hey, today I’m talking about autism again. I’ve been doing a lot of episodes on autism recently just because there are so many questions that are coming up around autism assessment and research is continuing to develop and new research is emerging. And so today we continue that theme with Dr. Wen Lawson. Dr. Wen is Audi HD, dyslexic and dyspraxic. He’s passionate about all things autism.

He’s a British psychologist, a qualified social worker, well-known autistic researcher, author, speaker, and poet. Wen is a...

In this episode, I share a review of evaluation reports from my own practice to identify the five most common writing mistakes that we’re making.

I have had the pleasure of reading Dr. Tony Attwood's work since the beginning of my career, and it was a distinct privilege to sit down with him to discuss his fifty-five years of clinical experience.

I am so excited to share this conversation with Dr. Paul Beljan, a pediatric neuropsychologist who is doing incredible work pushing our field forward.

It was a pleasure to dive back into the world of electronic health records. Today, I’m exploring Healthie, a platform that has gained significant traction recently.

I’m excited to share this conversation with Dr. Maelisa McCaffrey, a clinical psychologist and documentation expert who has been closely monitoring the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence in the mental health field.

The landscape of mental health regulation shifted dramatically in March 2026 with the Supreme Court's ruling in Chiles v. Salazar.

In this episode, I sit down with Drs. Stephanie Nelson and Alison Wilkinson-Smith to address a persistent gap in the field of psychological assessment: the lack of a structured, evidence-based approach to supervision.

In this episode, I examine the diagnostic paradox of autism masking and camouflaging, specifically focusing on how clinicians can identify autism when a client's surface behavior appears neurotypical.