Here’s what Dr. Waterworth’s clients have to say…
“I dreaded taking the FAA required 8-hour psyche evaluation and cog screen testing to determine if I was medically qualified to have a pilot license. It turned out to be a valuable learning experience and an interesting challenge – because of the caring, compassionate environment created by Dr. Waterworth. I’d called three HIMS trained psychologists to ask about the process and their testing timeline: Dr. Waterworth was the only one to return my call within a day, and she did so personally. (I heard back from office managers of the others after a 3 week delay). This was the first indication I was in the right place, with a professional who truly cares about her clients.
Dr. Waterworth immediately established trust and respect with me through her communication and explained that she breaks down the testing into two consecutive half-days. This approach allowed me to relax and refresh my mind before the second battery of tests, which I believe was instrumental in helping me do well.
I highly recommend you do this if you need a HIMS evaluation – I cannot imagine sitting down for 8 hours in one session – it doesn’t set you up for success. If you’re dreading the cog screen, relax just a bit. Dr. Waterworth will put you at ease, and the testing itself is just not the beast it’s made out to be. Do pay careful attention to all the instructions – but don’t lose sleep dreading the test 😉 Go online and do a free trial at one of the brain training sites just to get you in “test” mode – but don’t go overboard – you really can’t study for this test. Get a good night of sleep, eat breakfast and exercise before your appointment – you’ll be fine.
I live in Alaska but chose to fly down to San Francisco to do the testing with Dr. Waterworth. I am so glad I did – it was well worth the use of frequent flier miles. I stayed nearby at the Presidio Lodge – a 5 minute drive from her office and a chance to enjoy two days with my spouse in a beautiful location. Most importantly, Dr. Waterworth treated me with respect, kindness and compassion throughout all phases of the process. I am so grateful to have found her.”
– In Alaska
“I dreaded being tested for dyslexia, I feared the process would be embarrassing and ego deflating. However, being tested by someone as understanding, insightful and knowledgeable as Dr. Waterworth made the process an enjoyable and extremely valuable learning experience. Dr.Waterworth really listened to the leaning hardships I was experiencing in law school, and she offered fantastic advice on how to cope with, and move past the struggles I was experiencing. Dr. Waterworth truly cares about her clients, she wants to see people who suffer from learning disabilities succeed. After diagnosing my learning disability Dr. Waterworth worked closely with my university to ensure that I received adequate services. I highly recommend Dr. Waterworth’s services, she is knowledgeable and truly cares!”
-Law School Student
“THANK YOU!! I got every accommodation I asked for. I feel so much more confident and less stressed about the exam procedure now. Thank you again for being an AMAZING ADVOCATE!”
-Bar Exam Candidate
“My sessions with Dr. Waterworth have been incredibly valuable. In a relatively short time, not only has she helped me cope with debilitating anxiety, depression, and low self-confidence, but she has helped me understand where these traits stem from, how to address them in everyday life, and how to move forward to a healthier and more enriching life. Since starting her treatment I’m more optimistic, productive, and functional in everything I do now. My anxiety attacks and depression have diminished to almost being non-existent and my relationships with friends and family have improved greatly, which is something that I never thought possible before. She has also helped me drop bad habits such as smoking, procrastination, and laziness. I’m able to enjoy things again that I haven’t in years like music, art, and humor. Dr. Waterworth’s non-judgmental and conversational approach is something that has made me feel comfortable during our sessions and I hope other doctors adopt this technique in their own practices. Lastly, after every session with her, I feel exited and able to achieve my hopes and dreams and wake up happy every day. Thank you so much, Allison, for helping me change my life for the better.”
-Therapy Client
“I dreaded being tested for dyslexia, I feared the process would be embarrassing and ego deflating. However, being tested by someone as understanding, insightful and knowledgeable as Dr. Waterworth made the process an enjoyable and extremely valuable learning experience. Dr.Waterworth really listened to the leaning hardships I was experiencing in law school, and she offered fantastic advice on how to cope with, and move past the struggles I was experiencing. Dr. Waterworth truly cares about her clients, she wants to see people who suffer from learning disabilities succeed. After diagnosing my learning disability Dr. Waterworth worked closely with my university to ensure that I received adequate services. I highly recommend Dr. Waterworth’s services, she is knowledgeable and truly cares!”
-Law School Student
“Allison Waterworth completed an educational evaluation for my teenage son. While there are many people who can administer and score the tests, there are few who are able to connect with their clients and communicate essential information clearly, succinctly and compassionately. My son had been through a number of educational evaluations in the past and was not happy about another one. Allison was able to connect with him and brought him to see the value of the process. I highly recommend Allison and would be comfortable sending my friends or students to her for evaluation.”
-Parent of Teenage Son with ADHD
“What a relief to find a specialist with such intelligence and common sense who appealed equally to parent and child. Dr. Waterworth proved to be as competent as she is approachable, and our child is able to tackle her formidable studies with a set of tools that prove useful everyday. My daughter is now both successful AND confident in her schoolwork.”
-Parent of a Middle School Student
“Allison Waterworth has consulted with me about a number of students at my high school. I find that she has a down to earth style that quickly makes students feel comfortable and allows them to open up freely. Her written evaluations are thorough, accessible, and provide constructive recommendations. Allison has broad knowledge as a learning evaluation specialist and therapist and is always very willing to spend time with me discussing issues and productive strategies. I know she provides the same care and concern with parents and the students. ”
– Private High School Counselor
“Most of my life I seemed to struggle more than other students just to get decent grades. I always figured that was just who I was, I just had to work harder than most other students. Since working with Allison I know I don’t have to struggle so much and have been able to get the help I always needed and didn’t know was available… I am now able to do well and succeed without being so stressed and frustrated. Thank you Allison! Working with you has changed my life!”
-Law Student with ADHD
“I went to Dr. Waterworth for testing for a learning disability. From the moment I called, she had insights that others missed. That is what made me come to her when there were pages and pages of others. She has been continuously helpful even now, long after I was tested. She was beyond attentive, managed to shed light on why I was having difficulties even while conducting many tests, and spent every minute of the time helping me get closer to understanding my way of thinking. I would highly recommend her not only for educational testing, but also as a therapist, as she continued to help me long after I received the testing. I believe what most impressed me was a combination of empathy, intelligence, and the ability to wade through confusion and make sense of it and turn around and help me to make sense of it. I feel very lucky to have found her and felt that she actually cared about me from the moment I called her BEFORE she even knew whether I would be a client all the way through to the work that we did. I would definitely return to her for therapy and believe that she is really able to see what is needed on every level. I highly recommend her.”
–Graduate Student
“Due to the skill with which Dr. Waterworth assessed my strengths and what she advised me appeared to be the most compatible with my strengths, I shifted my career focus and am prepared to do the requisite work, including a standardized test which I will soon be taking.
I suppose there may be loads of other therapists, but if I were (and I was) someone who wanted to be tested accurately, quickly, and by a true professional who had a quick grasp of what was going on with her client, I would pick Dr. Waterworth.
…and if one considers the cost of such testing around the Bay Area, hers is definitely reasonable. Those that were less expensive that I investigated did NOT have the same level of professionalism or basic compassion as far as I could see, and their timeline for disseminating the results was either absurdly indeterminate or just plain slow.
Save money on generic brand names at Trader Joe’s, not when you are getting tested for something so important.
I will definitely continue to follow up with Dr. Waterworth in the future.
– Graduate Student
