Summit Center
Community SubscriberEducational and Neuropsychological Assessments, Consultation, and Treatment for Children, Adults, and Families
Is your child having trouble at school, home, or with peers? We specialize in helping students with complex learning profiles and differences, including kids who may be gifted, and those who might be both gifted and have challenges (also known as twice-exceptional or 2e). We provide formal evaluations of strengths and challenges, and offer specific strategies and recommendations to guide your child’s growth and development. Our team of professionals has expertise in the areas of learning, processing, emotional, behavioral, and developmental issues. We also work with teens, adults, and families.
Offices in Walnut Creek and Torrance, California
Parent Q&A
Parent Reviews
Parents, please Sign in to post a review on this page.Our child's anxiety was exacerbated, it seems, at the Summit Center, so I would not recommend them at all. CBT/DBT/family systems therapy--all these things might help more than going to Summit. (I thought they were anxiety/worry experts but for our kid it was harmful, we didn't even know not to try to reason with him when he went into a spin ruminating...we'd patiently discuss with him at all hours, for hours, and we later learned that was not helpful to him!) There is so much disagreement in these fields, it seems, it would be good to keep a close eye on whatever people suggest as some will try to just throw drugs at your kid--they have a hammer and every kid is a nail.
Recommending Dr. Lisa White at Summit Center: https://summitcenter.us/services/school-consultation-services/
We got her help last year to narrow in on best options for where to apply for one of our kids. It was extremely useful to already have in hand an extensive neuropsych evaluation report, and to have already done a bunch of thinking and research on area schools, because we wanted to squeeze her thoughts into a one-hour consult. However, I imagine that she could also walk a family more slowly through the process and that even sans evaluation, if you know your kid well, she could assist!
We were very happy working with psychologist Amy Parlin Feldman at Summit Center (in Walnut Creek). She did a neuropsych last year for my kid who was 8 at the time. I found her, and the whole org, very ND-affirming and non-pathologizing. She wrote a thoughtful, lengthy report and was super responsive and supportive and sensitive through follow-up conversations and through the process. She knew how to engage kiddo right away and put him at ease, and was nuanced in sussing out his autism among other traits, when in it wasn't clear right away (and was denied in the past).
In the long list of recommendations, it is true that social classes were listed, and those can I guess be quite behavioral depending where you go, but we weren't interested and didn't pursue them.
Summit Center has a particular expertise in serving and supporting 2e folks, if that's useful to you. (It's also very $$, but in our case it was very worth it.)
we just talked to someone at Summit Center. It's expensive but she said her next availability is in mid June for a test. So I'd contact them and see who has the earliest available date there.
The Summit Center in Walnut Creek specializes in gifted and 2E kids. They did full neuropsych evaluations for both of mine, one of whom is a particularly complex 2E guy. I felt very confident that they were really able to tease apart all of the different things that could be going on and zero in on what supports would be helpful. They were also wonderful to work with; we've gone back to them a few times over the years as different issues have come up, and they've always been so helpful and encouraging. Best of luck to you!
Hi,
Summit Center in Walnut Creek has multiple services for teens with varied struggles (emotional and academic) . I heard about it as an alternative to simple homework support when I was looking for support for my teenage son. At the time, we went to the Ann Martin Center, because it was closer. The Ann Martin center has since closed.
I'll put in a pitch for the Summit Center. They evaluated both are kids, while I can't promise affordability or speed, I will say they know a ton about anxiety and ADHD. They'll also make sure to focus on your child's strengths as well as what might be holding them back. In the meantime, you might take a look at Dan Peter's book (he runs Summit) on children and anxiety called "The Worry Monster." The approaches in it were very helpful to us. Also we found address our daughter's learning differences really reduced her anxiety.
We had a great experience with the Summit Center in Walnut Creek. They specialize in issues that concern gifted kids, including those with learning issues, ADHD, etc. (“twice exceptional”— 2E, as they say). Many gifted kids are very sensitive, intuitive, and are big “feelers.” They can consequently suffer from intense anxiety and/or depression.
Summit Center has a number of services, including testing and therapy (including educational therapy). https://summitcenter.us/services/educational-therapy/
You can reach them at (925) 939-7500. Good luck!
If you suspect giftedness mixed in with the anxiety and SPD, look to the Summit Center in Walnut Creek
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Nov 2013
RE: Neuropsych Evalation for Possibly Gifted kid
Definitely contact Summit Center in Walnut Creek. They specialize in assessment of gifted kids and really understand their particular needs. www.summitcenter.us Good luck! mom of a gifted kid
the summit center is really good especially for gifted kids. they have done a lot of work on supporting kids with the developmental patterns the latter often show. walnut creek and a few other office places. anon
March 2010
RE: Psych evaluation for gifted 6 year old
We wanted an evaluation of our gifted son and used Lisa White, PhD. (she did her dissertation of gifted kids). We were so pleased and helped by her evaluation and recommendations that we then had our second child tested. It's critical to have testing done by someone familiar with gifted issues. Dr. White works with Dr. Peters at Summit Center in Walnut Creek. I highly recommend them. Kathleen
Jan 2010
RE: School wants us to have son tested - should we?
If you do choose to get your son tested, I recommend going to Summit Center in Walnut Creek - they specialize in smart/gifted kids, especially those with learning or social challenges. www.summitcenter.us
She was not able to distinguish when my child was factually mistaken about situations --so she didn't hold up reality for him, as I gather therapists are supposed to do. Instead she seemed to take his reports of events (not feelings, of course feelings should be heard, but descriptions of events) at face value, reinforcing his misconceptions, which got in the way of his learning how to navigate the world. I do not recommend her.
Dr. Michelle Freeman performed a comprehensive neuropsych evaluation of my son when he was in 4th grade, investigating learning issues such as ADHD and for math. She was great with my son, and her report was very detailed and thoughtful. The entire process gave us what we needed to address his problems at school, while also supporting his strengths. I didn't realize that she does therapy too, I believe her focus is on assessments. I would recommend Dr. Michelle Freeman (and Summit Center).