FAQ – For Attorneys

If you are an immigration attorney, here are some common questions you may have about working with a mental health clinician

What is a psychological evaluation?

A psychological evaluation is a summary of a person’s life, similar to a snapshot of one’s life augmented with psychological testing. The results are written in a comprehensive report that includes a summary of all topics discussed during the appointment, tests results and interpretation, a diagnosis (if any), and recommendations.

What type of evaluations do you provide?

I can conduct general psychological evaluations to clarify a diagnosis. Psychological evaluations are also available for the following types of immigration cases: Hardship Waivers, Cancellation of Removal, Asylum, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)/Spousal Abuse, U-visas, and T-visas.

When will my client’s report be ready?

Reports are completed two weeks after the date of the client’s last appointment. In urgent cases, the report can be completed in a shorter period of time for an expedited fee.

Can you provide the attorney with a draft of the evaluation to review?

Yes, a draft of the evaluation can be sent to the attorney for review and feedback.

How do I refer my clients to you?

Future clients can request an appointment using the appointment form at the bottom of every page of this website titled “Request an Appointment.” They can also send an email to valeria@gardeniapsych.com or call (512) 333-1673. With informed consent, the attorney can also provide the clinician with the client’s contact information. The clinician will reach out to the client and make the appointment.

Where can you see clients?

I’m a Licensed Psychological Associate with Independent Practice (LPA TX#38354) in the state of Texas. This means that I can see clients all across the state. At this time, I am only offering services virtually throughout the state of Texas.

What is a licensed psychological associate?

In order to be a licensed psychological associate, a mental health clinician must (1) have a graduate degree in psychology, consisting of at least sixty semester credit hours; (2) demonstrate proof of graduate level coursework; (3) have six semester credit hours of practicum, internship, or other structured experience within the graduate degree program while under the supervision of a licensed psychologist; (4) have passed of the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP); and (5) have passed the Jurisprudence Examination. In addition, a mental health clinician must have a minimum of 3,000 hours of post-graduate degree-supervised experience by a licensed psychologist to be considered an independent practice authority. Additional information regarding education and training can be found here.

Do you speak any other languages?

I’m Latina. I was born and partially raised in Mexico, and my native language is Spanish. I received my formal education in the United States and provide services in English and Spanish. The completed evaluation, however, will only be provided in English.