Learning Disorders
Has reading, writing, or math always taken more effort than it seems to for others? Testing can explain why and produce paperwork that schools can act on. Encore Psychology evaluates children, teens, and adults across metro Detroit and Michigan.
Does This Sound Familiar?
Families, students, and adults reach out to Encore about learning for reasons like these:
- Reading that stays slow or effortful, even after years of practice
- Spelling and writing that never caught up with speaking ability
- Math that stopped making sense once numbers turned into reasoning
- Homework that takes hours longer than it should, night after night
- A long history of working very hard to keep up, with results that never match the effort
- Teachers or tutors saying “bright, but struggling,” without a clear answer
- A college, graduate, or professional student who needs formal paperwork for accommodations
Seeing yourself or your child in this list does not tell you what is causing it. That is the question testing is built to answer.
What Learning Disorders Can Mean
Learning disorders are specific differences in how the brain handles reading, writing, or math. They are not a reflection of intelligence or effort. People with learning disorders often have real strengths alongside the areas that work differently.
Common learning disorders include:
- Specific learning disorder with impairment in reading, often called dyslexia: trouble with reading, decoding, and the sound structure of words
- Specific learning disorder with impairment in written expression, often called dysgraphia: trouble with writing, handwriting, and getting words onto paper
- Specific learning disorder with impairment in mathematics, often called dyscalculia: trouble with math reasoning and number sense
- Language-based learning differences: trouble that affects reading comprehension, listening, and putting thoughts into words
Many children and teens with learning disorders have worked very hard to keep up. By the time a family reaches out, there is often a long history of effort alongside ongoing struggle. Careful testing shows what is driving the pattern and what support is most likely to work.
When an Evaluation May Be Appropriate
Learning disorder testing is worth considering when:
- A specific struggle with reading, writing, or math has lasted despite effort and support
- A school has raised the question of an IEP or 504 plan, or a family wants paperwork to request one
- A college, graduate, or professional student needs formal paperwork for accommodations
- Tutoring and extra practice have not moved the pattern
- A family, school, or provider needs to know exactly what kind of difference is driving the struggle
- ADHD or autism may also be in the mix, and no one is sure which piece is which
Testing does not promise a set result. It pins down the exact nature of a learning difference, what the findings do and do not support, and what support makes sense from here. A diagnosis is a start, not the whole answer.
How Encore Evaluates Learning Disorders
Testing at Encore starts with the person, not a fixed set of tests. Dr. Colman meets with you first, listens to the history and the question you need answered, then picks standardized tests that fit it. Testing produces paperwork that schools can act on, whether for an IEP, a 504 plan, or college-level accommodations.
- Learning Disorder Evaluations for Children and Teens covers testing from early childhood through the teen years
- Testing Accommodations Evaluations covers college, graduate, and professional students who need paperwork for testing boards
- The Evaluation Process walks through each stage, including current scheduling and report turnaround
If the learning question turns out to belong somewhere else, we will tell you that plainly. Encore Psychology is a non-prescribing practice, and we are glad to coordinate with your child’s school, physician, or care team.
Get StartedWho You Will Be Working With
Encore Psychology was founded by Dr. Brooke Colman, a licensed Clinical Psychologist in Michigan. She trained in medical and hospital settings, assessment practices, college counseling centers, and Veterans Affairs facilities. Encore Psychology is part of Michigan Healthcare Professionals (MHP), a larger affiliated physician group.
Read more about Dr. Colman and the practice →What to Expect
- Reach out. Our reception team sets up scheduling and can talk through whether testing fits your situation before you commit to anything.
- Intake session. A dedicated meeting about the history, the struggles you or your child have noticed, and what you want the testing to answer. For children and teens, caregivers take part. Bring past school records or testing if you have them.
- Testing. Tests done in person in Bloomfield Hills, Monday through Friday, on paper and on an iPad. This is not a test you pass or fail.
- Feedback session. Dr. Colman walks you through what the results show, in plain language, including strengths as well as struggles.
- Your written report. Multi-page, with sections for background and history, what we saw during testing, results and what they mean, diagnostic impressions, and recommendations.
The recommendations read like a roadmap: strategies for learning and daily life, accommodations where they fit, and paperwork you can share with a school, college, or testing board. Reports are written to stay useful after the appointment is over.
Learning disorder evaluations at Encore are private pay only. Accommodations evaluations, including those addressing a learning disorder, are billed separately; see Testing Accommodations Evaluations. Superbills are provided on request for clients seeking out-of-network reimbursement. Reach out about current fees, and see Fees and Insurance for how payment works.
If you are a physician, school, or care team making a referral, see For Providers.
Common Questions
- Is a learning disorder a sign of low intelligence?
- No. Learning disorders are specific differences in how the brain handles certain kinds of work. They are not a reflection of intelligence or effort. Many people with learning disorders have real strengths alongside the areas that work differently.
- Will the evaluation produce documentation for school?
- Yes. Testing pins down the exact nature of the learning difference and produces paperwork that schools can act on, whether for an IEP, a 504 plan, or accommodations at the college level.
- Does insurance cover learning disorder evaluations?
- At Encore, learning disorder evaluations are private pay only. Accommodations evaluations are billed separately; see Testing Accommodations Evaluations. Superbills are provided on request if you want to seek out-of-network reimbursement. Reach out and we will walk you through fees and payment before you commit to anything.
- Can adults and college students be evaluated?
- Yes. Encore evaluates children, teens, and adults, including college, graduate, and professional students who need paperwork for school or testing-board accommodations.
Contact Us
Encore Psychology is located at 33 Bloomfield Hills Parkway, Suite 225, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304, with testing available Monday through Friday. Telehealth testing is available to eligible adults through PSYPACT (the interstate telehealth compact) in 40 states.
Reach out when you are ready. Our reception team will set up a time and walk you through what comes next.
Get StartedRelated Conditions
- ADHD, which affects attention and follow-through and often shows up alongside learning differences
- Autism, which shapes how a person connects, senses, and takes in the world
- Memory and Cognitive Concerns, which cover changes in memory, focus, and thinking in adults
Reviewed by Dr. Brooke Colman, licensed Clinical Psychologist (Michigan). Last reviewed August 17, 2026.
This page is general information about learning disorders and learning disorder testing. It is not medical or psychological advice, not a diagnosis, and not a substitute for care from a qualified provider. If you have questions about learning for yourself or your child, reach out to us or to your child’s school or physician.
A first conversation, on your terms.
Reach out by phone or message. We return inquiries within one to two business days.