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Why is my child struggling?

Nobody knows your child better than you do. Do you think that something is going on for your child? Are you wondering whether what your child is experiencing is “normal” or is a cause for concern? Children are complex beings, developing at many levels at once. They…

How Do I Know If An Evaluation Is Needed?

A comprehensive evaluation looks at an individual’s cognitive abilities (verbal and visual), academic skills (reading, writing, math), executive-functioning, processing, memory (visual and verbal), personality, over-excitabilities, and behavior. Evaluations are…

Is My Child Gifted and/or Twice-Exceptional (2E)?

You might notice that your child has advanced vocabulary, verbal expression, or an excellent memory. Your child might have heightened emotional depth and sensitivity. They may demonstrate early or unusual mathematics ability. It is common for gifted children to be “too…

Are you feeling misunderstood at work or in your relationships?

Many adults may find that they are still suffering from experiences and challenges that affected them as children. Others find they are experiencing new challenges related to finding their passion, identity, parenting, relationships, or …

Assessment | Coaching | Consultation | Counseling

Helping Children, Teens, Adults, and Families Realize Their Potential

Summit Center can provide the answers to your questions. We offer psychological and educational services for children, adolescents, adults, and families, including assessments, coaching, consultation, and counseling.

Our team of psychologists, consultants, and educators use a collaborative, strengths-based approach to work with our clients. Our goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the individual and provide a roadmap for making personal, parenting, school, and life decisions. Better understanding the “why” of a person’s behavior can provide relief to parents, teachers, and the individual, and is often the first key step toward maximizing potential.

More From Summit Center

Make Your Worrier a Warrior

With this award-winning book by Dr. Dan Peters, parents can team up with their children or teens to help them conquer the Worry Monster. ORDER NOW

Evaluations & Counseling with Doctoral Trainees

Our training program allows more clients to access high-quality Summit Center services at reduced fees. Appointments are virtual when possible, or at our Walnut Creek office.

Boosting Your Child’s Natural Creativity

Our founders Dr. Dan Peters and Dr. Susan Daniels collaborated on this book about nurturing creativity. Published by Gifted Unlimited for parents and teachers. GET THE BOOK

Latest Newsletter

Summit Center Update: The Courage to Change. Executive Functioning Support Course for parents, appointments available with experienced trainees; and more! READ OUR NEWSLETTER

Assessments

Summit Center offers various evaluations, also known as assessments. These may be narrow in scope (i.e., IQ testing) or comprehensive, assessing a child’s multiple levels of functioning (i.e., intellectual, academic, neuropsychological, social, emotional, and behavioral). Each evaluation is tailored based on the goals and questions to be answered.

Counseling

The Summit Center offers individual, family, and group counseling (also known as psychotherapy) utilizing a strength-based approach to problem-solving and optimizing growth potential through a developmental lens. Our counseling services can help clients address a wide variety of issues.

Coaching & Consultation

We provide consultation on a variety of issues such as parenting, giftedness, twice-exceptionality (2e), finding the right school fit, health and wellness, and more. We also provide coaching services for life and career, ADHD, spiritual sensitivity and awareness, and executive functioning.

Educational Therapy

Our trained professionals combine educational and therapeutic approaches to assist students whose learning challenges at school are not resolving.  Some issues that we address include dyslexia, dyscalculia, test-taking difficulties, and problems with organization and managing time. Educational therapy is not the same as tutoring. Our work is remedial, designed to fill gaps in background, understanding, and learning strategies in order to develop independent learners.

Parent Education

Summit Center offers workshops, classes, webinars, and discussion groups for parents, led by one of our experienced professionals. Groups for parents or gifted adults allow participants to share concerns and gain support from others who have similar experiences.

Are you or your child having trouble at school, home, at work, or with peers?

We offer psychological & educational services for children, adolescents, adults and families. Our assessments and counseling can help you find more meaning and help your child be more successful.

Our Expertise

Summit Center’s team of professionals offers a wide array of expertise to help children, teens, adults, or families deal with these issues:

  • ADD/ADHD
  • Anxiety
  • Asynchronous development
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Dyslexia
  • Executive-functioning issues

 

Summit Center Blog 

PODCAST

Make It A Great One with Dr. Dan

Dr. Dan Peters invites you to discover your purpose, explore new possibilities, and live in alignment with your authentic self. Each episode features inspiring interviews with thought leaders and experts designed to ignite hope, deepen self-awareness, and provide actionable guidance and wisdom to empower you to become a better version of yourself and make a positive impact on the world around you. Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, or the show page.

Upcoming Events

24

October

Human Potential Conference: Mindful Parenting During Times of Uncertainty

hosted by East Bay Mindfulness Center

Hillside Club, Berkeley, California

Event Info

The West Coast Mindfulness Institute presents the third annual Human Potential Conference, Friday, October 24, at 5:30 pm PDT at the Hillside Club in Berkeley. This year’s conference explores the journey from adult child to mindful parent, the latest in gender care and inclusion, and strategies for managing screen time and real-world engagement. Sessions will also focus on supporting twice-exceptional children, transforming parental worry into advocacy, and navigating today’s evolving educational landscape.

This year’s Keynote Speaker, Dr. Lindsay Gibson, is the New York Times bestselling author of Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents. Dr. Dan Peters will participate in a panel discussion on Mindful Parenting, led by Dr. James H. Bramson, and featured on the Shrinksrap.com podcast. Other event highlights include live music, food & drink, opportunities for networking and discussion.

Learn more and register here.

 

 

14

November

Recognizing Signs of Emotional Distress in Youth and Providing Supportive Solutions

Parent Ed Event with Dr. Lisa Hancock at Fusion Academy

Palos Verdes, CA

Event Info

In this presentation, Dr. Lisa Hancock highlights the common signs that may indicate a young person is experiencing emotional distress or mental health challenges. These indicators include declining academic performance, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, shifts in social behavior, difficulties with friendships, increased isolation, noticeable fluctuations in weight, and persistent worries about the future. Recognizing these signs early can help prompt supportive interventions and resources.

Dr. Hancock will also present an overview of how different types/levels of evaluation/testing can help by informing interventions such as ed therapy, counseling, executive function coaching, subject tutoring, neurofeedback, occupational therapy, auditory/visual training, TMS, social skills support, speech/language therapy, parent coaching, and family therapy.

Learn more and register

 

19

November

Summit Center Webinar: Collaborative Assessments to Better Understand Yourself or Your Child

with Dr. Lisa Nakamura

FREE – Virtual

Event Info

What can a therapeutic, collaborative assessment look like for a child, youth, or adult?  In this webinar, Dr. Lisa Nakamura will provide information about how this interactive approach can help one actively learn about their learning style and emotional patterns. This can, in turn, help the evaluation see the whole person and identify recommendations. Dr. Nakamura believes that when people better understand their strengths and challenges, they can enlist their strengths to address their struggles and feel empowered in the process. This webinar is for adults or parents of children and adolescents considering assessment.

Wednesday, November 19, at 12 noon PST, online via Google Meet. Free. Learn more and register 

 

In Crisis?

For a behavioral or mental health crisis, call or text 988 or chat on 988lifeline.org

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255

Trevor Project Lifeline (LGBTQ youth): 866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678