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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 Rise of ADHD in Women. The hidden struggle of ADHD in women; in-person group for teen girls; 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

6-8

June

Gifted Home Education Conference: DIY Education

Free

Live in the GHF Online Forum

Event Info

We hope to see you, June 6-8, for GHF’s biggest event of the year, the 5th annual Gifted Home Ed: DIY Education Conference, LIVE & FREE in the GHF Forum! Check out this line-up of beautiful humans who know their gifted/2e stuff, all ready to share their expertise and talk with you: 

  • Dr. Michael Postma (keynote)
  • Amber Trueblood (keynote)
  • Autumn Arnett
  • Dr. Joy Lawson Davis
    • Sharon Duncan
  • Dr. Erinn Fears Floyd
  • Dr. Barry Gelston
  • Kyla Hunte
  • Lisa Jobe
  • Marni Kammersell
  • Ha Knight
  • Dr. Lin Lim
  • Carol Malueg
  • Yekaterina O’Neil 
  • Kasi Peters
  • Jaime Smith
  • Suki Wessling
  • Marna Wohlfeld

Interactive and informal, with built-in time for discussion, this year’s theme focuses on the Why? How? and Who? of homeschooling, enriching and parenting the gifted and multi-exceptional.  Have a browse and RSVP today: https://www.ghflearners.org/2025-ghf-conference-schedule-1 

Summit Center is proud to be a sponsor, along with other sponsors Bridges Academy Online, Game and Learn, Gifted and Thriving, NeuroD Is Me, OnlineG3, Sequoia Gifted and Creative, Sierra Gifted Environmental School, and Tilt Parenting.

 

 

 

 

 

7, 8

July

Smart & Savvy Skills & Support for Girls and Female-Identified Teens

with Dr. Loraine Van Tuyl

In person in Walnut Creek (first of 5 weekly sessions)

Event Info

Smart & Savvy Skills & Support for Girls and Female-Identified Teens This Summer in Walnut Creek

Licensed psychologist Dr. Loraine Van Tuyl is bringing together small in-person groups of girls and female-identified teens for genuine connection, validation, sharing, art and journaling, self reflection, and calm centering. If your teen feels left out, or unsure of themselves due to fluctuating mood swings or social pressures, this group offers a safe space where true self, feelings, and individual needs are celebrated and supported. In fun and creative ways, teens will learn more about themselves and practical guidance on how to handle challenges they’re struggling with.

Monday (ages 11-14) and Tuesday (ages 14-17) evenings 6:30-8 pm, Jul 7- Aug 5. Early bird $375 for 5 sessions. Learn more & register directly at https://bit.ly/3FHAmOm or set up a 30 min consult with Dr. Van Tuyl to help decide if group will meet needs.

24-25

July

SENG Annual Community Conference & Retreat

Alexandria, VA

presented by Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)

Event Info

The Annual Community Conference & Retreat is truly a unique experience you won’t find anywhere else!

This intimate gathering brings together experts in the field, gifted adults, parents navigating their child’s gifted journey (while likely being gifted themselves), educators, counselors, gifted children and more—all with a shared mission to support and uplift our gifted and 2e community.

 It’s a place to learn from one another, share your unique voice, gather valuable resources and build lifelong connections within the SENG family. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and create lasting relationships!

The pre-conference begins on July 23rd with your choice of APA courses, SENG Community Group Facilitator Training, and SENGconnects with your board members!

Keynote presentations by Cally Fox, founding director of the BYU ARTS Partnership, and Julie Skolnick, psychologist, author, and founder of With Understanding Comes Calm. Over 30 break-out sessions will be presented, and a children’s camp will be available.

Learn more & register: https://www.sengifted.org/sengannualconference

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