The Testing Psychologist Podcast

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I sit down with Nicole McCance of the McCance Method to talk about what’s actually working right now to grow a therapy group practice when the market feels tighter and “easy referrals” aren’t showing up like they used to. We dig into practical lead generation moves that don’t depend on social media, how to use consult calls and follow-up like an actual sales process, and why hiring an admin sooner than you think can pay for itself. Nicole also shares a physician-referral playbook, a “waitlist strategy” you can run this week, and a simple end-of-year review approach to double down on what’s working and cut the rest. Main Topics Discussed Nicole’s origin story: from solo practice to 55 clinicians, then selling the practice (00:39) Why practice growth feels harder right now and how coaching strategies have shifted (02:12) Social media reality check, and what tends to convert faster than “content” (03:00) Lead sources: SEO vs Google Ads vs optimizing your Google Business Profile (06:17) Email marketing, consult calls, and the follow-up process most clinicians skip (07:32) Handling “I want to see the owner” and positioning the team-based model (08:15) Hiring an admin early and making the role revenue-generating through follow-ups (09:50) Physician referral strategy: scripts, getting into the EMR, and progress reports (27:27) End-of-year review: referral data, focus, and the 80/20 clean-up (35:48) December planning: clinician vacation coverage and PTO cashflow surprises (38:20) The “waitlist strategy” for warm referrals from therapists who can’t take new clients (41:17) Cool Things Mentioned The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists Nicole’s website: www.mccancemethod.com The Business Savvy Therapist podcast: www.mccancemethod.com/podcast Nicole on Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicole.mccancemethod Free masterclass (How to Build a 7-Figure Group Practice): www.mccancemethod.com/webinar-free-masterclass-from-solo-to-superteam Google Business Profile: www.google.com/business Google Business Profile Help: support.google.com/business Psychology Today therapist directory: www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists Indeed employer hiring platform: www.indeed.com/hire SimplePractice: www.simplepractice.com TherapyNotes: www.therapynotes.com Jane App (practice management): www.jane.app Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL): ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canada-anti-spam-legislation/en Featured Resources I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice! PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com. TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Nicole McCance Nicole McCance is a Psychologist (retired) turned Business Coach for therapists scaling to a group practice. She expanded her private practice to 55 therapists and multiple 7 figures in 3 years (with toddler twins at home). Nicole sold her clinic in the 4th year and then retired as a Psychologist in her 5th year. She now teaches therapists how to help more people, make more money and have more freedom following her proven method. Get in Touch & Resources: The McCance Method: https://mccancemethod.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/nicole.mccancemethod/ Podcast: https://mccancemethod.com/podcast/ Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/947689352498639 About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call! Schedule Your Call

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I break down what I believe are the most important business trends shaping assessment practices in 2026. Rather than focusing on vague predictions or generic AI hype, I zero in on the operational, regulatory, and payer-driven forces that are already creating friction for assessment-focused psychologists. My central argument is that 2026 will not be a “breakthrough” year. It will be a friction year, where practices succeed or struggle based on how clearly they can justify, document, and defend their work. I walk through how insurance pressures, prior authorization, AI governance, workforce scarcity, and shifting expectations around comprehensive batteries are converging, and what practical steps assessment clinicians can take now to stay viable, ethical, and sustainable. Main Topics Discussed Why 2026 is a “friction year,” not a breakthrough year (00:01) The unifying trend: auditability, justification, and traceability across systems (02:23) Efficiency adjustments and why integration work matters more than test administration (03:00) Auditing CPT code mix and aligning documentation with payer values (04:45) Prior authorization becomes more structured—and less forgiving (05:30) Building repeatable medical necessity language and pre-auth workflows (07:07) Payers tightening testing policies and eliminating “neutral” practice models (08:30) Choosing explicitly between insurance-first, hybrid, or cash-pay models (09:28) AI’s shift from convenience tool to governance and risk issue (10:30) Clinicians moving from “writer” to “editor” roles with AI-assisted workflows (11:38) State-level healthcare AI laws and the need for internal AI policies (12:30) Validity and defensibility becoming built-in, not optional (13:45) Rethinking over-testing and defining a minimum defensible data set (14:01) Hybrid assessment models and redesigning physical office space (15:00) Workforce scarcity and choosing between boutique vs scalable models (17:30) The controversial take: rethinking the default comprehensive battery (18:53) Why auditability—not tools—is the real work of 2026 (20:00) Cool Things Mentioned The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists CMS Prior Authorization and Interoperability Rule overview: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/key-initiatives/burden-reduction/prior-authorization APA guidance on medical necessity and documentation: https://www.apaservices.org/practice/reimbursement/health-plans/medical-necessity APA resources on AI and ethics in practice: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/07/ai-psychology Episode on medical necessity: https://thetestingpsychologist.com/ttp-49-medical-necessity-pre-authorization-testing-services/ Featured Resources I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice! PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com. TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call! Schedule Your Call

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. Today, I sit down with Dr. Andrea Zartman, a neuropsychologist and training director at the Dallas VA, to unpack what actually matters in internship and postdoc applications and interviews. We walk through the entire process, from CV structure and cover letters to letters of recommendation and interview performance, with a frank, insider perspective. Andrea shares concrete, experience-based guidance from nearly two decades of training work, including what makes candidates stand out, what quietly sinks applications, and how to approach interviews with confidence, authenticity, and professionalism. If you’re applying, interviewing, or supervising trainees this season, this episode is packed with practical takeaways. Main Topics Covered: Why training and mentorship matter in neuropsychology (00:01:27) What makes an application stand out immediately (organization, CV clarity) (04:36) How training directors actually read CVs for internship vs. postdoc (06:51) Common CV mistakes and how to structure practicum descriptions effectively (12:06) The real role of cover letters, and when they actually help (20:06) How letters of recommendation are evaluated and what strong letters include (28:50) What differentiates strong interviews from average ones (36:29) How to prepare for interview questions, vignettes, and case presentations (48:32) Navigating personal disclosure, professionalism, and “fit” in interviews (43:05) Where the selection process is heading, including virtual interviews and AI (57:35) Cool Things Mentioned The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting Reverb: AI-powered report-writing software Featured Resources I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice! PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com. TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Dr. Andrea Zartman Dr. Andrea is a board certified neuropsychologist. She has been heavily involved in multiple aspects of training at the practicum, internship and postdoctoral level, including serving as a postdoctoral training director at Dallas VA. At a national level, she has served on several training based committees and is a past-chair for APA Council of Chairs of Training Councils (CCTC) . Get in Touch & Resources: Email: andrea.zartman@va.gov About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call! Schedule Your Call

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I take a deep dive into how natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning are beginning to reshape neuropsychological assessment. Beyond the surface-level hype around AI, I explore what’s actually happening under the hood: how speech, language, and narrative data can function as digital biomarkers for conditions like ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, and psychosis. Drawing primarily from a 2025 review in The Clinical Neuropsychologist, I walk through emerging research, practical implications for clinicians, and the ethical and methodological challenges we’ll need to confront as these tools move closer to real-world clinical use. Main Topics Covered 00:00: Why NLP and machine learning matter for neuropsychology right now 02:15: Defining NLP, digital biomarkers, and what clinicians usually discard 04:40: How linguistic, acoustic, and semantic features are analyzed 06:30: ADHD applications: narrative coherence and executive functioning 08:55: Alzheimer’s and MCI: voice biomarkers vs. traditional measures 11:30: Task design and why speech prompts matter 12:45: Psychosis and schizophrenia: quantifying disorganized speech 15:30: Clinical tools, ambient AI, and the “human-in-the-loop” model 17:45: Bias, privacy, test security, and ethical risks 19:55: The future of neuropsych assessment and hybrid AI models Cool Things Mentioned The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists Brittany Wolff’s source article: https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2025.2547934 Featured Resources I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice! PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com. TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call! Schedule Your Call

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I break down the rapid rise of consumers treating AI systems as medical advisors and what this means for us as psychologists and assessment clinicians. I walk through the drivers of this shift, the risks, the impact on client expectations, and the practical steps practices must take now. I also dig into how AI can support our workflows, why our uniquely human skills are more valuable than ever, and how to position your practice for a future in which AI shapes, but does not replace, clinical assessment. Main Topics What’s actually happening in AI-driven medical and mental health advice (00:01) Why patients are turning to AI: speed, confidence, cost, UX (01:00) The false sense of safety and credibility consumers place on AI (02:25) Accuracy problems: structured vs. real-world data in diagnosis (03:30) Why mental health advice from AI can be inconsistent and risky (05:00) Implications for assessment clinicians: confidence, expectations, and misinformation (06:00) What AI cannot do: nuance, context, nonverbal cues, effort, standardized testing (08:00) Rising clinical risk and downstream consequences for practitioners (09:12) Business implications: redefining value, communication, and pricing (10:00) How AI can streamline intake, records review, background gathering, and admin tasks (12:30) Rethinking pricing to reflect high-value human judgment (13:21) Risk management: informed consent, PHI handling, AI disclosure (14:30) Ethical limits, liability, and the clinician’s responsibility (16:00) Concrete steps: updating intake, integrating AI intentionally, staff training (17:29) Client-facing education on safe AI use (19:49) Re-centering values and reinforcing human expertise (21:00) Preparing your team and staying future-focused (22:15) Cool Things Mentioned The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists Testing Psychologist AI Competencies episode Source article from the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/well/ai-chatbot-doctors-health-care-advice.html Featured Resources I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice! PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com. TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call! Schedule Your Call

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I break down how AI search is rapidly reshaping the way clients discover psychologists and neuropsychologists online. I explain why traditional SEO is no longer enough, what AI models prioritize when generating answers, and the practical steps you can take to make your website more conversational, trustworthy, and “quotable” by tools like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. You’ll walk away with concrete tactics to improve clarity, structure, E-E-A-T signals, and local relevance, plus advanced optimization strategies like schema markup and transcript integration. Main Topics Covered 00:01 What AI search optimization is and why it matters 01:30 The rise of zero-click AI results and their impact on private practices 02:23 Why conversational question-answering is replacing keyword-based SEO 03:55 How AI search engines “read” your site: structure, clarity, E-E-A-T 06:40 Practical AIO steps: conversational language, FAQs, clear service structure 09:17 Strengthening credibility signals using credentials and verifiable links 10:55 Location clarity and why hyperlocal cues matter 11:39 Advanced AIO: schema markup, transcripts, freshness updates 12:58 Mindset shift: from keywords to solving user problems 14:30 What to avoid: keyword stuffing, generic bios, AI-generated filler 15:17 Quick 10-minute AIO website audit checklist 16:40 What’s coming: 70% of web traffic flowing through AI intermediaries 18:57 Before/after examples of an AI-optimized professional bio Cool Things Mentioned Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists Google E-E-A-T quality framework: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content Schema.org markup documentation: https://schema.org Local Business Schema guide (Google): https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/local-business FAQPage Schema reference: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/faqpage Google Search Central blog on AI Overviews and SEO implications: https://developers.google.com/search/blog Perplexity (AI search engine): https://www.perplexity.ai ChatGPT search capabilities: https://chat.openai.com The Testing Psychologist Craft Membership (referenced in episode): https://www.testingpsychologist.com/craft Featured Resources I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice! PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com. TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!or CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call! Schedule Your Call

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Stephanie Ruth Young from Northwestern University about the NIH Toolbox family of assessments: powerful, research-backed instruments that many clinicians still overlook. We explore how these tablet-based and mobile tools can bridge the gap between research and clinical practice, reduce examiner error, and simplify workflow without sacrificing rigor. Stephanie also walks us through the new Baby Toolbox for infants and toddlers and the Mobile Toolbox for remote data collection, sharing how these innovations may shape the future of neuropsychological and developmental testing. Main Topics Covered 00:01 – Introduction: Stephanie’s background and motivation for bridging research and practice. 02:38 – Overview of the NIH Toolbox: Purpose, development, and structure. 05:06 – The Suite of Tools: NIH Toolbox, Baby Toolbox, and Mobile Toolbox. 06:35 – Barriers to Adoption: Why clinicians haven’t heard more about these tools. 09:47 – Misconceptions: Addressing misconceptions about “brief” measures and the value of integrated domain coverage. 13:34 – Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT): How it works and why it matters. 17:52 – Deep Dive into the Baby Toolbox: Tasks, materials, and examiner advantages. 24:46 – Clinical Utility: Validation, norming, and clinical utility across the NIH Toolbox family. 31:46 – Mobile Toolbox Use Cases: Research and clinical potential for the Mobile Toolbox. 33:36 – Validation vs. Norming: What clinicians need to know. 39:15 – Assessment Advantages: Common examiner errors and benefits of computerized assessment. 45:11 – Future of Testing Technology: AI, automation, and cognitive load reduction. 51:09 – The Human Role: The irreplaceable human role in psychological interpretation. 53:03 – Getting Started: How to access, pilot, and collaborate on Toolbox projects. Cool Things Mentioned The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists NIH Toolbox official site: www.nihtoolbox.com Contact for access/support: help@nihtoolbox.com REDCap research data-capture platform: www.project-redcap.org Featured Resources I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice! PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com. TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Dr. Stephanie Ruth Young Stephanie Ruth Young is a licensed psychologist and Assistant Professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Clinically trained as a bilingual pediatric neuropsychologist (Spanish-English), Dr. Young earned her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, completed her clinical internship at Dell Children’s Medical Center, and her clinical fellowship at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Since joining Northwestern in 2021, her research has focused on advancing the accuracy and efficiency of psychological assessments for clinical workflows. To this end, her team has created and validated dozens of assessments of various domains of functioning, designed for the youngest infants to the oldest adults. Dr. Young serves as Multiple Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on several large NIH-funded projects, primarily focused on tracking cognitive trajectories and early detection of cognitive impairment. Get in Touch & Resources: For questions about the NIHTB products email: help@nihtoolbox.org For questions about mobile toolbox email: help@mobiletoolbox.org To speak with Stephanie directly email: stephanieruth.young@northwestern.edu Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieruthyoung/ About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call! Schedule Your Call

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I tackle one of the most time-consuming challenges in assessment psychology: report writing. I explore why many psychologists spend 5–30+ hours per report creating comprehensive documents that research suggests referral sources aren’t fully reading, and offer a data-driven roadmap for reclaiming that time without sacrificing clinical integrity. Drawing on stakeholder surveys and readability research, I challenge the field’s ingrained belief that quantity equals quality, and make the case that conciseness is actually a mark of clinical expertise. I share practical tactics, from modular templates and voice dictation to AI tools like Reverb (which I co-founded), while addressing the mindset shifts, ethical considerations, and philosophical questions that make this transition so difficult for many practitioners. Main Topics Covered 00:00 Introduction to Report Writing Challenges 02:53 Understanding the Time Investment in Report Writing 05:46 Core Principles for Efficient Report Writing 09:12 Tactics to Cut Writing Time 12:00 Mindset Shift in Report Writing 14:47 Ethics and Liability in Report Writing 18:08 Tools and Technology for Report Writing 21:07 Philosophical Reflections on Time Management 24:13 Conclusion and Call to Action Cool Things Mentioned CRAFT: The Membership Community for Testing Psychologists Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists Featured Resources I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice! PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com. TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health!fer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call! Schedule Your Call

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Albert “Skip” Rizzo, one of the world’s leading innovators in using virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance psychological assessment, rehabilitation, and clinical training. We trace the history of VR in mental health from a 1990s Game Boy inspiration to today’s immersive, data-rich tools, and explore how conversational AI and virtual humans are changing the way clinicians evaluate, treat, and connect with clients. Skip shares insights from decades of groundbreaking work with veterans, autistic adolescents, and clinical trainees, while addressing ethical guardrails, practical adoption strategies, and why he remains a cautious optimist about AI’s role in our field. Main Topics Covered Why Skip chose VR: the excitement of endless innovation Early history of VR in mental health: from Game Boy/SimCity to immersive rehab Early mental-health use cases: exposure therapy, spatial reasoning, and neurorehab The 1998 Virtual Classroom—first immersive CPT for attention assessment The new frontier: merging VR with conversational AI VA “Battle Buddy”: AI-driven mobile support for veterans (design, naming, de-stigmatization) AI safety and empathy research—why people sometimes prefer virtual agents Paul Meehl’s quote and VR as the “ultimate Skinner box” for systematic experiences What’s commercially viable today (exposure, pain, mindfulness, cognitive rehab) + the “Amazon of Clinical VR” idea Affordable standalone headsets (e.g., Meta Quest 3) as a tipping point for clinical practice Cool Things Mentioned The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting: www.thetestingpsychologist.com Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists: www.reverbreports.com Meta Quest 3 headset: www.meta.com/quest Virtually Better (exposure-therapy applications): www.virtuallybetter.com CogniClear cognitive assessment system: www.cogniclear.com U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Immersive Healthcare Initiative: www.va.gov/innovationecosystem RAND Corporation study on AI safety and suicide prevention: www.rand.org JAMA article – VR-based Motivational Interview Training (Rizzo et al., VA Puget Sound): www.jamanetwork.com Dan Marino Foundation Job-Interview VR Trainer: www.danmarinofoundation.org. Featured Resources I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice! PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com. TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Dr. Skip Rizzo Skip Rizzo is a Clinical Psychologist, and directs of the University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) Medical VR Lab. He is a research professor in both the USC Dept. of Psychiatry and the School of Gerontology. Over the last 30 years, he has conducted research on the design, development and evaluation of VR systems across the domains of psychological, cognitive and motor functioning in healthy and clinical populations. This work has focused on PTSD, TBI, Autism, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, psychedelic therapy, and Suicide Prevention, and other clinical conditions. Get in Touch & Resources: Email: rizzo@ict.usc.edu Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/AlbertSkipRizzo/videos About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call! Schedule Your Call

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the most tempting moves for private practice owners: diversification. We’ve all felt the pull to add new services like coaching, therapy, or wellness programs, especially when the market slows down. But diversification isn’t always the answer, and it can easily backfire if done reactively or without alignment. I’ll walk you through the data, real-world examples, and a concrete framework to decide whether expanding your services will strengthen or dilute your practice. Main Topics Covered 00:00 Why diversification feels so tempting, and the post-COVID mindset behind it 02:12 The hidden costs: brand dilution, operational complexity, and financial lag 04:36 Real-world example: what happened when I added a medication prescriber 07:01 Culture confusion and team impact during expansion 08:24 When diversification does work: shared client journey, high-margin additions, and partnerships 11:37 The three-part evaluation lens: alignment, margin, and capacity 14:05 Common pitfalls: adding therapy or medical services without infrastructure 16:29 Modeling ROI and minimum margin targets for new services 18:31 Balancing profitability with personal energy and joy 20:45 How to pilot new services, track data, and set a “kill date” 22:30 Final takeaway: clarity beats complexity: double down on your niche Cool Things Mentioned The Testing Psychologist mastermind groups and business consulting Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists Featured Resources I am honored to partner with two AMAZING companies to help improve your testing practice! PAR is a long time supporter of the Testing Psychologist podcast, and I will continue to bring you featured items from their catalog! Listen to each episode for specific product recommendations and links. Learn more at www.parinc.com. TherapyNotes is the leading EHR system for mental health practitioners. I’ve used TherapyNotes for over 10 years, and it just keeps getting better. Use this link and the promo code “testing” to get two free months and try it for yourself! www.therapynotes.com/testing The Testing Psychologist podcast is approved for CEU’s! I’ve partnered with At Health to offer CE credits for podcast episodes! Visit this link to access current and past episodes available for CE credit. You can use code “TTP10” for a discount on ALL the course credits you purchase from At Health! About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and have grown to over 20 clinicians. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina before getting my Master’s and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. These days, I specialize in psychological and neuropsychological evaluation with kids and adolescents. As the host of the Testing Psychologist Podcast, I provide private practice consulting for psychologists and other mental health professionals who want to start or grow psychological testing services in their practices. I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my wife (also a therapist) and two young kids. Ready to grow your testing services? Click below to schedule a complimentary 30-minute pre-consulting call! Schedule Your Call